Playing games makes you smarter?
There is usually a discussion every now and then about games making people more agressive, but did you know that some people actually studied if playing games makes you smarter? It seems unlikely when you see some gamers at their finest moment with foam in their mouth and their eyes full of burst blood vessels. But let´s not forget the wonderful communication some gamers seem to have mastered, clearly the sign of a genius! So how could anyone think that gamers are smart?
Of course the examples I gave are some extreme cases, a thousand people don´t represend the whole gaming community. So yes you have these weird gamers, but you also have gamers that actually have a benefit from gaming. Apparently the study proved that a lot of gamers have a higher level of concentration than people who don´t play games, usually also more patience. Now you might think that this is unlikely, especially looking at some of the gamers in first person shooters or fighting games. But gamers aren´t just in the popular genres, you also have people that enjoy playing puzzle games or strategy games. Gamers often also feel happier, of course once again this doesn´t count for all gamers, because they feel accomplished for finishing a game or getting past a difficult section in a game. It´s funny that Microsoft has achievements and Sony has trophies because in a way they are just that, something to be proud of and it does feel good to have some of those. Of course this is something virtual, you can´t really touch it and I don´t think it´s something you´ll tell your grandchildren. But that doesn´t take away the good feeling you get from getting one!
Games like the Walking Dead, the Wolf Among Us, Mass Effect trilogy, Dragon age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 are examples where you have to make decisions in the games. With some of these games there is actually a timer so you have to make a quick decision, which helps gamers make faster decisions in their own life. But also your eye hand coordination improves with some games where you need quick reflexes. Usually in first person shooters or action/adventure games this comes in handy, especially when you face other players online. It´s not always about experience or skill, sometimes it´s just who is quicker on the draw. Gamers are often also more determined, because sometimes it takes some time before you can get past a difficult part in a level or beating that annoying boss. It´s not that games make you super intelligent, but they do have some benefits if you play every now and then.
But as much as games might have benefits, there are always things you should be careful of. For example playing for more than six hours on a day doesn´t seem healthy, I´ve done it and trust me that doesn´t make you happy. So try to mix up your gaming with some other activities, preferbly something that doesn´t involve sitting. Another reason why you don´t want to stay up too long is because of school or work the next day, sleep is important and you might not realize it but it´s actually dangerous to not get enough sleep! So once again don´t be an idiot like me and stay up half the night playing games, they´ll still be there the next day you know! Maybe gaming isn´t the healthiest hobby, but it does help you improve some skills. Something that might help you out later in life, at least it doesn´t hurt to have an edge on people who don´t play games!
Of course the examples I gave are some extreme cases, a thousand people don´t represend the whole gaming community. So yes you have these weird gamers, but you also have gamers that actually have a benefit from gaming. Apparently the study proved that a lot of gamers have a higher level of concentration than people who don´t play games, usually also more patience. Now you might think that this is unlikely, especially looking at some of the gamers in first person shooters or fighting games. But gamers aren´t just in the popular genres, you also have people that enjoy playing puzzle games or strategy games. Gamers often also feel happier, of course once again this doesn´t count for all gamers, because they feel accomplished for finishing a game or getting past a difficult section in a game. It´s funny that Microsoft has achievements and Sony has trophies because in a way they are just that, something to be proud of and it does feel good to have some of those. Of course this is something virtual, you can´t really touch it and I don´t think it´s something you´ll tell your grandchildren. But that doesn´t take away the good feeling you get from getting one!
Games like the Walking Dead, the Wolf Among Us, Mass Effect trilogy, Dragon age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 are examples where you have to make decisions in the games. With some of these games there is actually a timer so you have to make a quick decision, which helps gamers make faster decisions in their own life. But also your eye hand coordination improves with some games where you need quick reflexes. Usually in first person shooters or action/adventure games this comes in handy, especially when you face other players online. It´s not always about experience or skill, sometimes it´s just who is quicker on the draw. Gamers are often also more determined, because sometimes it takes some time before you can get past a difficult part in a level or beating that annoying boss. It´s not that games make you super intelligent, but they do have some benefits if you play every now and then.
But as much as games might have benefits, there are always things you should be careful of. For example playing for more than six hours on a day doesn´t seem healthy, I´ve done it and trust me that doesn´t make you happy. So try to mix up your gaming with some other activities, preferbly something that doesn´t involve sitting. Another reason why you don´t want to stay up too long is because of school or work the next day, sleep is important and you might not realize it but it´s actually dangerous to not get enough sleep! So once again don´t be an idiot like me and stay up half the night playing games, they´ll still be there the next day you know! Maybe gaming isn´t the healthiest hobby, but it does help you improve some skills. Something that might help you out later in life, at least it doesn´t hurt to have an edge on people who don´t play games!
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