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Video Games Rot Your Brain, Study Finds

by Tim Stevens on September 19, 2007 at 09:07 AM



From the "Gee, who'd have guessed it?" department this morning comes an official report that video-game systems in dorm rooms equate to less study time and lower grade-point averages. In a recent study conducted at the University of Western Ontario, it was found that the mere presence of a game console in the rooms of first-year students led to 40 minutes less time spent studying per day, which resulted in GPAs .241 points lower on average.

The study wasn't actually intended to analyze the impact of video games on student performance, but was instead trying to correlate study time to overall GPA. Students participating in the research tracked their time studying, sleeping, partying, working, gaming and doing other student-ly things. That time was then compared to their test scores, with the overall finding being that (surprise, surprise) more studying equates to higher grades.

However, the author of the study cautioned against parents forcing their kids to give up video games at school. Apparently overall happiness also has a strong factor in a student's GPA, and really, what's going to make you happier than blowing off classes for a 24-hour 'Halo 3' marathon when it comes out next week?

From 'USA Today'

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Tags: breaking+news, college, top, video games, VideoGames

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