Studies about online games
It’s not as evil as you think.
With reports surfacing about the so-called addiction of some people to online games (especially World of Warcraft), we wouldn’t be surprised if a department of some sort will be formed to take action against our virtual worlds just like swine flu. But even before they try to quarantine us my fellow gamers, here are some facts that that they may want to take into consideration.
1. In 2006, Dr. Rodney Riegle and Mr. Wesley Matejka of Illinois State University suggested that Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) can be used as educational environments. According to their study, the entertainment and technology experienced in playing these games can be harnessed for educational use.
2. Dr. Megan Conklin of Elon University, North Carolina presented the potentials of online game Second Life in college teaching. She herself makes use of the game to teach technology and various subjects to her students.
3. A recent study by the American Psychological Association (APA) stated that Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOs) improved the brainpower of doctors and their technical skills in surgery.
4. According to a study by Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, online gamers make good friends with the people they meet inside the game. "The virtual world that these games offer, allow players to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, age, or other factors. They also offer a place where teamwork, encouragement and fun can all be experienced," said Nottingham professor Mark Griffiths.
5. A 2005 research by Nicolas Ducheneaut and Robert Moore of the Palo Alto Research Center in California claimed that the design of MMORPGs fosters the development of social skills by encouraging interaction among players.
And lastly, according to social critic Steven Johnson in his book “Everything Bad Is Good For You,” video games – violent or not – make people smarter by enabling them to be more perceptive, which trains their brains to analyze things faster.
So don’t worry about what other people say. Just play smart and be smart.
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uryuuishida45 Community Member 
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