Is Gaming Good or Bad for Brain Development?

[Bandarigoda]

I play games much. Some says it helps to develop the brain of our. So will gaming is bad?

 

[Dembadon]

Gaming is not bad. If you are unable to complete your responsibilities, however, then it's possible it's one of the hinderances to successful time management on your part. Most hobbies are not inherently "bad", but you need to analyze your own life and day-to-day goals to see if it's possible that a hobby (in this case gaming) is preventing you from being responsible with your time.

 

[dipole]

To me it's bad, and I've wasted plenty of time playing games. Socializing with real people, experiencing the world and pursuing hobbies that facilitate these kinds of things are what I ideally would like to spend my time doing, though I still find myself on the internet a lot.

I just think it's an enormous waste of time, and I know how easy it is to get hooked on these games and spend hours upon hours a week playing them. I try to avoid games, but sometimes when you need some down time I guess maybe they have a place.

 

[wukunlin]

A lot of people say you should stop playing games when you get old. The reality is the moment you stopped playing games it means you are getting old :D

 

[DiracPool]

I become addicted to everything I touch, so I learned a long time ago to be very careful about what I touch. Unfortunately, I still seem to attract bad habits like flypaper. I wrote a video game on my Vic20 computer back in 1983 (circa) that COMPUTE! magazine paid me $175 for. I was around 13 or 14 at the time. Well, for the article with the code, you know what I mean. I don't think they ever actually published it, though. Anyway, even back then I recognized the danger that a video game addiction could give you, and somehow was able to steer clear of it. It was made especially difficult because I've been a part-time computer overclocking hobbyist over the decades until that recently became obsolete. As many of you surely know, a lot of that subculture involved gamers trying to get higher "frame rates" on their games. I wasn't a gamer, I just participated in the discussions because I thought it was cool and a fun challenge. But the temptation was there to try out my creations with actual video games.

In any case, the short answer is that, like any addiction, if it is affecting any area of your life in a dis-affecting manner, then you have to consider that perhaps you need bury your desktop out in the back yard to avoid the temptation and only take it out on special occasions, as I've had to do during some periods of my life. If you don't think it's an issue for you, though, go for it, have fun. I'm suspecting you may have a little concern, though, or you wouldn't have made this post. There's worse addictions, trust me, so don't sweat it too much, but tread carefully.

As far as does it develop the brain. Sure. That's why people use simulators to develop various skills. But what skills are you trying to develop? You going to be a fighter pilot? As others have posted in this thread, you can waste a lot of time with these games and that danger far outweighs the benefits of increasing your hand-eye coordination.

 

[Chronos]

Sounds like we are comparing gaming to porn. Gaming with other people is a form of socialization [if you play strictly solo, that may be an issue]. Like almost everything else, in moderation it is harmless, and possibly beneficial.

 

[DiracPool]

Gaming with other people is a form of socialization [if you play strictly solo, that may be an issue]. Like almost everything else, in moderation it is harmless, and possibly beneficial.

That goes without saying. How does that add to the discussion? One man's moderation is another's excess. Where do you draw the distinction? That's what I think the OP's concern is. Although he/she didn't state that concern explicitly, I'm reading between the lines. I think a lot of people have issues with spending too much time online and improperly justifying it one way or another. I know I do. The issue is when to say when, not what. Of course it's harmless and beneficial if used properly.

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

Sounds like we are comparing gaming to porn ...

Porn can be a social activity.

 

[chiro]

Porn can be a social activity.

Ironically enough, it's often combined with gaming (when gaming is a social activity).

 

[leroyjenkens]

Unfortunately, I feel I wasted a lot of my youth playing video games. It could have been worse, though. Some people got hooked on World of Warcraft and spent literally years worth of time on that game.

For a few years now, I haven't played any games. I just don't enjoy them anymore. When I was a kid, I could play any game for hours. Now, I'm extremely picky about what games I'll play, and I'll only play like one game a day. Like I just got finished playing League of Legends. I played 2 games. I'll probably play a couple more today, but I have other things to do.
I wish I had this mentality when I was younger. Oh well, can't change the past, whatever will be will be.

 

[dkotschessaa]

Mostly just a waste of time, and a bit difficult to moderate. The ability of games to suck away your time is sometimes frightening. There are a few games that tally up the hours you've played... Someone I knew once said he realized he'd spent over a year of his time in game.

I used to play Dragonrealms, an online text RPG. My main consolations were that a) it was text, so I was at least "reading" something, and using my imagination and b) I usually played from work on weekends (helpdesk), so I was technically getting paid. But at one point I realized that in the time I was spending in the game, I probably could have learned a whole second language. That actually made me stop.

Haven't played anything in years until two weeks ago when I had surgery. Then I *wanted* the time suck so I could recover. I played simcity (the 1980s version that I was familiar with.)

I think the best games are strategy games played with another person, (chess, checkers, backgammon, go, etc.) preferably in real life but possibly online. They tend to be intellectually productive (promote logical thinking and some math skills) and social. We're having a monopoly party tonight and we're kind of excited about it.

-Dave K

 

[DiracPool]

Unfortunately, I feel I wasted a lot of my youth playing video games. It could have been worse, though. Some people got hooked on World of Warcraft and spent literally years worth of time on that game.

For a few years now, I haven't played any games. I just don't enjoy them anymore. When I was a kid, I could play any game for hours. Now, I'm extremely picky about what games I'll play, and I'll only play like one game a day. Like I just got finished playing League of Legends. I played 2 games. I'll probably play a couple more today, but I have other things to do.
I wish I had this mentality when I was younger. Oh well, can't change the past, whatever will be will be.

I don't know why, but I recognized it early. I mentioned in another thread that I used be on a roller-skating team in the late 70's. I remember vividly the day they wheeled the "Space Invaders" machine into the rink, and placed it over by the concessions. I was hooked immediately. Asteroids was even worse when they wheeled that in shortly thereafter. If you don't believe me, I won an Asteroids contest at a golf-n-stuff about 2 months later. There were plenty of other Asteroids addicts there competing against me, but I proved to be the #1 addict, as usual

So there you have it. A short while later, though, I thought, how many times do I need to fly through one side of the screen and re-appear on the other to get my fix? I kind of woke up then. I put it together that here you're taking a big risk of taking a big swan dive into the abyss of wasted time by getting caught up in it. All my nerd friends (which I was and btw, I use nerd as a term of endearment) would be viciously trying to get to the next level in whatever game they were playing and I'd say, "dudes, there's cute girls down at the beach playing volleyball, get down here!" They didn't listen.

 

[Bandarigoda]

Hi everyone. I read all what you guys said. And yes, I play online games too, and I play chess in real with my brother :p
Umm, but I play as my hobby. Also I do C# programming.

 

[Bandarigoda]

And yeah I'm still 17

 

[adjacent]

Gaming?For me,Some games are as good as reading a story book and some games can change your way life/Or personality.So be careful.Anyways,the games I played are good for me.
My advice is that,gaming should not be played so frequently.else you may get addicted.

 

[Hepth]

Part of the problem is games are designed to be addictive and time consuming, its a business. I think playing games in my youth has helped me recognize this and keeps me from getting to sucked in. Hand my fiancee a Gameboy with Tetris on it and she'll be absorbed for 4 hours straight, because its addicting and she's not used to it.
I played World of Warcraft, and so when ANY other MMORPG comes out, I'll play it for a day, get to the point where I have to go kill 10 of X, and that's the end of that game. Repetitious menial tasks does not a game make.
Now I limit myself to strategy-based games, and those that might help my reflexes. (some FPS and LoL)
Anytime but Winter I'd rather be playing tennis, racquetball or volleyball.

 

[dkotschessaa]

Part of the problem is games are designed to be addictive and time consuming, its a business.

Yes. That is also true for the bulk of the entertainment and material goods industry, in one way or another. It's all designed to keep you slightly dissatisfied.

 

[bp_psy]

Sounds like we are comparing gaming to porn. Gaming with other people is a form of socialization [if you play strictly solo, that may be an issue]. Like almost everything else, in moderation it is harmless, and possibly beneficial.

The most dangerous kind of gaming is the social or competitive type. It is very easy to lose yourself in some mmorpg or some highly competitive game. It is much more manageable to play some single player game at your own pace.

 

[dreamLord]

I really don't get why many people don't consider gaming a hobby. Does a hobby always have to 'develop' the individual in some way? Can't it be something done for simple leisure? And even then, many games are capable of doing both the things at the same time.

I play about an hour (well two since I have holidays at the moment) a day of some game or the other, and stay up to date with all the gaming related news. As long as you can keep it in moderation and not let it affect your other activities, I don't see why it should be considered bad.

 

[mishrashubham]

I really don't get why many people don't consider gaming a hobby. Does a hobby always have to 'develop' the individual in some way? Can't it be something done for simple leisure? And even then, many games are capable of doing both the things at the same time.

I play about an hour (well two since I have holidays at the moment) a day of some game or the other, and stay up to date with all the gaming related news. As long as you can keep it in moderation and not let it affect your other activities, I don't see why it should be considered bad.

Agreed. Gaming is just like painting, or music, or football or any other hobby. I spend about an hour on average playing online FPSs everyday and I find it as enjoyable as an hour of football or badminton.

 

[1MileCrash]

The fact is that you have to have self control. "Gaming" is not inherently addicting. Call of Duty is not addicting for me (it may be to others.) I play call of duty with friends as a fun activity.

I play WoW, and it is addicting. I don't believe that I am addicted to it, but I definitely see why some are.

Doing tasks for your character, gearing up, in a way "feels" productive. You feel like when you play WoW, you are being rewarded for your time. Add in a guild full of players where "respect" is based off of how good you are at the game/powerful your character is, etc, and you've got a deadly combination.

The problem with WoW is that it's not even fun to gear up your character, usually. It's a chore, and it's exhausting. So you're essentially working, feeling your time is productive, and gaining respect for your invested time. That's why I think WoW is so addicting. It givesa ssimilar feeling of accomplishment that one with a more fulfilled life has. It is a substitute for a good job, being a master of a craft, etc.

I play, and I raid with my guild two nights a week. That actually is fun. But it is not an important part of my life, and it takes a backseat to anything else in my life.

The key is not letting it change your actual daily routine. That's when you're in trouble. If you get up at 5:30, have a quick workout, eat meals at regular times, go to bed at a regular time, and play video games in some of that meantime, you probably aren't addicted. It's when you start staying up until 2 in the morning to get "one more piece of gear" or skipping meals, that you should realize that it has become a problem.

 

[NATURE.M]

Personally, I believe games to pose a distraction and discourage one from actively fulfilling their duties. Though, I do concede that with proper time management and prioritization skills, one can easily find comfort in games, while actively carrying out their responsibilities.

 

[Lavabug]

Some games can provide really good anxiety relief. I feel a huge discharge of stress after something like Tetris, Space Invaders or Asteroids, likely because they require so much concentration.

Maybe games are not the most productive thing one can do with their time, but they can offer a temporary distraction that might otherwise be filled with unhealthy eating, drugs, etc. There are better options like exercise of course.

I don't really play games anymore, but I think I developed fairly good reflexes/reaction time when I used to play fast-paced first person shooters. Might not transfer to other daily activities/sports though, maybe something like fine-eyesight in tennis or ping pong?

 

[member 392791]

I was addicted to WoW for a long time. In some ways it made me more competitive, since I played at a high level. But at the same time, could I have achieved the same thing in less time doing something else? Probably.

Glad to be off of it though

 

[Mmm_Pasta]

Gaming is just a way to have fun, just like many other activities. At least you're not wasting your time trying to build a perpetual motion device. I spend roughly hours (~4 on weekdays, ~10 on weekends) on most days on SpeedRunsLive watching streams and enjoying the chat conversations there. In the past, before I started university, I would spend about 50 hours a week playing Runescape. This went on over the course of 8 years.

Could I have spent the time I used on video games doing other things? Sure, but it doesn't mean I would enjoy it. I used to find music enjoyable, but I've became VERY disillusioned with it. I wish I could have spent every minute I spent on music doing something else. I do like to go mountain biking, I run, I love to cook. I get introduced to activities here and there that I find enjoyable. However, I've always found video games the most enjoyable.

I wouldn't worry about trying to spend every hour trying to be productive. It is always nice to try new things to find out what you do and don't like. Enjoy your free time as much as you can.

 

[sanil.tamang]

gaming is both good and bad its like a drug the more you use playing game the more it is bad like a saying alcohol is good for health if you have 1 spoon a day but the same alcohol can be poison if you drink more like i said it's gud if you play games and its bad if you play it for hours an hours

 

[FlexGunship]

Gaming (more specifically, video gaming) seems to be in the same category as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.

All three can be argued to be social but could also ruin your relationship with family and friends. All three can be argued to be a waste of time but could also be a healthy alternative to smoking crack or shooting heroin.

Anyway, gaming can't be said to cause cancer or liver damage, so that probably gives it an edge.

 

[collinsmark]

Gaming (more specifically, video gaming) seems to be in the same category as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.

All three can be argued to be social but could also ruin your relationship with family and friends. All three can be argued to be a waste of time but could also be a healthy alternative to smoking crack or shooting heroin.

Anyway, gaming can't be said to cause cancer or liver damage, so that probably gives it an edge.

But one could make that argument about pretty much any hobby.

Swapping a few words,

Amateur astronomy (more specifically, deep sky astrophotography) seems to be in the same category as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.

All three can be argued to be social but could also ruin your relationship with family and friends. All three can be argued to be a waste of time but could also be a healthy alternative to smoking crack or shooting heroin.

Anyway, amateur astronomy can't be said to cause cancer or liver damage, so that probably gives it an edge.​

[Feel free to swap in RC airplanes, model trains, vintage hot rods, etc.]

 

[Abstr7ct]

I don't see gaming is bad as long as it neither overshadows your life responsibilities, nor it exposes your life to direct danger (i.e., street racing) or puts your living under a game of luck (i.e., gambling). Apart from gaming, it would be far better to spend your time doing a hobby that would supply you with new real life skills and knowledge (i.e., hobby electronics).

I believe that video games, as a form of gaming, can be inspirational, motivational and it can open your imagination. With the realistic visual quality that we see in today's video games, someone may experience fun and gets inspired in the same time. This inspiration can be expressed in many forms. For example, A player may get interested to know how these games actually work on the computational level (i.e. how these games are programmed) let alone that the interest can go as deep as the desire to know the electronics of these video game machines. Some modern games with high quality visuals promote the player to appreciate beautiful landscapes and exploration. This can be expressed as a form of imagination expansion which can then be translated as a healthy real life practice, such as hiking in nature.

For the latter kind of inspiration, I would like to share this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5TQDeoump4

 

[dkotschessaa]

But one could make that argument about pretty much any hobby.

Swapping a few words,

Amateur astronomy (more specifically, deep sky astrophotography) seems to be in the same category as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.

All three can be argued to be social but could also ruin your relationship with family and friends. All three can be argued to be a waste of time but could also be a healthy alternative to smoking crack or shooting heroin.

Anyway, amateur astronomy can't be said to cause cancer or liver damage, so that probably gives it an edge.​

[Feel free to swap in RC airplanes, model trains, vintage hot rods, etc.]

Well if we're going to go that generalized, this was stated, 2600 years ago. "Attachment/craving is the cause of suffering." Nothing new under the sun.

Some things are just a lot more easy to get attached to - dopamine regulators and so forth.

-Dave K

 

[Dembadon]

Gaming (more specifically, video gaming) seems to be in the same category as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol.

All three can be argued to be social but could also ruin your relationship with family and friends. All three can be argued to be a waste of time but could also be a healthy alternative to smoking crack or shooting heroin.

Anyway, gaming can't be said to cause cancer or liver damage, so that probably gives it an edge.

I think there are two major paradigms at work: gaming is harmful, or people who don't have control over their hobbies are harmful to themselves and/or others. I'm of the latter opinion.

By harmful I mean things such as: wasted time, stagnant relationships, poor socialization, etc.

In my opinion, gaming doesn't damage relationships; the person choosing to game instead of spend time with family damages relationships. The fault is on the person, not the activity. About 10 years ago I played videogames to the extent that I was not being responsible with my time. The consequences were much bigger than I'd expected, but I can't blame an inanimate object or the hobby itself for my poor choices.

I don't have much time to game anymore, nor do I find it as enjoyable as I used to. However, every once in awhile (bi-monthly) on a day when it feels appropriate, I'll fire-up Starcraft and play for a couple hours. Or at least until I get tired of getting my *** kicked.

 

[nitsuj]

wow, so the common denominator for determining "Good/bad" is it's impact on capitalistic goals (ignoring the social impact comments).

I'd love to see a study showing the cognitive impact of reducing your day to day experience to within a video game(s) i.e. abuse of your brain. It must be similar to getting high/being high for a large part of waking hours...so simple, so easy.

I haven't seen anyone here say they're addicted to "Puzzle" video games..so am presuming there is no challenge in video games that would result in development. That said playing Civilization I learned a fair bit about...well civilization. Oh and same for Capitalism II, that was a fun simple economics game, however that is hardly unique to video games lol

 

[Dembadon]

...

I haven't seen anyone here say they're addicted to "Puzzle" video games..so am presuming there is no challenge in video games that would result in development. ...

That's pretty limiting, if you ask me. Many games have various types of puzzles within them even if they aren't labeled "puzzle games". For example, certain boss fights in RPG games can have mechanics that require one to solve some type of puzzle; the fight itself might not require the solving of a puzzle in the typical sense of the word, but one might have to figure out certain mechanics and how to best counter them given one's character's abilities.

Here's a link to the transcript of an interview with a program director at the Office of Naval Research regarding a study they did about the cognitive effects of video gaming:

http://www.defense.gov/blog_files/blog_assets/20100121_AWS.pdf

Here's the website on which I found the link:

http://science.dodlive.mil/2010/01/26/adults-benefit-from-playing-video-games-podcast/

 

[turbo]

@OP: you might want to play chess against live opponents. It is invigorating and socializing, too.

 

[dkotschessaa]

There are plenty of studies, the results of which are subject to interpretation from either side and which parallel the discussion here.

For example - this study showed that dopamine levels were doubled while playing a video game. That's a good marker that something can be addictive, and therefore dangerous.

Right?

Eating food also rasies dopamine levels from 50% to 100%(a doubling). Sex can raise it from 100% to 200%. (Source: http://gamertherapist.com/blog/2011/11/08/dopey-about-dopamine-video-games-drugs-addiction/)

As for drugs:



There's not much comparison to something like coke or meth, obviously.

Then there's this study: Gaming sharpens thinking, social skills, and perception.

We've been blaming the ills of society on video games since 1976 when they weren't much more advanced than "pong."
And before that "They say that the moving picture machine . . . tends even more than did the dime novel to turn the thoughts of the easily influenced to paths which some-times lead to prison.” (Moving Pictures as Helps to Crime, N. Y. Times, Feb. 21, 1909,) -Source

Even worse than dime novels, that dreaded moving picture machine.

-Dave K