Propaganda for Learning

In the reading From the Green Berets to America’s Army: Video Games as a Vehicle for Political Propaganda, Aaron Delwiche examines how video games can be used as a form of Propaganda. Propaganda is defined as, “the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist” (Delwiche 93). Delwiche specifically discusses first-person shooter games such as America’s Army and how it “taps into the immersive game context in the hopes of recruiting young Americans into the army” (91).

According the Delwishe, there are four I’s that are commonly used to successfully promote video games as a form of propaganda: immersion, intense engagement, identification, and interactivity. These tools work together to attract people, mostly males, to play their game. Specifically in America’s Army, the game makers use these techniques to introduce war tactics to young children to hopefully get them thinking about a career in the army. However, studies have shown that along with promoting war propaganda, these shooting games help players learn, focus, and multitask. In the Ted Talk below, Daphne Bavelier goes into detail about the specific aspects of video games that encourage growth in these areas.

 During her presentation, Daphne Bavelier disproves many common statements concerning video games. First, Bavelier discusses the effects of video games on one’s eyesight and proves that video game screen time actually improves eyesight, especially when reading fine print. Bavelier also proves that video games help players resolve conflict and track objects, which can transfer over to the real world when it comes to attention to detail and driving a car.

The most important aspect Bavelier discusses is the technique of multitasking. In our world today, people are expected to multitask all the time: at work, at school, and even on social media. When playing a video game, the player tries to shoot people while avoiding getting shot. Also, the player has to pay attention to all the various sensory information getting thrown at them such as background music, changing scenery, and even the vibrating controller. By training the brain to multitask in video games, the players are able to better multitask in real life.

Video game makers can use both the effects of action video games to their advantage. Along with encouraging young people to join in the army, these video games also improve many aspects of learning. These aspects of learning directly translate into the real world, and are also necessities if a video game player decides to join the army when he or she is old enough. Video games are not a bad habit, but rather another way to train the brain to learn in a different setting.