Interview with Aleksandr Voiskunsky
Published 02 October, 2007, 17:40
Aleksandr Voiskunsky, Professor of Psychology at Moscow State University spoke on RT about the videogame addiction and its negative effects.
Russia Today: Any form of addiction may have a negative effect on the mind. But what do we know about the videogame addiction as something that new technology has brought in?
Aleksandr Voiskunsky: Yes, it's a new sort of addiction. This is no psychological dependency since final effects are not yet known. The addicted gamers have not grown up yet.
RT: How to deal with that addiction?
A.V.: Well, the most important would be to have some preventive medicine, which means teaching courses for young people at school and some learning for parents and foster-parents.
RT: In other words a balanced approach to this?
A.V.: Yes. There is no treatment.
RT: Some experts say that there is some benefit from the videogames. What do you think?
A.V.: Many of them improve self-assessment, perceptional recognition of tiny objects, team spirit and team work for group games. Yes, there are many benefits, indeed.
RT: So, there are benefits and things that we need to focus on in order not to let these games become an addiction?
A.V.: Yes, I think so.
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