Does gaming create social rejects?

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

No

It's a case of causation versus correlation (again)

Gaming does not cause social rejects, but people who game have a tendency to be social rejects (this is a general statement, not supported by any facts I can be bothered to find)

If you mistake the high levels of people who are social rejects and also game, it is easy to believe that gaming causes them to become the social rejects (causation), where instead the opposite is true, and social rejects just gravitate to gaming (correlation)

 

[theironbat46]

I have more friends because of it.

 

[Xanadeas]

There's this whole idea being perpetuated that people that play video games have no social lives etc... Except I talk to about 20-50 people daily from all over the world... Where as members of my own family might only speak to two to six people a day save for my sister who might speak to 10-20 a day working on people's insurance.

Now it's true I may not like people but I get along quite well with the majority of the ones I talk to daily. I have a large gathering of friends.

 

[DustyDrB]

Correlation does not equal causation. I've known many avid gamers who are socially awkward. I took one to a party when he first came to town and we introduced him to people but ended up standing by a wall alone all night while people asked us "whats wrong with your friend?" That was embarrassing, but he was just that kind of person regardless of his being a gamer.
On the other hand, there are those like me and others I know who game but are still quite the social butterflies.

 

[x0ny]

I rarely have anything good to say about/to people, without lying of course. "Oooh I love what you've done with your hair", "That shirt really suits you", "No, that dress totally does not make stomach stick out". I hate small talk, I hate how people patronise me, I prefer being alone so that my actions are not limited by anyone.

 

[Nomanslander]

If anything my online gaming has thought me is if you are one, you were one from the start.

Online gaming at least tends to be a mecca of these type of people since being anonymous tends to bring out peoples true character.

And from that experience, I've been able to tell why some people are social rejects in the first place...lol

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

eh depends...personally i have zero "free time" as fourth my time im gaming, fourth my time im with friends or at a party or at the gym, and the other half im in school or at work, so i really dont think it generates social problems, however people who "reject" society tend to be more attracted to games, i have met some in my day, especially at the mass effect 2 line the other day at midnight..dear god, 3/4 of those people havent shaved in months and haven't seen sunlight in freakin forever, i know we aren't all perfect but takin care of yourself doesn't require that much effort