Gamers' Brains Are Different

[BlackWidower]

The study discovered that when a gamer "loses," the reward centers of their brain activate, dispersing dopamine into the system, encouraging them to disregard the loss and continue playing.

Isn't dopamine supposed to make you happy? Well then that doesn't explain why I curse when I lose.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Generally I don't feel so much rewarded after I finish a particularly hard section as I do relieved.

Exactly how gamblers feel when they haven't lost their life savings!

But remember, gamers. This study does not (repeat: does not) mean that gaming makes you automatically more intelligent. Let's not be those people, eh?

That is primarily what I'm hoping people don't take out of this. As if the gaming community needed more reasons to act like it was superior somehow.

On the other hand, I'm not a psychologist, so I could be talking out of my ass.

But isn't that what psychologists are meant to do?

*slaps knee, gets shouted at*

I don't usually like the whole challenge thing when I play, I simply get enjoyment out of immersion. This is why I play all my games on the very easiest settings.

More or less the same here, although what I like to do is play on easy for all the immersive aspect, then play on the hardest setting to mix it with immersion and feeling good about succeeding at the hardest difficulty.


And now I'll stop.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Always knew I was the chosen one. Or something.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I just hope this doesn't give ammunition to that whole "game addiction" argument.

If someone does try that on you, just cite how it could be used to treat gambling addictions.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

And?

It sounds like someone's trying to spin this as some sort of negative ("gaming is just as bad for your brain as gambling!"). There's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying gambling - the problem comes from the fact that the activity carries an extremely high cost. The cost of gaming is far, far lower.

What would be immensely more surprising would be if gamers' brains weren't different.

 

[Ruwrak]

Well that would explain Dark/Demons's Souls, especially in that when you accomplish something in that game, you pretty much feel/act like you won the jackpot

And when you beat it you're over the friggen moon x3


[sidestab (haha Dark Souls joke) back into topic]
But studies are studies. Am I going to be easier addicted to gambling? Am I going to lose social life over this? My friends gone? Job gone? Parents gone?

Oh wait... It's called discipline I think -.-
Yeaaaah.... The thing 'addicts' seem to not have under control

 

[Versuvius]

Skyrim certainly has me feeling satisfied and rewarded. >.>

 

[Beryl77]

This sounds like exactly the same feeling I have when I win a football (soccer) game together with friends. I don't see why this should be limited to virtual games only.

 

[Strazdas]

hmmm, that explains why i cant stop till i ocmplete the game 100%. or no, im back to my OCD theory.

On the other hand, i NEVER gamble. so correlation is lost.

 

[Dastardly]

Gamers' Brains Are Different

So... we've proven that gamers' brains are, if anything, more susceptible to manipulation via reward -- behavioral programming, basically. This is hardly a "win," but it's also hardly the fault of gaming.

Does gaming cause the brain to develop differently, or does gaming simply attract those with this particular brain structure? I would venture it's a bit of both. And that makes it no different from any other activity in which someone can feel "rewarded" -- sports, gambling, even school work.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I got the sneaky suspicion Blizzard got an early copy of this research...

Good things Skyrim only nibbles away $60 and then let's you gamble all you want.

 

[Torrasque]

Eh, thats true. I usually quit playing MW2/3 when I've had multiple bad games in a row, or quit Skyrim when I get to a certain part of the game I am alright with/beat a challenging dungeon.
I wonder if my gaming tendencies affect my reaction to overwhelming challenge as well...
"Got a huge project due? Ehhhh... do not want" = "Got a Torrasque to kill and an Overmind to pacify? Ehhhh... do not want"
Except I will actually get to killing that Torrasque, lol...

 

[DTWolfwood]

guess that makes sense, y else would anyone play games like Super Meat Boy or Dark Souls for hours on end :tf: XD

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Well the good thing about this is that I am a single player gamer. I don't care about multiplayer. And in single player there is no way to lose. Eventually you will win and you will always feel that satisfaction they're talking about.

 

[Saltyk]

I just hope this doesn't give ammunition to that whole "game addiction" argument.

If someone does try that on you, just cite how it could be used to treat gambling addictions.

I was referring to the movement in some parts of the mental health community to officially recognize video game addiction just like they recognize addiction to alcohol or gambling. I'd rather this NOT embolden those people to recognize it as such. At that point, we might have some issues arise. You know how much the government loves to be our nannies and certain idiots love to proclaim games "the devil".

 

[Something Amyss]

I guess I need to get more gaming done, I haven't been feeling very rewarded lately.
Generally I don't feel so much rewarded after I finish a particularly hard section as I do relieved.

Yeah, usually my thoughts process is more "thank God!"

I also wonder how controller breaking fits in. There's a lot of rage in the gaming community when it comes to losing, so...Maybe they're not indoctrinated?

 

[Something Amyss]

I was going with this study shows that gamers as a whole have a lack of self control.

Now we have an excuse, though. We can't boycott games we hate because we need our fix!

 

[Rect Pola]

How to they scan what's happen "during" any activity? I've had an MRI, those things are teeny little white coffins. Unless they have big ones with screens.

 

[Lancer873]

Makes sense. I guess that means that I Wanna Be The Guy quite literally messed with my head, then. Sounds fun.

 

[Charli]

But when I gamble I don't risk take...ever. So, either this is only the case for when my brain recognizes I am playing video games or what the fuck.

Gambling doesn't hold any kind of appeal to me anyway, even in pokemon I get bored of the casino slots so easily. That kind of reckless risk taking in say poker or such just confuses the hell out of me. Sure you might win money but the chances are fairly decent you'll lose it.


In a game there are no such real life consequences. So I roll with it. I lost? Well that's really sad for my digitized character but unlike me he/she/it is immortal.