Almost 1 in 10 US Children Addicted to Video Games
Douglas Gentile, an Iowa State University psychology professor and one of the nation's most highly regarded researchers of media and its effects on children, has spearheaded numerous studies on video games and how they influence child behavior. His most recent study, which observed the gaming tendencies of 1,178 adolescents, contends that 8.5-percent of American youths demonstrate addictive gaming behavior. Gentile looked for symptoms like becoming irritable when gameplay was cut short, avoiding homework to play, stealing money to buy gaming paraphernalia, and escaping reality and avoiding problems through games. Dang, we may need to start planning some interventions for our "junky" friends. "Drop the controller and put away the 'GTA IV'!"
Although we get tired of endlessly hearing about surveys that denigrate games and their effects, we should note that Gentile has touted the benefits of gaming before, so his opinion should carry some weight as independent and unbiased. Gentile and his father, who is professor emeritus of educational psychology at the University of Buffalo, previously published a report praising the educational benefits of games. According to Iowa State University, the duo suggested that teachers incorporate games and technology into their curricula and classrooms, believing that "video games use the same techniques that really great teachers use." In a separate study of surgeons, Gentile concluded that those who played games were 27-percent faster at performing advanced surgical procedures and made 37-percent fewer errors than non-gamer surgeons.
So, Gentile doesn't necessarily think games are bad. He would just like to see game manufacturers use the significant influence games have over children for good instead of evil -- for creating powerful educational devices. Sounds good to us. Now, how does one go about becoming a Gentile guinea pig? Playing vids in the name of science sounds pretty sweet to us. [From: Joystiq]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Platinum_Skeet said 4:56PM on 4-21-2009
DAMN YOU ONLINE GAMING!!!
Ah I don't blame the kids or gamin in general. It's the parents that are too worried to let their kids outside or take them to the park because of shows like Catch A Predator....
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Wewtaco said 5:47PM on 4-21-2009
There's a distinct difference between being addicted and strongly liking it. I think most of that 10% (if the statistic is true) just play video games a lot. That doesn't mean they're addicted.
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Jack Chance said 11:59PM on 4-21-2009
@Warren Riddle:
Good job distorting the truth!
The majority of people display some of the signs of addiction, some signs of depression, some signs of sexual deviancy, etc.
The point of an ACTUAL diagnosis of addiction (or any other mental illness described in the DSM) is that you have to have multiple symptoms recurring for certain durations.
Ya... kids stole money. Guess what , I stole candy when i was a kid. Some kids steal. I don't doubt that some kids are pretty hooked on vids. Lots of kids and adults are hooked on television. But this study is pretty crap.
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aj121489 said 1:12AM on 4-22-2009
I don't think almost 10% of kids are addicted, I think almost 10% of kids have parents who aren't stepping in and limiting time spent playing video games.
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olympuse510 said 2:07AM on 4-22-2009
I think more than 10% of the adult population are addicted to stupid "reality" tv shows..
i think more than 15% of the adult population are addicted to driving like pricks..
I think 100% of the population is addicted to eating, breathing, and drinking.
I can make up percentages on addiction just as well as you!!
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