“Studies by both university researchers and the U.S. Army Mental Health Assessment Team show that playing games up to 21 hours a week can produce positive impacts on your health and happiness — especially if you’re playing games face-to-face with friends and family, or playing cooperative games (rather than competitive games).”
“Just 90 seconds of playing a game like World of Warcraft - where you have a powerful avatar - can boost the confidence of colleges students so much that for up to 24 hours later, they’re more likely to be successful taking a test at school… and more outgoing in real-world social situations.”
“For example: kids who spend just 30 minutes playing a “pro-social” game like Super Mario Sunshine (in which you clean up pollution and graffiti around an island) are more likely to help friends, family and neighbors in real-life for a full week after playing the game.”
“Reality is broken.”
“But gamers may be on to something: gameplay is extremely productive. It may not increase GDP, but it does produce the positive emotions scientists say are crucial to our health and success. People who experience on average of three positive emotions for every negative one will live 10 yearslonger. They’re more successful at work, school and personal pursuits and they have longer, happier marriages.”
(h/t @rclarke for the source)
“More importantly, we are more likely to help someone in real life after we’ve helped them in a co-operative game. Games aren’t just making us happier – they are also building up our social bonds. No wonder 40% of total hours spent on Facebook are spent playing games.”
(h/t @rclarke for the source)
“If this were a game, this would actually be the exciting boss battle.”
“People who spend a lot of time failing in game worlds are less put off by failure in the real world. They’re more like to stick at it and get to a successful conclusion where other people would quit.”
“If you’re really shy or introverted, if you interact with people online, it builds up your social stamina. So you’re more likely to talk to people face to face. Because you associate the positive rewards of the game with talking to other people.”
“This is true. I believe this.”
