Game Addicts Similar To Aspergers Sufferers?
The British Psychological Society just released a study at their annual conference in Dublin today. (the social event of the season, I'm sure) The topic? Addiction to games and it's effects.
For the study, 391 computer game players (86 percent male) were questioned. The researchers looked at relationships between addiction, "high engagement" and personality. "They found that the closer the players got to addiction the more likely they were to display negative personality traits. And that as players showed more signs of addiction they were increasingly characterized by three personality traits that would normally be associated with Aspergers... These were neuroticism, and lack of extraversion and agreeableness," the report stated.
Now, the report isn't stating that these players HAVE Aspergers, but that they acted similar. I can't help but point out the flaw in this study from the limited information I've been told here. Maybe that's just how people act when they're addicted? Neuroticism, lack of extraversion and lack of agreeableness? Sounds like most of the crack-fiends or raging alcoholics I've ever heard of. I could be wrong of course.
"Our research supports the idea that people who are heavily involved in game playing may be nearer to autistic spectrum disorders than people who have no interest in gaming."
This is a big issue these days, with gaming, (more specifically, gaming online), becoming more and more popular. Second Skin deals with the some of these concepts, as does a new article over at GamaSutra. So how do we deal with this? Personally, I think adding a more social aspect to online games can help. (Rock Band, anyone?) The other is just to be aware that you can't spend all your time in virtual worlds. In other words, just go Outside occasionally and you'll be alright, people.
Study: Video Game Addiction Similar to Aspergers [GameDaily]
[via: Joystiq]
Sgt. Sausagepants
Posted to Video Games on 3 April 2008
· Comments (2)
Other stuff like this: addiction, games, mmos
Meh, isn't anyone who gets heavily enough into any interest likely to display aspergers-like characteristics?
This isn't something that's exclusive to gaming in any way.
I wonder if they checked to see if any of the test subjects actually had any degree of Asperger's. After all, Asperger's and highly structured, rational systems go togeather like peanut butter and chocolate.
P.S. - Fun Asperger's Fact - The creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri, has Asperger's.