So if I suck at video games, genetics are to blame?

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

As I was reeding some RSS feeds today I came across an interesting article from Ars Technica. In summary, the article talks about the relationship of certain areas of the brain and the ability to play video games. It appears that if the more developed certain areas of the brain are, the easier and faster a person will learn and the better they become.

It was an interesting read to say the least.

Full Article: "Bad at video games? Your brain structure may be at fault." - Ars Technica

Thoughts?

[Slothy]

The real question is though, do these areas of the brain develop more over time in people who play games starting at a young age than those who don't? Because I could easily see people who play skill based games as children having the parts of the brain that are utilized more in said games develop more than those who don't.

[Mercen-X]

VG Talent has no connection to genetics. It's all about personal interest and practice.

[Yeargdribble]

VG Talent has no connection to genetics. It's all about personal interest and practice.

Someone didn't read the article.

The real question is though, do these areas of the brain develop more over time in people who play games starting at a young age than those who don't? Because I could easily see people who play skill based games as children having the parts of the brain that are utilized more in said games develop more than those who don't.

This is something I wonder. It seems to hold true in most areas. I know in music there are skills that if not acquired at a very young age (like under 3) an be virtually impossible to regain.

Studies of feral children have show than past a certain point the ability to develop language almost completely goes away.




So from an anecdotal standpoint, my wife grew up playing no video games and scarcely touched one one seriously until she was about 18 and didn't really start playing until 20+. She started out very bad but is pretty solid now even playing less than I currently do. I wonder to what level she an get. Is there going to be a plateau? Is the fact that she can do well at all related to her brain's natural aptitude?

Is any of this swayed by the fact that she is a highly developed musician and able to apply mental and coordination skills to a controller?

[LunarWeaver]

It's an interesting study, I guess. I've played video games since I was a toddler. I adapted as the industry evolved over time to what it is. I figure that is the reason behind it all. Be interesting if my natural brain played a part

But honestly, I'm sure most of it just comes from playing games for so long. Members of my family that never touch them (beyond Solitaire) are amazed that I can remember and function "ALL THE BUTTONS" and constantly ask me what the point of the game is. I tell them it isn't difficult at all, that it has a progressive story and isn't just about a score, but they don't ever get it. I actually read another article once talking about how gamers assess mechanics and goals very quickly and don't realize how much information they just processed in so little time. Well, that's sort of unrelated, but blah yadda.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

VG Talent has no connection to genetics. It's all about personal interest and practice.

Someone didn't read the article.

Agreed. It doesn't say that practice has no effect on a person, quite the contrary. It simply states that a person in which these areas of the brain are more developed learn faster and generally do better in video games.

This is something I wonder. It seems to hold true in most areas. I know in music there are skills that if not acquired at a very young age (like under 3) an be virtually impossible to regain.

Studies of feral children have show than past a certain point the ability to develop language almost completely goes away.

It is true that both musical and language acquisition (of a second or more language) before the age of 5 will have a great benefit to a child. Namely more brain plasticity. This leads these children to generally do better in school than their counterparts. After the age of 12 it is very hard not to have an accent in a second language. Studies have also shown that playing music throughout one's life, especially in old age will help prevent Alzheimer's and general brain degeneration too.

So yeah, I could see that if someone played video games since being a kid that perhaps certain areas of the brain would be more developed or certain areas have stronger connections than a person who only started later in life. The fact remains that our brains are much more susceptible to change and develop at a young age than when we are older. However, that does not negate the importance of practice or having interest.

I also wonder what other activities share the same areas of the brain. Moreover, the mutual affliction between playing video games and other skills and vice versa. It seems that at least two of the three regions studied had some relation with the subjects' ability in improving various skills in-game. I wonder what skills those were?

[Shoeberto]

I thought maybe the title was a witty lead-in to discussing hate speech in online games xD Like how people get called gay, and the whole discussion about homosexuality being genetic, etc etc.

It makes sense to me that there'd be a genetic predisposition to having increased skills in ways that lend themselves to games, though.

[RedPouch]

It's definitely an interesting article, but it seems to be a bit of an obvious statement. You could just basically say:

Bad at [insert anything here]? Your brain structure may be at fault.

I thought maybe the title was a witty lead-in to discussing hate speech in online games xD Like how people get called gay, and the whole discussion about homosexuality being genetic, etc etc.

Yes. When I saw the title of this topic, I instantly thought it was going to be a homosexuality-cause-and-origins debate.


I think a really good question to ask would be if gaming skill-based games and RPG games [playing RPG's at a young age with my brother actually helped me develop reading/understanding skills that were way beyond everyone else in my class at the time] at a young age will actually accelerate several areas of your brain as a child that may not accelerate through the same practice at older ages, as this article seems to vaguely imply. The Summoner of Leviathan seems to already have jumped onto this notion, and brought out some interesting points. I'm intrigued!

[NorthernChaosGod]

It's certainly a very interesting read, it would make a great deal of sense as well. Some people are just straight bad at video games, whereas others take them like a duck to water.

[AntRid]

It makes sense but I’m sure this would apply to more areas then just gaming.

[Raistlin]

This isn't really a surprise. Obviously genetics has a role to play in how fast one can learn certain skills. Genetics plays a role in how intelligent and coordinated we are, so I don't see why it wouldn't also impact traits that are useful for certain video games.

[~*~Celes~*~]

it's actually quite amazing what playing video games can do for a person mentally. I've mulled over this a few times. Critical thinking, problem solving, eye-hand coordination, and just so many other things can be improved through playing video games.

[Yeargdribble]

Just personally I have found the enrichment of video games very interesting. I can rarely remember off-hand, but throughout my life I've had epiphany moments where I realize that I have a very fluid understanding of a real world concept as a result of a video game allowing me to think in such a way. Sometimes it's just crap like being vaguely familiar with diverse mythologies through RPGs.

Interestingly enough, I recently was at working doing an accompaniment pattern (I play piano for a school) and realized that it was easier because I'd played Beatles Rock Band (drums) the night before. Though the motion was obviously different, the mapping in my brain was literally the same. For BRB I was using my left and right hands but on the piano I was using my left pinkie and thumb. But I was amazed at how coordinated I found myself being able to play an accompaniment that may have otherwise seemed awkward or at the least not totally comfortable.


I also think I manage money better as a result of old school RPGs. I manage my time and resources better as a result of the Sims. In general I'm driven towards finding patterned efficiency in almost everything I do and though I can't nail it down, I blame video games.

[Meat Puppet]

have you ever played starcraft against a korean

[NorthernChaosGod]

Just personally I have found the enrichment of video games very interesting. I can rarely remember off-hand, but throughout my life I've had epiphany moments where I realize that I have a very fluid understanding of a real world concept as a result of a video game allowing me to think in such a way. Sometimes it's just crap like being vaguely familiar with diverse mythologies through RPGs.

Interestingly enough, I recently was at working doing an accompaniment pattern (I play piano for a school) and realized that it was easier because I'd played Beatles Rock Band (drums) the night before. Though the motion was obviously different, the mapping in my brain was literally the same. For BRB I was using my left and right hands but on the piano I was using my left pinkie and thumb. But I was amazed at how coordinated I found myself being able to play an accompaniment that may have otherwise seemed awkward or at the least not totally comfortable.


I also think I manage money better as a result of old school RPGs. I manage my time and resources better as a result of the Sims. In general I'm driven towards finding patterned efficiency in almost everything I do and though I can't nail it down, I blame video games.

I think RPGs are to blame for me liking to read books so much these days, before I really started playing them I never really read much.

But then again, it could have just been because I was a young, punk ass kid.