Psychologist André Melzer studied in Germany and has been working at the University of Luxembourg since 2018, in the field of social psychology and media psychology. His research is focused on the use and effects of interactive media, with a particular focus on video games and their implications, which makes him particularly qualified to speak on child and adolescent psychology in the world of gaming.
Children and young adolescents tend to play in whichever environment their peers are playing in too. They also tend to play trending gaming and games that are popular. This trend is fed to them through social media. This is further promoted by video and streaming platforms with popular gaming content creators playing the games and encouraging their audience to play as well and be part of the community. This is where trends are generated and some players are more likely to be influenced than others, depending on social environment, social circles, life outside of school, and which social media platforms they tend to use.
However, some trends are created by gaming role models on social media that are not meant for younger audiences. This is why games, like films, have an age rating and these games come with a higher age rating.
Luxembourg is part of the PEGI system, also known as the Pan European Game Information system. The PEGI indications are a source of information meant for parents rather than children. The ratings show whether the content in a particular game is age appropriate and what kind of content it actually is. Is there any violence or any sexual content? This is also clearly indicated on the game cover or packaging whether you purchase the game online or in-store. In other words, it is unmissable.
However, according to Professor Melzer the most important thing that parents need to do is “be interested in their children’s interests and what their children are playing. As a parent one should not give in to their children’s insistence that their friend from next door is also playing a particular game. Of course children feel a pressure to fit in and play the same games as their friends, or feel that they should also be allowed to play a game if their friend is playing a game - then they should be able to play it too. But parents must be cautious. Parents should first talk with their children and ask what makes the game interesting rather than giving in to peer pressure.”
The question parents should ask their kids is what kind of content is in the game and what will they learn from the game. Then it is up to the parents to decide whether the content is appropriate for their child. Professor Melzer also believes that it is within the parents’ right to prohibit their child from consuming certain online games that are not age-appropriate yet for their child.
However, every child is different and a PEGI rating is not always a perfect indicator of what is appropriate for a particular age: “The biological age is not the same as someone’s developing age. Many children that are 14 or 15 could be developed enough to consume content that is indicated for someone that is 16 years-old. It is up to the parents’ discretion and decision-making.” Parents should ask themselves: why do my kids want to play something that is not designated for their age? What does this game offer? what will playing this game do to my child?
When a new game does enter the household, parents can play the game together with their child or at least watch them play the game. According to Melzer, this works well with most children up to a certain age, and he has done the same with his own children.
“When my children were 11 to 13 years-old, we would regularly play 30 to 45 minutes of Mario Kart in the evenings together. Of course I enjoyed this immensely because I was a part of it but after a certain age children don’t want to be with their parents as often. On the other hand I could also see for myself how kids react when they win or lose at a game. Here I could also intervene and teach my kids that losing is normal and we need to handle losing and failing as well as we handle winning.”
Equally, children love having their parents be involved, playing the game with them and figuring out a game together. Most of the time, children see their parents and adults as invincible. This seems like a win-win situation for both parents and children.
Philosophically speaking, a human can be classified as ‘Homo Ludens’ or, in other words, “Man, the Player,” but why do humans play? André Melzer explains that people love the prospect of “controlled risk.” A person can place themselves in a hypothetical situation where they have something to win and something to lose, but they of course hope to win. It doesn’t matter if you play, paint, create music or do something else as long as you win something, you register it as positive feedback.
“Video games are particularly ideal for this scenario. They offer an incredible immediate experience. I press a button and I see the response on my screen in real time. I receive immediate feedback, whether I kick an enemy or delete a row in Tetris, I receive an immediate feedback that I have achieved something.”
André Melzer emphasises that playing a video game is not comparable to creating an artistic masterpiece, but the principle is the same. You do something successfully and you feel good about your achievement. This is something long-known in psychology. You feel an immediate reward and you want to replicate the feeling again and again.
In video games this is done particularly well because they create a balancing act between positive, successful moments and moments where you lose. This explains why a player continues to try in games where a player’s character can die 10, 20 or 30 times before killing the final boss on the 31st try. This is the case for games such as “Dark Souls” or “Elden Ring.”
Especially in games like these, the feeling of success and reward for defeating a boss after many tries gives players an incentive to keep trying equally as hard, if not harder, for the next boss as well. Simply the prospect of reward keeps players hooked to the game. This is true regardless of age, whether you’re a child, an adolescent, or an adult.
