Video Gamers Are Better Business Thinkers?
from the so-they-say... dept
While the popular sentiment may be to blame video games for all sorts of problems, it appears that there's an increasing amount of evidence that video games have the potential to be quite beneficial in a variety of areas. This isn't all that new, but there's now more data suggesting video games have widespread benefits. The latest area studied is in business thinking. Apparently, video gamers "are better risk-takers, show particular confidence in their abilities, place a high value on relationships and employee input and think in terms of "winning" when pursuing objectives." Of course, you can certainly point to potential problems with the study, but there are other studies that seem to support the beneficial aspect of video games. In the past, for example, there have been reports suggesting that video games can improve your health and your visual skills. Other studies have shown that video games are good for kids by challenging them to think, often in ways more mentally stimulating than kids get at school. On top of that, certain video games can help kids get some exercise and save on their health insurance. At the professional level, not only have some suggested that playing video games at work is beneficial in helping employees to recharge, while building up teamwork skills, others have found that video gaming can be excellent training for the military or for doctors. Another study found that good gaming skills meant a person was a good stock trader. Had enough yet? It certainly seems like a lot of people are looking into the idea that video games can have some benefit in many different situations. Of course, it probably depends on the game, the person, and the situation -- but it certainly seems to counter the concept that there are no redeeming qualities to video games.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Correlation versus Causality
Graham
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Life is like a video game...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
hey
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: your butchering of the English language
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Correlation versus Causality
I would speculate that studying the games a person plays and how good they are at those games can only gauge their abilities in those areas. It does not mean if someone lacks priority organization and time management that playing an RTS is going to better them. It may just mean they will suck at RTS.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
in response to Wayne...
"I have no problem with what you said, but here's a question for you: How does one become a video game tester? I'd love to sit around all day playing video games and get paid for it! If you could help out, I'd appreciate it."
There, that's better.
Now, then, in response to your comment, I'd like to first state that being a video game tester isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. (I'm not a video game tester myself, but here's what I know:)
Video game testers aren't paid to sit around and play games and say "tihs iz da sh!et dood!!!1!" They're paid to test out every part of an unfinished game. They play each and every level on all settings again and again, looking for any possible bugs in the system. Testers essentially search the game from top to bottom to find any and all bugs in it before it's released into stores. They don't just play for fun.
And I can well imagine you'd have to play more boring games and less fun ones, like a random poker game from some game company you don't know about, not so often will you be testing the new Zelda or Mario.
And after you're done testing the game, you need to tell the company what bugs, glitches, or other problems you found. This means you need some good writing skills, because you'll be doing a lot of it.
I'm not trying to say that being a video game tester would be boring, I'm just saying that it's not all about sitting around and playing video games. I'd love to do that just as much as the next guy, but why would someone pay you to play video games if they don't get anything out of it themselves?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I strongly agree
Stallion Brother
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
smart
so play them
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
chica wow
i now have a job
and a model for a girlfriend
yeah and i hate myself and i think that im fat
but thats ok because i just beat final fantasy 12 for the millionth time.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
responce to rescponce
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Wayne Brady?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
to the person killing the english language...
As for the article... I also must agree... amazingly, you can learn alot from video games and from what I recently found... it can actually be a pain reliever... shocking, no? Hahaha...
Try proving us wrong, Wayne... logically, ethically, or emotionally... if you can... however, people are merely moved by logic... ~Mithos from the game Tales of Symphonia...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not quite so beneficial
On the opposite side, my brother (who has naturally quick reflexes) will play some FPS before a soccer games because it activates the reflexes he already has.
Video Games are a strong stimulus. If there is nothing in your brain for them to stimulate they will not give you new abilities.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
gaming
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]