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According to a recent study performed by Professor Allan Reiss of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research at Stanford University, male gamers tend to enjoy video-games because of their basic urge to conquer.
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In the study, published recently in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, scientists wired up a series of men and women to an MRI scanner while they played a video game, which involved competing to win on-screen territory by clicking on a series of balls.
After analysing the MRI data, the researchers found participants showed activation in the brain's mesocorticolimbic centre, the region typically associated with reward and addiction.
Male brains, however, showed much greater activation, and the amount increased as they gained more territory. This was not the case with women.
Three structures within the reward circuit the nucleus accumbens, amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex were also shown to influence each other much more in men than in women.
Additional sources:
- Male Gamers Driven By Need To Conquer (kotaku.com)
Latest comment:
Most recently commented on by on Jan 6, 2009
Most recently commented on by on Jan 6, 2009
Comments
But hey . . . I've always been glad to not be a "typical guy"
But if they have a good plot, I can manage past gameplay flaws so long as it doesn't break the game itself
What if video games are just really fun? Hasn't anyone ever considered studying that possibility?
Haha, GG I'm sure if they did the study they'd find some "thing" that you'd say "Yeah right that's not why I play games, come on . . . do it again."
But it's kind of obvious....at least when it comes to online gaming, you really do want to conquer all the other players.
It's like I say "I like to draw," and the scientists are all like "S'cause when you were a caveman, you had the urge to mark your territory on walls." Yeah. That's totally why I love art...
Though, personally, I wouldn't say this is a study of human instincts. Rather, a study comparing how the male brain reacts to games in comparison to the female brain. Men are naturally more aggressive than women so it's only natural they're more interested in the competitive side to gaming.
Personally, I think it's fascinating that there are deeper reasons for the things that people do. Not just that my brain randomly chooses to do something and that's the only reason I do things.
Sorry, I just love this kind of stuff. I'm really fascinated with how the brain works and all that jazz.
I also play games for the Story and the gameplay which captivates people like books and Movies.
You can't say that liking a game for whatever reason has nothing to do with instincts or a deeper reasoning in your brain. You can't look into your head and figure out what exactly is going on in there - That's why the researchers used MRIs for the study, not just verbal accounts. Viewing the active parts of a person's brain while they play games is going to garner more specific results.
Speaking of ... You say you like games because they're fun - But what makes them fun? It's your brain that determines what games you enjoy and what games you don't enjoy. While one person might enjoy blasting the crap out of aliens in a vdeo-game, another person might prefer a game for it's story, and another person might hate video-games alltogether and find more fun in playing Monopoly. It all comes down to how your brain works at a deeper level. (Gamasutra actually had an interesting article on what makes games fun a while ago).
No, brains do not randomly choose to do things; many things are, as you mentioned, instinctual. But outside of things such as competitiveness and other needs, our choices for other things are far from primal. When I sit down to read a book, it is because I wish to stimulate my emotions, something most animals often tend not to do, if at all. And when I enjoy a book, my enjoyment cannot be attested to animalistic rituals; it is because I achieved a mental and emotional fulfillment.
All I'm saying is that these articles tend to be, for lack of a better word, a tad, well, demeaning for men. I'm taking this far more seriously than is really necessary, but hey; makes for great discussion material, dunnit?
(it also makes me wonder what info isn't published when these studies are released to the public).
And I definitely agree with your second paragraph. I didn't mean to come off as saying that all our actions simply a result of instincts. Tbh, I think you summed it up nicer than I did.
lol, yeah, it is great discussion material.
Part 2, I know damn well why I enjoy games and why they're fun. I don't need MRI studies done on me to figure out. If the game has an engaging story, I'll be captivated. I highlighted earlier Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy; Those two was drawn to me from the story. Battlefield Bad Company, being a FPS, was drawn to me cause of the story and how funny it is. While have some good action elements.
No, my brain doesn't tell me what I enjoy, for me it's my individuality and personal taste that decided what I enjoy. Sorry I know Psychology and enjoy the subject but to think everything I do is based off Primal Instincts is ridiculous and absurd. And nothing anyone says, or even stupid MRI tests will change my view on this. It's cool to have a discussion about it and take it deeper then normal, I'm just not going to agree with it and I never have agreed with that perception at a whole.
And what dictates your individuality and personal taste? Your brain! Your brain dictates everything about you. If you knew psychology (I'm questioning whether you do, based off your posts) then you wouldn't be debating these things, you wouldn't be misinterpreting what I'm saying, nor would you say that an MRI test is "stupid". That's just a bizarre thing to say, especially coming from someone who claims to "know psychology".
Red, I didn't do anything but merely stated my view on it. I know about Psychology, I took classes and read a shit load over online and even talked to former Psychologist. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with some things within it. The one turning this into some sort of hostile debate or argument is Gothic Girl, sorry but I would rather you agree to disagree then state what you did.
Men usually ARE naturally more aggressive than women...which is why men account for the large majority of violent crimes and things like that. Now reading through all this stuff, I don't see where she specifically points out either of you guys OR how OR why you play your games. She just pointed out a rather accurate generalization (assisted by crime statistics).
I do believe its usually a little more complicated than that. Think about it...Why shooters and no "Nintendo-esque" games? Whatever conclusion you come up with is really up for debate, even for yourself.
Ok it seems that someone has said that.
So yes you do play it for the fun, but that's your conscious thoughts.Our animalistic nature is in our subconscious thoughts.
NOW SIT WHILE I PLUCK YOU CARROTS!!!
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