Can WoW make you smarter?

[Supacheal]

Can 'World of Warcraft' make you smarter? - Science - MSNBC.com

Scientists seem to think so. However, I have some questions some of you may want to ponder with me. Here is a quote from the article:

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison looked at a random sample of 2,000 chat room posts about "World of Warcraft" to see what the players were discussing. The game is set in a fantasy world where players hunt, gather and battle to move their characters to higher levels. Players who work together succeed faster.

The research found the game encouraged scientific thinking, like using systems and models for understanding situations and using math and testing to investigate problems.

The vast majority of the discussion participants, 86 percent, shared knowledge to solve problems and more than half, 58 percent, used systematic and evaluative processes, researchers found.

The forums show that gamers are "creating an environment in which informal scientific reasoning practices are being learned," said Sean Duncan, a doctoral student who worked on the "World of Warcraft" report with lead author Constance Steinkuehler. The paper is set for publication in the Journal of Science Education and Technology.

Did these scientists visit the WOW general forums? I mean seriously...

2. Would you want a surgeon performing surgery on you that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

3. Lastly, should I buy my kid a Wii now and get him Trauma Center so I can improve his chances to be a doctor?

[aychamo_aycono]

Originally Posted by Supacheal

Can 'World of Warcraft' make you smarter? - Science - MSNBC.com

Scientists seem to think so. However, I have some questions some of you may want to ponder with me. Here is a quote from the article:



Did these scientists visit the WOW general forums? I mean seriously...

2. Would you want a surgeon performing surgery on you that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

3. Lastly, should I buy my kid a Wii now and get him Trauma Center so I can improve his chances to be a doctor?

WoW is probably only slightly more mentally stimulating than spending a whole day downloading porn and jacking it, or any other way to waste time.

It wouldn't bother me at all if a surgeon was an avid gamer. They are people too. They come home, and do whatever. Suppose their wife left them and they are looking for something to fill a void. Does that suddenly make them incapable of practicing medicine? No it doesn't. I know a ton of surgeons, all with interesting hobbies outside of the hospital - including alcoholism, prostitutes, video game, whatever.

[Moontayle]

Originally Posted by Supacheal

2. Would you want a surgeon performing surgery on you that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

Actually, there has been research that proved that surgeons who spent even a small amount of time playing video games were quicker and more precise with their movements. That whole hand-eye coordination thing.

[Ninajrr]

This was a much more valid claim with EQ, but I suspect it slightly (very slightly) holds true for WoW.

[Clericnon2boxed]

Would you want a president of the United States that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

[Tripamang]

Originally Posted by Ninajrr

This was a much more valid claim with EQ, but I suspect it slightly (very slightly) holds true for WoW.

How so? EQ was slow.. super slow and pretty much every fight was the same. Put mob in corner, attack from behind, cast from a distance.

Unless you're boxing the whole CH chain, then you might have an argument.

[Brigandier]

The MT in my old guild was actually a surgeon. To tell you the truth, he was actually a really poor tank.. kind of makes you wonder.

[Deathwing]

Originally Posted by Clericnon2boxed

Would you want a president of the United States that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

At this point, yes. Then we would share something in common and maybe understand all the stupid fucking decisions he makes.

[spronk]

Can Wow make you smarter?
Will Wow improve your sex life?
Can Wow get you a better job?
Can Wow increase your penis size?
Can Wow get you a salary increase?
Can you lose weight with Wow?

No.

Can Wow make you fatter?
Can Wow make you stupider?
Can Wow help you lose your job?
Can Wow help you lose your gf/wife?

Yes.

[Supacheal]

I don't think I would want my doctor to be an avid gamer. Maybe a casual gamer but nothing serious. The last thing I want to hear out of my doctor's mouth as i'm going under for surgery is "GAWD, I was up SOOO late last night wiping on heroics!!"

I understand the premise behind the article. Technology is increasing to the point where doctors will be using machines to do the surgery with more precision and smaller incisions allowing patients to recover faster. It's even to the point where specialty doctors can do the surgery remotely instead of having to fly all around the world.

I hope they don't lag...

However, there are many ways to develop reflexes besides gaming. Ways that are much healthier...

[Yutnopash]

2. Would you want a surgeon performing surgery on you that admits he or she is an avid gamer?

3. Lastly, should I buy my kid a Wii now and get him Trauma Center so I can improve his chances to be a doctor?

2. Yes, if they play more console games than mmos. There's an article out there that states that Surgeons who play video games have a ridiculous edge on those who do not. Something like 20+% faster and 30+% of not making a mistake increase over those who do not game. It was mostly for Laparoscopic surgery but none the less a Doc can work and rework hand eye coordination and apply that to their work.

3. Other than being an entertaining game, yeah you should. My nephew had slow hand eye coordination but with the wii, he's improved dramatically granted he was bad at Trauma center due to the precision, some of the easier stuff he was able to do like cut and suture. Wii sports, the Link Crossbow game, and various other games hes gotten the hang of and his hand eye coordination has gotten really good. Coupled with normal sports the wii is a pretty good tool.

[LadyVex]

I don't think it's necessarily the game, except for the hand/eye coordination/reflex part etc.

It seems in that article they're more talking about say, people from the EQ boards, those who use math, strategic tactics and cognitive thinking to solve problems or figure out what works best.

You become better at something the more often you do it; this is why brain age can help you exercise your mind. It works in much the same way.

Does the game necessarily make you smarter? No. The thought processes some people employ to play the game can however, and some of the people who do such things have no other excuse to do them (IE, it might not be something they do for a living, or that is even involved in their day to day life) so they get that part of their brain working to play.

And when I played EQ, I knew a TON of people who were extremely successful doctors/computer programmers and the like who played. It's relaxation and it also helps you keep your brain actively engaged.

I might suggest reading a book instead however :P

[DisgruntledOrangatang]

It does make you smarter though, if we classify being 'smarter' as more intelligent, intelligence is defined not only by what you know but also you ability to learn things. Wow DOES teach that, it's a lot like project management mindset (though running a guild is way more parallel to that). It's not about what they are talking about or doing, its about the process and approach. Lots of players look at wow for what it is, a game with defined rules and mechanics. Everything that happens can be calculated. So when people realize this they use a systematic though process to do whatever they want. Shit even just comparing stats on items all day, it's working with numbers and values. They want to figure out a raid encounter, or learn to pull a instance non-stupidly, etc. People look at the variables given, and come up with a solution. Many people don't even realize they are doing it. Stuff like aggro ranged, mob abilities for prioritizing kills, and of course raiding, all very logic centric.

[Blog]

Originally Posted by DisgruntledOrangatang

It does make you smarter though, if we classify being 'smarter' as more intelligent, intelligence is defined not only by what you know but also you ability to learn things. Wow DOES teach that, it's a lot like project management mindset (though running a guild is way more parallel to that). It's not about what they are talking about or doing, its about the process and approach. Lots of players look at wow for what it is, a game with defined rules and mechanics. Everything that happens can be calculated. So when people realize this they use a systematic though process to do whatever they want. Shit even just comparing stats on items all day, it's working with numbers and values. They want to figure out a raid encounter, or learn to pull a instance non-stupidly, etc. People look at the variables given, and come up with a solution. Many people don't even realize they are doing it. Stuff like aggro ranged, mob abilities for prioritizing kills, and of course raiding, all very logic centric.

Too bad Disgruntled Orangatang didn't bother implementing any of the above, he just screamed at everyone over vent for 4 hours 3 nights a week.

(lol just kidding man, was good times playing with you!)

[EmpireF4i]

Too bad the other half of WoW players are the players who are so stupid that just being grouped or listening to general or trade chat alone will make you stupid.