Minecraft impact on the psyche of the child. Are games harmful to children? - Understanding the example of Minecraft

I don't know about everyone else, but when I was growing up (in the 80s) there were people who talked about video games loudly and often:

Video games are bad for you

Because of them your brains rot!

Kids today will never learn how to be normal (adults - ed.) if they sit in front of the monitor and play all day!

At the time, I thought it was just the ravings of a madman. It's just a game after all. As a child who grew up listening to these words, I changed my point of view. Not much and not for the worse.

Brains don't rot because of games!

The main argument in the statement " Games make your brain rot!" is that " when you play you don't do real things". This is a separate topic for discussion, but there are studies that prove that games not only do not rot the brain, but, on the contrary, make them work more actively. The same is true for adults. Since minecraft is everything famous game, I will use it as an example.

Almost everything you can do in Minecraft requires some ability. For example, building even the most ordinary house you use creative thinking. What if we build a big fortress on the mountain? Here you will be to plan construction from the very beginning, so as not to get into a mess. The player will have to research territory, in order to understand whether it will be possible to build a castle in the chosen place. Next you will need calculate how many resources will be required to build. If the player is going to build a fortress in survival mode, then he will have to think about safety, because at night it will be attacked by hostile mobs,

And after the construction of the castle, you will need to do design interior spaces and ennoblement territory.

Games don't make people anti-social!

The image of a lonely, closed-in, sitting in a dark room and never uttering a word gamer is very popular in the media. Anyone who has ever played Minecraft online knows that this is a complete lie. Here I can say for sure that the example may not only be Minecraft. Now the developers are trying to make the game as much as possible social. For example, in Counter Strike: Global Offensive it is not possible to play without voice communication at all. Ingress and Pokemon Go can only be played alone at the initial levels.

At its core, online play forces people to contact each other. Let's go back to the fortress example. Suppose we have already planned everything and now we must begin construction. We have a lot of work and we want to invite friends to help us. Now 2 points become apparent:

1. Communication in the game is vital;
2. Joint efforts rally people in a friendly team.

Now the team must decide who gathers resources, who designs the fortress (if the fortress was not fully thought out), and who builds it (and what parts of it), who will forage for food and who will defend the rest from hostile creatures. In addition to this, you need to distribute the players so that they work effectively. Trying to assemble such a team, the leader acquires invaluable experience in communication with people, which will be useful to him in the future.

Anti-social research has taken place over the years, and as a result, it was found that games with a multiplayer mode helped players overcome self-doubt and fear of other people. About 70% of users were happy to chat with other players. In Minecraft, gaming communities range from a few people playing together to local network, to entire servers, where more than a hundred people are online at the same time. For example, on the site, the daily reach is over 5000 players.

Games are not bad!

I have been playing games for two decades. During this time they have grown and developed and, it seems to me, the games are improving everyday life rather than destroy it. Some people make a career out of gaming. We can see this by watching the channels of famous let's players on YouTube or Twitch. In addition, Minecraft is one of the top mmo-rpg games. (according to: http://vsemmorpg.ru/top-mmorpg)

People have always played games. Over time, their form has changed. It all started with pupae made of grass. and sticks sharpened with a sharp stone, and now our games have been transferred to computers and phones. Games have always been played for fun, but in addition to that, games teach us some things.

I don't know how video games are worse than the ones that came before them. And in some cases they are even better!

What do you think of video games? Are they harmful or beneficial?

Write your thoughts on this in the comments!

Minecraft is an incredibly popular computer game that many children enjoy. However, at the same time, some parents cannot share the joy of their sons and daughters regarding this game. Exists great amount reasons why children love Minecraft, and the same reasons make parents fall into a stupor and scratch their heads thoughtfully. These 5 things kids really love about Minecraft. But you don't even know that most modern parents they just don't understand.

Minecraft language

How can you explain the language of Minecraft in general? Friends come to visit your child, they gather in the room and start talking about noobs and endermans, while laughing and giggling, while the parents listen and think that it would be better if they talked about sports. Many parents are not even into sports, but at least they can participate in such a conversation.
Parents want to be involved in the lives of their children, but as soon as they start talking about Minecraft, they immediately begin to think that this is Latin. And when parents ask their children to explain one concept, then immediately there is a need to explain another concept, and after it another one. And by the time you understand why your child needed to kill the Ender dragon, half of your day has already passed. As a result, everything ends up with the child talking, and the parents just nodding and hoping that they did not just agree to buy some kind of addon.

Youtubers

It’s not enough that Minecraft itself is strange for parents, there are also a million YouTube stars who talk about this game, demonstrate their achievements, share jokes that only those who play Minecraft understand. And this is not about any particular YouTuber. The problem will be understood by parents who have had to snatch the tablet from the hands of a child who has been listening to someone talking about the game for several hours in a row. Yes, many of these YouTubers make more in a month than their parents make in a whole year, and this may annoy the parents in the slightest, but it's not about the money. It's all about sanity, and hour-long videos of teenagers recording loud, annoying Minecraft movies in their rooms have grown-ups saying trite things like "Where is the world going?" and so on. And this is terrible, because it makes parents feel like their parents used to feel - old and out of date. And the circle is closed.

Addiction

Many parents do not understand one thing: is nicotine or some other drug added to Minecraft? Every parent whose child plays Minecraft understands how difficult it is to get him to turn off the game. It comes to tears, screams and even fists. Children even begin to swear at their parents. And so do both young children and adolescents. Sometimes one gets the feeling that if real home children will be invaded by zombies, they will not care, but if this happens to their house in Minecraft, then the end of the world will come. For many parents, this game looks like some kind of pixelated mess, but the kids can't agree with that.

Disorientation

If you are trying to connect with your child by playing Minecraft, then you need to remember the vomit bowl. No, the game is not disgusting or nasty, but it is disorienting. You start to feel dizzy from everything that is happening around you, you do not understand what to do, and you find yourself in some room with a pickaxe in your hands. And then your child starts laughing at you as if you are a complete idiot, and not an adult with a higher education and a prestigious job. And then the child himself sits down at the computer, his blue eyes start darting around the screen while he corrects the situation you created, and he starts saying: “You see? Do you see?" But you still don't see the difference between what you did and what he does.

Trying to understand makes things worse

Like any good parent, when your child starts playing Minecraft, you try to better understand the game by reading about it online. Here’s an excerpt from one such article called Minecraft Parent’s Guide: Minecraft is a sandbox game created by Swedish programmer and gamer Markus “Notch” Persson. The world of the game is procedurally generated, and its essence lies in the collection of resources, the creation of items, construction and (if the player wishes) battles. Many parents have encountered strange texts in their lives, but this is just crazy.

conclusions

The conclusion can be drawn as follows: most children like this game, while some parents simply cannot understand it. And the saddest thing is that many parents initially thought that they would not have problems understanding. Not only Minecraft, but everything that concerns their children. When people become parents, they don't think they'll ever have to say "here these days" or "why can't you play normal games?” as these are some of the most annoying things their parents have ever said to them when they were young. However, this is what parenting is all about. It's a reality where you're getting older and trying to understand your kids, wishing they could just do what you understand.

Working as a child psychologist for 20 years now, I watch how hobbies replace each other with any games or movie characters. So, the era of superheroes in the form of Spider-Man or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spilled over into the Bakugan craze, followed by the zombie apocalypse epidemic for boys and a series of monster dolls for girls. And for two years now, the Minecraft game has been on the crest of a new wave.

It's a craze and adults should be aware of it. Firstly, this epidemic has affected both children and adolescents - from 6 to 16 years old. Secondly, this game is available both on a computer, and on a tablet, and on a smartphone, that is, you can not part with it for days. In the game, you yourself seem to be walking, turning or raising your head, as in many rpg games and shooters. But the main difference is in the graphics: everything is pixelated, as if from small cubes. What is it about this game? How does she attract children? different ages? It is important for adults to understand what the offspring are looking for and finding in Minecraft?

How would you go out for a walk?

There is a lot to collect in this game. Some of the collected is used to build a house (village, palace), something - to make weapons or something else useful. For fans of battles, there are many different characters walking around the world with whom you can fight. You can have a pet. That is, the game is universal - for every taste. Build, destroy, care, feel important, blow off steam! And also, thanks to this most unusual graphics, the atmosphere in the game is somewhat reminiscent of a child's perception of the world: how would you live here and now. Some characters appear out of nowhere and go out of nowhere. It's scary at night, but calm during the day. The world is incomprehensible: as soon as you turn away from the object, it ceases to exist, and if you go far from the chosen meadow, then you may not find your home. And if you find it, you never know who you can find there.

Create, invent, try

In the game, you can go to visit each other, share supplies, defend yourself from enemies. There are many related areas where space for creativity and popularity begins. You can make your own clip using the characters of the game and post it right there on the site in anticipation of likes. Or write a story based on the game or characters.

There are very popular people in this space who regularly post something new that is always a success. There are myths and legends: for example, if you collect more than a thousand subscribers to your work, then you will supposedly be paid some amount for each. You can also learn programming in the style of "Minecraft" and create your own games, clips, universes.

Of course, many begin to play, so to speak, "for the company." Everyone in the class is addicted - and I also keep up with the team. But if they started, they linger for a long time.

So let's see what children feel when they enter this space. First of all, success and your own importance: you create something, you protect something, you can demonstrate your achievements. There is something to talk about with other children. Again, you can become in demand and popular. And this is success again. There is scope for creative self-realization. After all, creating a video and writing a story is the kind of self-expression for which they won’t get 4 or 5, but which someone will definitely like. And so our children go into a world where they are significant, and there are no adults, but there are guidelines for the older inhabitants of this world. Isn't it true that it is somewhat reminiscent of the childhood of former times with its courtyard life, in which there were communication, and trials, and enemies, and intrigues? The difference is only in the virtuality of what is happening.

Reality versus virtuality… or instead?

I don't know if this is good or bad. The world associated with life in a computer has been our reality for fifteen years now. There are many new professions associated with this activity. And from this point of view, our children are in the trend of global changes. And at the same time, there have already been experiments when a tablet was taken away from a child for a day - and they saw a sad picture: without a gadget, there is no one to talk to, and nothing to talk about, since the skill of face-to-face communication without an assistant has not been developed. The feeling of success disappears immediately, because in real life our children often acquire the experience of independence and significance in few places. Only if we specifically organize it. But how?

1. We give them to sections and circles. Sports achievements, mastering an instrument, creating creative crafts, etc. give a feeling of success and self-realization, which depend only on you.
2. Let's go to thematic camps, trips. Children gain life experience when they need to take care of themselves, communicate with peers, negotiate the creation of a project, play not only computer games, but also board and outdoor games. Also in the camps, some kind of creative self-expression is constantly taking place: performance on stage, role-playing games creating scenarios...
3. We entrust something important in helping with the housework. And if the child does not cope right away, we celebrate even minor successes and emphasize what an important contribution he makes to the family.
4. We organize learning in such a way that children really decide when and how to do it. homework and controlled their own learning process.
5. Let's hang out with friends. If communication takes place on your territory, we introduce restrictions on communication using a computer and other gadgets. Free time can be taken board games. There are now a huge number of them, bright and interesting. Sometimes it’s enough to help you figure out the rules once.

Then there is a chance that the joy and success of virtual life will become for children only one of the sources of positive emotions.

Modern parents are on the verge of making a huge mistake in raising their children. Wishing well for their children, they deprive them of time and space for games, thereby limiting the development of imagination - a skill that is the basis of innovation and competitiveness.

A study by toy company Radio Flyer and ReD Associates reveals the disturbing implications of today's overprotective parenting. Before each holiday, adults begin to puzzle over what kind of toy will be interesting and useful for their child. However, before purchasing another wooden construction set, parents should think seriously.

The development of the imagination is facilitated by games that child psychologists call "arbitrary" ( unstructured play) - in those there is no clearly defined scenario, there is no ultimate goal, devices are not used. The child himself invents his own worlds and embodies his own ideas.

According to a study conducted in the United States, children who are given freedom of action by their parents, that is, they are given the opportunity to decide for themselves when, where and what to play, have the most developed imagination. However, most of today's children simply cannot play by themselves - they need instructions from adults or the toy itself.

The conclusions are disappointing: today's children need to be taught to play arbitrary games. Child development specialist and psychologist Peter Gray also noted a steady reduction in time spent on free play. According to other data, children aged 8 to 18 spend an average of 6.5 hours in the company of gadgets daily, and many are even afraid to go out without an adult.

Modern parents are puzzled by how to create conditions for involuntary play. A study of children from infancy to 9 years of age showed surprising results - neither wooden Toys, nor their digital counterparts create the conditions for unstructured play. So what is wrong with parents?

Consequences of playing Minecraft

Take, for example, cubes. The current generation of children passively press the buttons and the toys themselves entertain them, and when the toy gets bored, they insistently demand another. Some parents even developed new tradition: Throw out "old" toys before the holidays to make room for new ones. Other parents admit that they buy their child a new toy a week, and also keep toys in reserve.

Having got used to the constant novelty and change of entertainment, children simply stop playing with ordinary cubes, as a result of which they lose their skills in playing with stationary objects. Parents shrug their hands: "We don't want our children to be bored." But therein lies the secret: boredom motivates children to play with “what is.” If we want to develop children's imagination, we need children to be bored.

What then can be said about computer games like Minecraft, which one parent described as "dice on steroids"?

In this popular game, kids mine for resources, craft items, build buildings and explore new worlds. In the "Creative" mode, players have unlimited supplies of resources and tools, which allows you to create objects of increased complexity. That's where the unlimited freedom of imagination is - take it and build it!

However, the study found that after playing a series of Minecraft games, children felt jittery and annoyed. Many agree that the aforementioned play only "kills time" - once the child begins to understand the mechanics of the game well, that is, to play well, the experience of research and creation turns into endless construction in order to avoid boredom. One of the adults correctly noted that under such conditions, even a favorite pastime turns into a routine.

Creating conditions for unstructured play requires not only restricting the child from certain entertainment, but also providing him complete freedom. However, as the study showed, this practice does not always show inspiring results - young respondents, left without their usual toys, started fights with peers (and sometimes with parents) and experienced irritation, drowsiness and confusion. Obviously, the problem here is not with toys, but with the fact that children are not used to playing on their own.

The idea of ​​free games is discussed quite often, but ways to create conditions for such are rarely presented. Below are three excerpts from a study by child psychologist Peter Gray recommending the practice of free play.

1. Parents must clearly understand what “free play” is and what it gives

AT free play there is no clearly marked beginning and end - children entertain themselves, adults do not help them. This approach can confuse parents who are used to seeing educational and educational tasks in the game, as well as those who believe that participation in children's play helps to become closer to the child.

2. Children should play on their own every day

When parents try to introduce several hours of free play between other activities of the child, the latter experiences absent-mindedness and irritation. For this problem to disappear, children must learn to play on their own, and not wait to be entertained by parents, teachers, or new toys.

3. In free play, children should be guided by the behavior of adults

It is no secret that children copy the behavior of adults, but the latter, having plunged headlong into work, often forget about it. Parents should be an example for their children and show that spending time without gadgets can be a lot of fun.

How are these ideas put into practice? Quite simply, a photographer father takes his two-year-old daughter for walks. While he is filming nature, the child selflessly plays with what is nearby - he imagines, explores, learns the world. The adult does not interfere, the girl herself leads the process. However, the parent is nearby - minding his own business, he looks after her, and the child is inspired by the actions of the father and copies his behavior.

At what age can you play Minecraft? - this question arises from parents who decide whether to allow their children to play Minecraft.

To answer this question, you can, for starters, turn to the official ratings of the game. European system ratings of video games has designated the game as acceptable for children aged 7 years and older.

The age limit is justified: “Unrealistic cruelty towards fictional characters. An image or sound that may frighten children. Unrealistic looking cruelty towards characters that are human-like (but not detailed)."

Translating to understandable, this means that the game is generally harmless, but there are weapons (swords and bows) in it, and "monsters" attack the player - spiders, zombies, skeletons, etc. Considering the very style of the game, all these creatures look like a heap of rectangles with a stretched texture, and naturally there is no detail here - blood, etc. They killed the pig - it fell, and then disappeared, dissolving in a cloud of smoke. At the same time, there are unexpected elements in the game and the unexpected appearance of a spider (or some other creature), accompanied by the corresponding sound, can scare the child. Like any unexpected event.

It should be remembered, however, that like most modern games, this game has the ability to play online. And in this case, there are additional risks associated with communicating with other people. A child can become a victim of cyber-bullying, face unscrupulous commerce on game servers, and generally learn a lot of new words (which have not yet been taught at school).

A good alternative to playing on servers can be the Realms service. It is good because it allows you to get at your disposal a game server without any special tricks, to which you can invite only those you want - relatives and friends, for example.

In general, there are no special reasons to restrict a child from playing Minecraft specifically. Moreover, unlike many other games, Minecraft can be an incentive to develop creativity:

• Building from blocks develops spatial thinking, and the buildings that some players get are real masterpieces of virtual architecture. Some players are fond of building certain things: models of ships, planes, trains…
• The game has a kind of prototype of electronics - redstone. Of course, you won’t get a diploma in circuit engineering, but then it will be easier to understand how certain electronic devices and electrical appliances.
• Someone finds himself in programming: Java, php, C# - these are the programming languages ​​that a person who is seriously interested in Minecraft can learn.

Also, don't forget about the question. If the game is not purchased, but put on the shoulders of the child, then there is a high probability that he will either become a victim of scammers and simply lose money, or acquire a pirated version that will contain some kind of malicious code.