Computer Games' Influence on Employability: A Critical Analysis

This essay investigates the negative impact of computer games on employability. It argues that excessive gaming reduces social skills and hinders communication, crucial for professional success. The introduction defines computer games and gamers, contrasting them with non-gamers, and presents the essay's thesis. The first body paragraph claims that computer games lead to reduced social skills compared to non-gamers, citing research that highlights the negative effects of gaming addiction on social interaction, particularly among first-year students. It also references studies showing that gamers exhibit increased negativity and reduced social skills. The second body paragraph continues the argument, emphasizing the importance of communication skills for employability and how gaming addiction can negatively impact the development of these skills, especially during adolescence. The essay concludes by suggesting restrictions on computer games to mitigate their adverse effects on employability, referencing relevant studies and providing specific examples to support its claims.

Running head: INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
Introduction
Computer games are the video games that are played on personal computers and those
who play these games are known as gamers. In contrast to it, those who do not play computer
games are called non-gamers. The thesis of the essay is to argue that computer games have
negative influence on employability because it reduces the social skills of the people thus
hampering their communication skills as well. Therefore, the essay will firstly discuss the
influence of computer games on the social skills people playing computer games as opposed to
non-gamers. Secondly, the essay will argue that computer games make people prone to violence.
Discussion
Body paragraph 1
Claim 1: Computer games result in reduced social skills as opposed to non-gamers.
Justification: Excessive addiction to computer games lead to reduced socialization and
increased consciousness for face-face-interaction.
Specific reason 1: Computer games play a crucial role in shaping the thoughts and
attitudes of students today because this platform provides them the opportunity to engage with
people from different parts of the world. However, engaging in violent games results in the
formation of violent attitudes.
Evidence: Campit (2015, p. 70) found the following in his research:
 Those who are computer game addicts have reduced social skills than those who
play only once or twice a week.

2
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
 The computer gamers have increased negativity in terms of socializing especially
for the first year students.
 Computer games play a crucial role in shaping the thoughts and attitudes of
students today because this platform provides them the opportunity to engage
with people from different parts of the world.
 However, engaging in violent games results in the formation of violent attitudes.
The author found in his study that Crossfire was the most played computer game
with 47.8% students responding positively and D.O.T.A followed next with
45.2% (Campit 2015, p. 70).
 While most of the first year computer-gamers demonstrated moderate level of
social skills, non-gamers showed high social skills.
 Improved social skills also indicate improved employability skills and hence,
computer games had a negative influence on the employability skills of the
students.
Specific reason 2: Adolescents perceive gaming as addiction while young adults see it as
a useful tool for socializing.
Evidence: The study conducted by Calado, Alexandre and Griffiths (2014, p. 770)
revealed:
 Adolescents and young adults have different attitudes when it comes to gaming
and gambling.

3
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
 While adolescents perceiving gaming as addiction is both positive and negative,
young adults perceiving it as a tool for enhancing social and personal skills might
be dangerous.
 Young adults belong to that group of individuals who are about to start their job
career and engaging in computer games might hamper their opportunities not only
their skills.
Concluding sentence: Therefore, computer games must not be encouraged by parents,
teachers, or anyone as a tool for improving social skills and employability skills.
ESSAY PLAN FOR BODY PARAGRAPH 2
Claim 2 – Computer games have an ill effect on young adults in today’s generation
Justification – As evident from the above discussion, computer games decrease social
skills of the students, which in turn would decrease their communication skills.
Specific reason 1 – Communication skills are most important requirement for
employability.
Specific reason 2 – Employability skills begin to improve from an adolescent age and
computer games addiction mars that skill.
Therefore, restrictions must be put on the students regarding computer games.

4
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMES ON EMPLOYABILITY
References:
Calado, F., Alexandre, J. and Griffiths, M.D., 2014. Mom, Dad it’s only a game! Perceived
gambling and gaming behaviors among adolescents and young adults: An exploratory
study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 12(6), pp.772-794.
Campit, J.B., 2015. Differences on the Level of Social Skills between Freshman Computer
Gamers and Non-Gamers. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(1), pp.65-72.