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Video Gamers Are Among the Least Shy, Study Says

by Terrence O'Brien on June 16, 2008 at 08:08 AM


Get that image of all gamers as over-weight, hermit-like, dorks living in their parents' basement out of you head. Turns out most people who qualify as gaming addicts don't fit that stereotype at all.

According to an Australian study, 15-percent of adults qualify as problem gamers (those who spend 50 hours or more a week playing video games). Of that 15-percent, however, only one percent were identified as having poor social skills. In particular, the study was looking for signs of shyness or low self-esteem, but these two characteristics seem unassociated with the amount of gaming a person does.

The study also found that those who had a preoccupation with gaming -- an inability to stop playing to the point of affecting sleep, work, and personal relationships -- were more likely to play massively multi-player online games, such as World of Warcraft or Ultima Online. [Source: Reuters]

Tags: addiction, breaking news, BreakingNews, gamers, research, social skills, SocialSkills, studies

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