Study: Playing Video Games Promotes Creativity

[alhanelem]

my drawing skills are horrible yet my imagination makes up for that

 

[madsweeney]

As much as I feel playing games increases brain activity and cognitive abilities (say as opposed to watching tv, surfing internet, etc) I also feel that people who are more right-brain dominant (you know, the creative side) are naturally inclined to playing video games. At the very least, playing video games exercises this side of the brain.

Its too bad school and most jobs want left-brain controlled robots.

 

[AbdullahG]

Finally, some real data rather than some moron saying, "Video games have blood and guns, therefore they make our children criminals."

 

[tanjo]

I don't buy it. Where are the numbers? Increase in logical comprehension and strategy/planning, that, I could accept but not this. Unless those kids play Prof. Layton games Scribblenauts or something similar and not just shooters(boys) and farming/cutesy(girls) games.

I say that video game addiction leads to kids doing things rashly just to finish whatever they are doing aside playing games.

 

[house70]

Another one of these "studies"... in a few days we'll see one that says the opposite.
If Tom's really wants to play the Journal of Science game, then they need to publish the entire study, or at least give a direct link for anyone to be able to access it. Until then, it's hearsay and not worth a dime.

 

[Max Collodi]

[citation][nom]house70[/nom]Another one of these "studies"... in a few days we'll see one that says the opposite.If Tom's really wants to play the Journal of Science game, then they need to publish the entire study, or at least give a direct link for anyone to be able to access it. Until then, it's hearsay and not worth a dime.[/citation]
Tom's does supply the link. It takes you to the MSU website where you can download the study in PDF form.

 

[Max Collodi]

[citation][nom]g00ey[/nom]Who paid for this study I wonder ...[/citation]
It was funded by the National Science Foundation.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]g00ey[/nom]Who paid for this study I wonder ...[/citation]
A consortium of Valve, Bethesda, Epyx, and Blizzard.



...just kidding.

 

[brothermist]

Nah, couldnt be that creative people are drawn to creative products, thats just silly. Its the products that make them creative. Genius! Where is the study that defines how much of the newly created creativity is implemented in their lives, and for how long after immersion? There is a huge difference between creating something lasting and profound in a person, and having a temporary influence on their behavior. And as for "The result showed that boys played more games than girls - and boys preferred "games of violence and sports: while girls liked games "involving interaction with others"."... is this really and surprise? Its kinda hard coded into us. Men are the hunter/protectors and women are the nurturer/peacekeepers. We arent far enough away from our evolutionary beginnings yet for society and the modern age to have removed all of that programming from us yet.

 

[Khimera2000]

Wow... game research from the US that's positive... I think that's a bigger surprise then the story itself. The next step... LAN party in congress. Most leaders did not grow up with computers, and there making policy regarding technology without full understanding because...

 

[maestintaolius]

Did this study also include a baseline of these kids before they started playing video games? Or, is it a case of 'creative kids like video games' rather than 'video games make kids creative'?

It seems just as silly to attribute creativity to video games just as it does to attribute violent tendencies to video games.

 

[azxcvbnm321]

Very good insights by the last few posters on cause and effect. Just because two things are related to each other, games and creativity, doesn't mean one causes the other. It could be that a third attribute causes people to play games AND be more creative.

As for the gender differences between boys and girls, yes it is a surprise to feminists and wacko leftists who claim that there is no difference between boys and girls and they should be treated exactly the same. Thus a teacher who gave The Sims 3 to girls and Battlefield 3 to boys would face a lawsuit and be fired for daring to presume that girls are any different from boys.

 

[upgrade_1977]

Good... Next time I want to play some BF3 I have an excuse to tell my wife.

 

[wild9]

Playing gamez is gud cus it maks you creativ and it is very gud for your spelling and it iz not just cuz we can draw picture from game memory and not have to think for ourself. it is like watchin obama and knowing he tell truth all time and he is like god to everyone because he came from heavens and I know this becuz i learn it on tv and from video gam.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]wild9[/nom]Playing gamez is gud cus it maks you creativ and it is very gud for your spelling and it iz not just cuz we can draw picture from game memory and not have to think for ourself. it is like watchin obama and knowing he tell truth all time and he is like god to everyone because he came from heavens and I know this becuz i learn it on tv and from video gam.[/citation]
LOL... If video games have done this to you you really should stop playing them. Yes, put the keyboard and the controller done and back away.

 

[mortsmi7]

[citation][nom]dribblesbarbax[/nom]while girls liked games "involving interaction with others"What a very vague group of games that is. Could be pretty much any game on the market.[/citation]
[citation][nom]mcd023[/nom]probably not interaction with a gun! hahaha[/citation]
I know a few girls who religiously play fps's and games like God of War and Ninja Gaiden.

 

[dalauder]

You know what does more to promote creativity? Creating stuff.

My brother and I used to create board games, write comic books, make TV shows, build tons of original things and cultures out of legos, and draw a bunch of stuff.

What are they comparing the "Promoting Creativity" to? I bet it's vegging in front of the TV. Did anyone check to see if the things drawn in their creativity test or stories about them were original or were they copied from video games? Because that wouldn't be creative.

A SCIENTIFIC study needs a CONTROL group. If you don't tell me what the control group is, then I will just assume you don't have one. And if you don't have one, then this is not scientific, which means it's just speculative B.S.. Of course, you could already assume that since the study wasn't to see what people who are more "creative" do with their free time--it was to see if they could link video games to creativity in a non-scientific study.

I don't appreciate things that impersonate science to make it appear as if science itself has ulterior motives. Science is a process, like an algorithm...it is inherently unbiased, but can be misrepresented by the ill-informed (e.g.: studies setting out to prove something instead of disprove such as those ran by the Creationism Institute. I'm not knocking Creationism--but it's a good example of attempting to prove something when they should be attempting to disprove the alternatives like Big Bang Theory or Evolution if they want to be scientific. Otherwise you're just being speculative.)

 

[cumi2k4]

so instead of TV remote control , i should give my kids (if i have any) the keyboard and mouse?
The first program that pop in my mind is gary's mod. Any other suggestion guys?

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

[citation][nom]cumi2k4[/nom]so instead of TV remote control , i should give my kids (if i have any) the keyboard and mouse?[/citation]

Yes.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]amk-aka-Phantom[/nom]Yes.[/citation]
Absolutely agree. The TV, in and of itself, is not typically interactive, a computer, typically, is. Starting from there I think there's more to be gained from the interactive experience.