Study "Strongly" Links Gaming With Kids' Poor Attention Spans

[Signa]

Yeah, they certainly have it backwards. ADD kids are attracted to the games and not that the games make ADD kids. As an ADD kid, I've been living and breathing games since I was 3 years old playing on the Commodore 64. My parents tried to limit me, but any time I wasn't playing games was just the time I was waiting for my next fix.

Even now at almost 27, I just find gaming to be the best way to stimulate my brain. Nothing else comes close. I find of the best ways to wind down to sleep is kick ass at a Picross puzzle on my DS. It certainly makes me a bit of a shut-in, but it's hard to justify being any other way.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

It's simply part of a coordinated, multi-pronged attack on gaming. Really, there is nothing to be surprised about here. Every single avenue of attack that can be conceived of is being tried, if one or more of them succeeds in getting people to scream "oh please big goverment, take away my freedom, and protect the children!" it will be a success.

Maybe if your attention span wasn't so low you'd see that it clearly states that this is a study of correlation, not cause. If the data they have shows a pattern of correlation, that's a coincidence not a conspiracy, you doofus.

 

[yoyo13rom]

*Starts reading article* Say what? What was I doing?... Gaming! *opens Portal* Yeah, yeah what ever the article says... Yeah yeah mom, I'll take the trash out... *Stops for a moment* what was I supposed to do? I remember reading an article and talking to someone... Oh, yeah know I remember! Portal!

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

I- yeah, can't argue with the attention spans.

 

[MGlBlaze]

Being distracted and having ADD/ADHD are two totally different things. One is a common problem, the other is a diagonsis of a personality disorder. That people with ADHD find it easier to focus on media like TV or Video Games is nothing new but does it explain the signficantly higher prevalence of ADHD in those that play plenty of Video Games?

Personally, I think there might be a causation between sitting infront of Video Games/TV a lot and being diagnosed with ADHD. At any rate, it shouldn't be dismissed too easily.

I was thinking about this myself when I read that part of the article. I think they have it backwards when they said "Children who played games for two hours or more a day were 67% more likely to have attention problems like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder". If they mean that playing games a lot causes ADHD, I call bullshit. ADHD is not caused by any single thing like that and is mostly related to genetics. The other way around and kids with ADHD being likely to play games, perhaps. It would certainly make sense as games are a very good source of stimuli.

I myself have been diagnosed with ADHD. Long before gaming became a big part of my life. Make of that what you will.

I could be talking out my ass of course, but that's my understanding of it.

 

[Woodsey]

You mean to tell me that people can't pay attention for very long to things they're not interested in?

Why, this is unheard of!

Except it's not that easy. This wasn't just "kids pay less attention to stuff that isn't flashy" it was "gamer-kids pay less attention than non-gamers"

If it was just a case of "that doesn't interest me" then it would seem there shouldn't be any difference between the control group and the gamer group, right?

Like the Funk suggested though, I think it's quite possible that if you've been exposed to something so far out of the ordinary then it's only normal for you to either:

a) Think about that far more

or

b) Find everything else less interesting by comparison

So what you're essentially saying is that game players are less interested in reality?

If you read a book - a good book - it will stay with you, you'll think about the story, the characters, the themes etc. long after you've read it, and you'll be thinking about it when you're presented with things that are less interesting.

That doesn't mean you live for the book, it just means it's engaged you far more then something from mundane from reality. That doesn't make it the be all and end all in your life.

So what you're essentially saying is that game players are less interested in the reality that's outside their own skulls?

Incidentally, what makes you suppose that the non-gamer crowd aren't book-readers, btw? Because if what you say is true, then we're back to the initial point.. that gamers had lower attention spans than non-gamers, who may be book-readers.. which would tend to blow your general thesis out of the water entirely anyway.

Games are more visual; you'll play more games then you'll read books; games are more actively fun.

And no, of course I'm not saying game players care more about games than the whole of reality. I'm saying they care more about games then mundane, uninteresting parts of reality.

 

[Stoic raptor]

I usually game for more than 2 hours a day, and I always get an A.

Although that could be because of summer, and that I have no school work to think about.

 

[ProtoChimp]

[HEADING=1]THANK YOU SWEET MERCIFUL GOD AN UNBIASED STUDY FOR ONCE![/HEADING] This study actually seems to make sense and is not bullshit spouting from their mouth like the whole car-surfing GTA4 thing.

 

[Mcupobob]

This seems like a reasonable artical, of course they should have mention what type of games cause the most attention span draining. Bet RTS and Civ games would increase it!

 

[DanielO]

I call shenanigans.

If it isn't gaming, it's tv. If it isn't tv, It's radio. If it and so on.
Personally, childdren just want to have fun.

What about the parents who text a lot?

Shenenigans it is! Everybody grab a broom!

 

[Rakkana]

I have a smallish attention span and a love for gaming.

They might be right. Don't let it go to your heads!

 

[Thunderhorse31]

Correlation doesn't prove Causation. Especially when the correlation may be the other way around.

And hell, who among us wasn't a hyperactive child? Especially if we're told to sit still so someone can study us.

Holy cow, my family has video of me as a kid and I was bouncing-off-the-walls psychotic. If I was born a decade later I bet I would have been diagnosed with ADHD, seeing as how overdiagnosed it is nowadays. I could probably make the case that ever since I've been gaming (20 years) I've been calmer and gotten straight A's, so does that mean games help me pay attention? Or did I just grow up?

 

[dark707]

What??
Kids are bored by things that aren't as fun or interesting as video games or TV?
Geez, this was a well-conducted study!

Why won't Billy do his homework? Long division is just as hip and rad as Mario!
Sheesh.

I do agree with the two-hour limit, though!
That's why I'm glad I'll be a gamer parent. I'll be making use of the parental controls.

What are you talking about, long division is WAY more hip and rad then Mario.

 

[Treblaine]

ADHD is hardly the most understood condition, it isn't even very well defined.

I wonder how much of this is experimental error is down to how - quite simply - the experimentation bores the subjects. That would not be a fair experiment as it isn't going to hold someone back in a career or task they are truly interested in like as an engineer, mechanic, technician or scientist.

Of course the correlation factor, but 67% is high for correlation. Must consider error even at the most basic experimental level, especially when it moves to measuring the mind.

 

[KaiRai]

I have a very good attention span, unless I'm actually playing a game at that moment in time.

Then it becomes

"Yeah, whatever"
"In a minute"
"FUCK OFF I'M BUSY!"

Maybe that's how they did it. "Here's a game, play it, and we'll pester yu with petty questions"