230: Developmental Stage Select

[luas_dublin]

Parents: dont let your kids play games online , until they're at least 21.
Will it improve their minds? Haven't a clue ,but it'll reduce the amount of squeaky voices calling everyone "fagnigger" every few seconds when I'm playing MW2 and the like and that's a GOOD thing.

 

[DRTJR]

I have been gaming since 1985 and i saw i'm better for it so sit down and shut up it's better than watch TV all day any way

 

[zamble]

I got my first videogame when I was 3 years and 4 months old, for Christmas. It's hard not sounding biased after declaring that, but I really believe that videogames aren't all that bad, or good, by themselves. When we talk about damaging and addicting kids, I believe what we really have to look is wat surrounds gaming in the kid's life: how does he interact with family and friends, what are his choices of activities, and what is the content of those activities- just as in games. I won't question that there are many games unsuitable for kids, just as there are movies and books and CONVERSATIONS unsuitable as well. A father who only comes home to drink and watch the Superbowl doesn't really teach his kids that there are better things to do in life.
As for good things, I don't think you'll get better reflexes or hand-eye coordination by gaming. Playing games increases one's ability to ... well, play games. Beeing exposed to that so early and myself being so bad at sports make me think so. But I don't blame gaming for that, I blame my own lack of interest in soccer for that. I certainly did learn a few things, tough, about logic, physics, maybe even mechanics (and a little history, from Civ and others, maybe), but that's all.
Great article, BTW.

 

[Callate]

The media simplifies the debate between people who think games are harmful, violent murder-simulators and gamers and parents who recognize the good that playing games can do for children and adults.

I wish I saw the latter. Most of the non-game media I see tends to simplify the debate as being between people who think games are harmful, violent murder-simulators and lackadaisical slackers who haven't elaborated their position much beyond "Eh, what's the harm?" Guess which side gets more ink?

 

[Sharky200]

What i don't like about most articles that are one sided is that they talk about their "studies" and all that but they haven't lived it. They can't give you their PERSONAL experience about why they think something is one way or another. And when its on the news its usually something that went wring like gaming addiction or like when that one guy killed a baby because he was crying while he was busy playing a game. Its more in between its up to you if the games will do good or bad to you i suppose. Or else all gamers would be addicted to gaming.
Its all about balancing your life and doing different things and being able to tell reality from fiction. and of course in having fun =D

 

[CapitalistPig]

well I read the first two pages and pretty much get the idea. I guess i'll just share a personal experience. I have been watching tv since I was 4. When I was 5 my mother asked me if I wanted to cook and verbatim replied "No mom, that's for women." she asked where I learned that (my father actually stayed home the first six months of my life while my mom worked full time) and I said Fred Flintstone.

My nephew who is 6 years old grew up on baby einstein. When I was in highschool I actually had to sit next to him for 3 hours while it played in a loop during his nap/mildly active time while I did homework. He was in and out watching it. I watched it on one loop to see what it was. It looked like something babies could and maybe even should watch to induce healthy development. I am a chemistry major in college in my junior year and have a job guaranteed when I get out. Its just one of those things in life. If you can't beat it join it.

My nephew is amazing. I did "well" in school to get where I am. He already excels in school, does extra credit, is vibrantly social, has actually recently taken a notice to primary elections as they entered his state and bombards my sister with questions all day, and plays sports. He also has had a game console, handheld, cellphone with apps, and occasionally played on a computer since he was 4. Hell he knows how to use an iphone better then I do. He is not allowed on the internet though unless it is youtube to see walkthroughs on how to beat games (technology heh!)

We turned out alright, I'm sure other ppl dont have as much success intergrating with technology at a young age but I'm skeptical to Cash's skeptisim. If anything, older generations are the one's that develop unhealthy relationships with technology IMO. And the way the youth is intergrating with technology is just amazing.

The answer isn't one thing or the other. It's all things. Send children to daycare and let them game on the weekends if that is what is going on these days. Let them play sports and read wikipedia articles. Its the future and you can't fight it anyway.

If anything (at least in the U.S) the most dangerous thing/place for our children is sending them to highschool these days.

However, I would agree that we should caution our children about the internet the same way we were cautioned. For instance I played an MMO recently where a character walked up to me and in chat claimed to be 7 and wanted to be my friend. Needless to say i told the character that I would not be his/her friend and to ask their mother why they shouldn't talk to people on the internet. When I was growing up I played chess on the internet (56Kbs) and when a person asked my age I asked my mother who told me not to answer that question. We should offer our children this advice! Don't talk to strangers, don't give personal information out, and don't give your age for the love of god!

 

[CapitalistPig]

What i don't like about most articles that are one sided is that they talk about their "studies" and all that but they haven't lived it. They can't give you their PERSONAL experience about why they think something is one way or another. And when its on the news its usually something that went wring like gaming addiction or like when that one guy killed a baby because he was crying while he was busy playing a game. Its more in between its up to you if the games will do good or bad to you i suppose. Or else all gamers would be addicted to gaming.
Its all about balancing your life and doing different things and being able to tell reality from fiction. and of course in having fun =D

completely agree. This not only applies to this argument but all politically polarized arguments. Someone somewhere has done a study on everything. Well here's the funny thing about statistics that people either didn't learn or forget.

1. Researchers observe what they want to observe to prove hypothesis. Therefore, the results reflect the desired result.

2. Participants lie during questionnaires to create desired results or to appear in a viewpoint that they "approve of" that may not correspond to their own viewpoint.

3. Researchers design experiments to inherently prove their thesis, for instance designing questionnaires that ask specific questions in a specific order.

Basically proving all stats and psychology is bunk unless backed up by hard scientific data.

Don't believe me? read an intro to psych textbook.