The use of virtual reality in studying prejudice and its reduction : A systematic review

Peer reviewe

The Effects of Video Game Experience and Family Environment on Spatial Memory Development

How children navigate their world, and what environmental cues they use to build a map of their environment has been extensively studied behaviorally. But, with advances in technology, experimental designs have shifted from real environments to virtual environments. This generates an experimental experience that mimics everyday navigation but is easier to control for any confounding variables. To this extent, it has sparked the question of how video game experience influences individual differences in spatial map formation. The present study addresses how video game exposure impacts spatial memory across 6- 12-year-olds and adults. Indices of spatial memory were determined by behavioral measures taken from an object location task (path efficiency, distance error, angular error). Video game experience was collected through a questionnaire that generated scores for active gameplay, virtual layout exposure, and passive watching. An additional factor considered was the effect of family structure on video game experience. This included the amount of family disposable income, parental educational level, and perceived family dynamic. Participants showed a developmental increase in spatial memory accuracy across the age range tested, and participants with greater video game experience demonstrated better spatial memory. However, this was significantly mediated by an interaction with age, whereby only children showed a link between video game experience and spatial memory. While parental education was a significant predictor of video game experience, parental education and perceived family function were not. Additionally, all three measures were non-significant predictors of task performance directly. This study shows that while video game experience is a significant predictor of object location task performance in children, whether social familial factors if any, mediate this relationship are yet to be fully understood.Neuroscienc

Childhood Obesity Prevention through Serious Videogames in Barakaldo

Introduction: Childhood obesity and overweight are growing alarmingly at a global, state and a regional level, in Bizkaia. It is a public health problem because the excessive accumulation of fat in the body can lead to develop numerous pathologies in the adulthood. The cause of this increase has several aspects as risk factors, among which are having an unhealthy lifestyle related to nutrition and physical activity. Therefore, it is necessary to implement a health promotion project that is really geared towards children through the tool they best master, videogames. Objective: Prevent the development of obesity in children (a decrease of 37%) from 9 to 14 years old in the municipality of Barakaldo, Biscay, through the use of the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to promote a healthy lifestyle related to nutrition and physical activity on a community and familiar level. Methodology: A health promotion project is developed in which the child population of 5 randomly chosen schools of Barakaldo and their parents will participate. An smartphone application with an integrated serious videogame will be created to carry out the intervention. The project will approach healthy lifestyles using the Precede-Proceed activity planning model. The evaluative plan includes the process evaluation, evaluation of the results and impact evaluation

Early adolescents\u27 perceptions and attitudes towards gender representations in video games

This study investigated adolescents’ perception and attitudes towards gender representation in video game covers, and the degree to which these depictions may influence their notions on gender and identification. Seventeen participants ranging from ages 12 and 13 participated in semi-structured interviews to explore this topic. This study’s conceptual framework encompassed social cognitive theory, gender schema theory, and cultivation theory. Findings suggest that gender representation in video games does influence the majority of participants’ notions of gender. However, there are differences between how males and females’ approach, interpret, and respond to this type of media. Findings also showcased that evidence of implicit bias was detected in both male and female participants, demonstrated through inconsistencies in their responses. Finally, the findings revealed a significant lack of identification from the majority of participants with video game characters, as many participants were able to clearly distinguish between simulated and real-life experiences

Development and empirical testing of a game engagement scale : case r/Stopgaming

The thesis conceptualises gaming from leisurely and labour-like starting points and both measures and develops this perspective by pioneering a concept of game engagement. Putting forth this perspective is grounded by appeals to burnout in and out of professional contexts in the videogame industry, ludology and research on player experiences. These views coming together prompted a need to verify whether games are to be normatively held as engaging in only popular belief, or verifiably so in actuality. In so doing, both methodological and theoretical insight is provided. The engagement construct was adapted from the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale -9 (short form) and a survey study was conducted. Data was analysed using ordinal logistic regression and exploratory factor analysis. Results showed those not holding games dear to them may require substantial investment increases to reap adequate increases in engagement, if playtime is low, while a committed orientation towards gaming (in terms of subjective gamerhood and hours played) showed marked differences in engagement per incremental increase in playtime. These results are considered descriptive, rather than predictive. Future directions for game studies are suggested to uncover how players become disengaged and how rationalisation affects the gaming experience

Early adolescents' perceptions and attitudes towards gender representations in video games

This study investigated adolescents’ perception and attitudes towards gender representation in video game covers, and the degree to which these depictions may influence their notions on gender and identification. Seventeen participants ranging from ages 12 and 13 participated in semi-structured interviews to explore this topic. This study’s conceptual framework encompassed social cognitive theory, gender schema theory, and cultivation theory. Findings suggest that gender representation in video games does influence the majority of participants’ notions of gender. However, there are differences between how males and females’ approach, interpret, and respond to this type of media. Findings also showcased that evidence of implicit bias was detected in both male and female participants, demonstrated through inconsistencies in their responses. Finally, the findings revealed a significant lack of identification from the majority of participants with video game characters, as many participants were able to clearly distinguish between simulated and real-life experiences

Survival Themed Video Games and Cultural Constructs of Power

Studies of the relationship between games and culture have often considered the empowering effect of games on the player. Studies have related this empowerment to individual character growth as well as broader geopolitical action (e.g., the conquering of nations). Few studies, however, have considered the emergent and increasingly popular survival genre of video games. In the current inquiry, through an analysis of past and current examples of games in this genre, we explore how survival games disempower players and discuss the potential implications for this shift in terms of cultural attitudes toward the current state of the world, individual prospects, and optimism/pessimism about the future. The goal of this piece is to explore and converse with the existing state of the literature and exemplars from the survival genre, creating a typological framework for future empirical and theoretical development in the area of games, culture, and (dis)empowerment dynamics

School Shootings and Principals\u27 Perception of Armed Personnel in an Education Setting

The purpose of this study was to explore the dilemma principals have in determining the best approach to provide safe environment for their students and faculty, while at the same time creating an environment that is conducive to education. The study looked at an urban school district with a marginalized community with low socioeconomic status as identified by the District Factor Group A. Twelve school principals were interviewed to gather information of their perceptions in relation to having armed personnel in their schools. The literature on school shootings and armed personnel in schools was reviewed. The literature consisted of peer-reviewed articles, federal and state laws, and books and articles depicting the current state of school shootings. Through the interviews conducted with the school principals, the study looked at the perception of the principals in regards to school safety, armed personnel, policies and procedures, mental health, communications between the stakeholders, and their concerns. The results of the study provided valuable information to the researcher to allow for recommendations for future research, policy, and practice

Exclusion, Punishment, Racism, and Our Schools: A Critical Race Theory Perspective on School Discipline

Punitive school discipline procedures have increasingly taken hold in America’s schools. While they are detrimental to the wellbeing and to the academic success of all students, they have proven to disproportionately punish minority students, especially African American youth. Such policies feed into wider social issues that, once more, disproportionately affect minority communities: the school-to-prison pipeline, high school dropout rates, the push-out phenomenon, and the criminalization of schools. Before such pervasive racial inequality can be addressed effectively, the social and the psychological mechanisms that create racial inequality in the first place must be examined. This Comment offers insights from the field of Critical Race Theory on the root causes for racial inequality in American society more broadly, and in the context of school discipline more specifically. It argues that racial stigmatization, stereotyping, and implicit biases that are based on a long history of racial prejudice in the United States continue to infuse seemingly objective standards of what is considered appropriate behavior, as well as the practices — such as punitive school discipline — that are used to enforce such standards. Because a comprehensive remedy to these systemic issues cannot be expected to come from efforts in the courts, advocates will have to rely on alternative strategies to soften and to reverse the negative impact that punitive school discipline imposes on students, especially minority students. This Comment proposes disciplinary practices based on the concept of Restorative Justice as a promising alternative to current disciplinary policies. It argues that Restorative Justice–based disciplinary policies are consistent with core principles of Critical Race Theory and are more conducive to creating a nurturing, safe, and inclusive school environment that not only keeps children in school but also helps to undermine the sources of racial conflict and of racial inequality that have plagued this nation for too long