Question of the Day, July 2, 2010

[The Escapist Staff]

Question of the Day, July 2, 2010



This week's Dr.Mark column focuses on the subject of gaming as it relates to being social. Do you think videogames affect your mingling abilities?

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[Jack and Calumon]

They make me much more confident.

Calumon: They helped him find me! Sort of... I was stuck under a PS3.

 

[Lizardon]

Well I would rather play games than interact with people, but it's not because of games. Before games I would read books instead of being social.

 

[Daniel_Rosamilia]

Not a bit at all.
I've always been socially inept, and I really couldn't care less.

 

[MetalMonkey74]

Video games are a constant challenge for the brain,

so when i end up meeting people and have to do incredibly numbing smalltalk, i fail.

If its a real conversation with real topics, i can do that, otherwise i suffer

 

[wilted_orchid]

Well I met a lot of people I'd now consider to be excellent friends through a gaming club, so I'd say while it didn't affect my social skills, it did open up additional opportunities for me to use them

 

[Carnagath]

I have no problem interacting with people who are not idiots or dead inside. Unfortunately most people are. Gaming doesn't really have anything to do with that, but it is one more thing that I might possibly have in common with someone, so I guess its effects are slight but positive.

 

[Jared]

I think if anything its on the social area, but, different category. Those who play online games, and also communicate verbally with people, not just about game topics (Ie/Raids) but also stuff going on around them, its just another form of talking to someone on the phone

Of course, you dont have thaty whole physical aspect, but, it prepares for to at least speak to people, when you speak to them

I know it didnt really effect me, I can talk to either my friends in game, or friends at work, or around with little difficulty, switching between them semmlessly

 

[Flionk]

This entirely depends on the specifics involved. Someone who only plays single-player games alone isn't going to get much of anything out of it in terms of social skills; someone who plays with a small group of friends meeting in-person will receive the same benefit as with any activity done with those friends; someone playing online matches against random strangers could start emulating the foul-mouthed 11-year-olds and losing all social graces, or they could learn how not to be someone that people automatically hate; someone playing team-based matches could learn how to work well and coordinate with others; someone who joins an MMORPG guild gets experience as being part of a community, and possibly gets to see social drama first-hand. So every answer is correct in at least one situation.

 

[f0re1gn]

It helps my English. And, well, gives me the ability to chat a lot with people from other countries which is an amazing experience for me since here where I live you don't get to see many foreigners or English-speaking people.

 

[SniperWolf427]

I wouldn't say that they greatly effect your social skills either negatively or positively, but I can imagine that your hobbies certainly make you more prone to socialize with like-minded individuals. People who play games will most likely want to hang out with other gamers.

It doesn't really effect your social skills themselves, just the types of people you generally communicate with.

 

[Proteus214]

They only affect my social skills in that they are all I like to talk about. Unfortunately, not too many of my friends and acquaintances share my passion, so sometimes it's hard to strike up conversation.

 

[xavi]

Gaming has a good social affect on you as long as you keep it from consuming your life. (i.e. WoW kids who don't set foot outside their houses for more than to get taco bell) but puting in a few hours a day gives you more in common because you have more to talk about with other gamers when you are in a social setting.

 

[OceanRunner]

It's always nice to have someone to chat to, whether it's on chatrooms or during an online match.

 

[sniperworm]

Not at all, I've always had poor social skills. Thankfully I don't need those to be addicted to Puzzle Quest 2

 

[Keepitclean]

Well, I probably wouldn't have the friends I have if I had no interest for videogames. That's not really a bad thing as I would have other friends that would share interests that I had.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

I'm always a bit socially awkward/ inept, but due to some of my friends that I wouldn't have befrended if it wasn't for a mutual intrest in games, I started to grow confidence. So, yeah. That counts.