Friday, June 13, 2008

Report: Video Game Addicts Not Shy Nerds

Playing video games for hours on end may be bad for your health, but, according to an Australian study, it doesn't mean you are a lonely nerd and won't damage your social skills. The study, by Australian psychology graduate Daniel Loton, found that 15 percent of 621 adult respondents to an online survey were identified as "problem gamers" who spend more than 50 hours a week playing games. But only one percent of those gamers appeared to have poor social skills, specifically shyness, Loton said, contradicting the stereotype that video game fans tend to be lonely, geeky, and addicted to gaming because they are unable to socialize. "Our findings strongly suggest that gaming doesn't cause social problems, and social problems are not driving people to gaming," Loton, from Victoria University, told Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSGOR24088220080612

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