RAB Source Entry 3 ~ Kamaro D.

RQ:

My research question is: How does gaming addiction form in teens? This topic interests me because I love playing video games, and it’s almost a hobby now. I always wondered about the effects it might have on people, whether good or negative. In this research, I want to focus on teenagers because it’s where the early signs of development start. I already know that many teens have a serious gaming addiction. This gaming addiction could lead to certain kids neglecting the responsibilities they have. Leading to many teenagers performing badly in school. Some of the points that I plan to explore and find out more about are if gaming for teens leads to a lot of aggression in their daily lives and if teens who play a lot of video games lack time management skills.

Part 1 MLA Citation:

– YouTube. This Is Your Child’s Brain on Videogames | WSJ Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Part 2 Summary:

 In the video “This Is Your Child’s Brain on Videogames,” The Wall Street Journal interviews Dr. Milham to describe the new research on what is going on in children’s brains as they are playing video games. At the start of the video, The Wall Street Journal shows a popular trend where parents go up to their kids’ gaming consoles and turn them off while playing. This led to the kids getting very angry and violent. Often cursing their parents out or just hitting something in frustration. The Wall Street Journal later cites Dr.Milham as he states that those videos are children who are victims of their biology. Children don’t have a fully developed prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex of the brain allows us to control impulses and urges. The Wall Street Journal connects this to another factor which is called dopamine. Dopamine is associated with feelings of euphoria, motivation, and concentration. Dopamine allows the brain to feel like it’s being rewarded. The Wall Street Journal connects this to the many games that use a leveling-up feature to keep gamers interested in their games. Video games are designed to draw people in, and stimulate the brain. The Wall Street Journal discusses how this can sometimes be a healthy thing but for those who cannot control this, it could affect their day-to-day lives, especially children. To help prevent this addiction, Dr.Milham says that parents should establish clear and consistent rules about the days and times of gameplay. 

Part 3 Rhetorical Analysis:

The genre of this piece is a feature video. The Wall Street Journal and Dr.Milham inform the readers about the subject. The Wall Street Journal video style is informative. The Wall Street Journal uses the rhetorical appeal of logos throughout the video, citing Dr.Milham and other research to further inform the reader about the subject. The Wall Street Journal’s motive for making this video is to inform all people how dopamine is used in video games and how it causes an addiction in children. The Wall Street Journal’s primary audience is parents. The Wall Street Journal also wants the viewers to understand what dopamine is, how it’s used in video games, and how it can cause a gaming addiction in children. The Wall Street Journal became the United States ‘ first national newspaper in the twentieth century. The Journal has dominated American publishing and has won many Pulitzer Prizes throughout its years. 

Part 4 Notable Quotes:

“Playing a video game impacts the same pathways that are presented when one is becoming intoxicated with a substance.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“One of the reasons the children in these videos find it so hard to control themselves is because they don’t have yet have a fully developed prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is a key component in the brain that’s involved to help us control impulses and urges we have.” (Dr.Milham) 

“Dopamine is a key component of regulating brain the stimulation we receive from” (Dr.Milham)