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Gamers negglecting homewurk and reeding, says study

July 03, 2007 in News comments 28

While it may be seen as stating the obvious considering the huge draw of modern videogames, a new study in the US has shown that school children are seriously neglecting their homework and reading skills in favour of assuming the roles of heroes and heroines in the virtual world. Surprised? No, us neither.

Kids who use their school nights for playing videogames spend significantly less time on reading and doing homework, according to a new study carried out in the US. Specifically, easily distracted boys and girls who fill their evenings with fighting alien hordes spend 30 percent less time reading (boys), and some 34 percent less time doing their mandatory homework assignments (girls).
mistermostyn via gamersquad.com »
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Most recently commented on by on Jul 8, 2007

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  • 0
    Shadow of Death Jul 4, 07
    Well, no kidding 0_o

    As it is, homework these days is excessive, so its not surprising kids would prefer to spend time playing games, versus doing a hour or two's worth of boring homework...

    And video gaming is this generations version of a novel...I like novel's myself, but games are more fun
  • 1
    Gogetenks Jul 4, 07
    Keep in mind that male gamers didn't really do significantly less homework then male non-gamers. Also, female gamers didn't do significantly less reading then their non-gamer acquaintances.

    Personally, I think gaming is a whole new form of literature on it's own. Sure, Gears or War is basically loads of shooting, but just as there are games that are there for pure enjoyment, many games I enjoy playing(such as Tales of Symphonia) are a piece of art on their own, and just as much a story as many novels. Games can have just as much, if not more, depth. They can add upon your vocabulary, improve general reading skills and nurture your imagination at least as much, and possibly more, than books. Unlike books, games can be interacted with and partially controlled by the player. Stories can therefore have even more depth, with branching storylines and effects caused by different actions.

    Wasn't it also proven that gamers were proven to have better hand-eye coordination, puzzle solving skills and were, generally, smarter?
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    While i don't fully agree with this and Gogetenks there is some good points that makes sense.
  • 3
    Deis Jul 4, 07
    I was just about to link to this in the New Scientist article on the same topic that I posted several hours ago. Odd coincidence.

    quote
    Specifically, boys who fill their evening with rescuing distressed damstrels and fighting alien hordes spend 30 per cent less time reading, while girls who nurture their Sims and pamper their Nintendogs spend 34 per cent less time doing homework.
    Sexist bastards. I really am quite offended by the dumbed down nature of the entire article, including the title. It's like, report seriously, don't just be jerks.

    The original study also theorized that the reason gamers spend less time doing homework is for the same reason that high acheivers spend less time on it; because they don't need to, not because they're stupid enough to attempt to spell neglecting as "negglecting".
  • 0
    Theory of Chaos Jul 4, 07
    Me flunked English? That umpastable.

    But seriously, that's true. I know I've flunked many tests due to Mario Kart DS. Bastards...
  • 0
    mistermostyn Jul 4, 07
    Apologies Deis (and a thumb). That's an editor's slip on my part. I usually catch that kind of stereotypical detailing. The writer in question will have a slapped wrist, rest assured.

    Though the article wasn't intended to be "dumbed down" but rather quick and easy on a subject we're all aware of.

    Stevie (Mistermostyn)
    • 0
      Deis Jul 4, 07
      I didn't realise that you were the editor of that site.

      Perhaps "dumbed down" is the wrong term. It's just that the subject is pretty interesting as a serious study, and that article seems to treat it as a joke.
  • 1
    Bale Fire Jul 4, 07
    I find games can be just as educational as homework in there own way, like Brain Academy Training or even Age of Empires.

    Plus according to studies surgeons who play games have a a lower failure rate, oh and apparently gamer chicks get laid more (though that has nothing to do with this)
  • 3
    Miss Razz Jul 4, 07
    Play an RPG THEN tell me that gamers are neglecting reading. There's days of dialogue to read in those games.
  • 0
    mistermostyn Jul 4, 07
    @Deis,

    More of a triviality rather than a joke really.

    Mainly because for every study that lauds the advantages of gaming for children there's a counterpoint study that criticises the influence of gaming. Hence, the skim treatment we gave the story in terms of, what we thought, was somewhat tenuous overall credibility. Sorry if it wasn't what you were hoping for though.
  • 0
    Gotenks Jul 4, 07
    Well it's a good thing I only play video games on the weekends....on before bed every night but that's a different story. Bottom line I actually do better if i play more video games.
  • 0
    Quellilo Jul 4, 07
    This is truem, you can learn a lot from video games, well , not from all...
  • 1
    bbb7002004* Jul 4, 07
    I wonder if this study takes into account what kids would be doing even if there were no video games. It's not like kids would suddenly start doing their homework just because they didn't have video games, they would just find some other way to waste time, some of which are a lot more dangerous.
  • 0
    Evanster Jul 4, 07
    LoL @ the title. But maybe video will be illegal because of this.
  • 0
    Goyun SSJ15 Jul 4, 07
    How come replicated articles get put through by the GG team. Deis published this article before.
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    Like i said i dont agree with this but Triple B makes alot of sense. sports are one.
  • 0
    Sungod Okami Jul 4, 07
    I FULLY and COMPLETELY agree with Deis and Gogetenks. Those two worded how I feel in exactly the right way.
  • 3
    Seeker X Jul 4, 07
    quote
    Well, no kidding 0_o
    Hey kids! What's better? Being forced to read a book that has little or no relevance to your class or playing a fun video game at your own will....I thought so.
  • 0
    Deviant Jul 4, 07
    It's not a surprise... Not many kids like reading and with all the new consoles and things there are going to be like no kids reading at all....

    And I felt like I was the only kid in my class who lied about their evil reading log things.
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 4, 07
    I like reading some books but in all honestly most dont grab me.
  • 0
    Infinite Jul 4, 07
    Exactly. Gamers would rather spend their time outside of school doing something fun and enjoyable rather then doing their homework. So of course they are gonna choose videogames over homework or reading.
    • 0
      Deis Jul 4, 07
      Reading is fun. I think it's just the stigma that it's about learning that puts people off; at school, I think people used to assume that I was reading text books. That's the impression I got from the comments, anyway.

      Anyway, as Gothic Girl pointed out, lots of games do involve reading, particularly RPGs, or games like the Phoenix Wright series, which are pretty much interactive detective novels. Just because children are reading less books doesn't mean they're reading less.
  • 0
    Bale Fire Jul 4, 07
    My brother plays video games a lot and at only 10 years old he has a vocabulary twice as big as mine when I was his age, most of it is military or terrain words but it is still quite amazing to hear him using words which I didn't even know existed at 10 years old

    Also I read a lot as well and I think video games and books go hand in hand, both try to tell a story its just that one is a little more interactive than the other
  • 0
    Doza Jul 5, 07
    Its actually been proven that kids who grow up playing video games are actually more devoloped and ahead of those who dont. Then tend to have learnt better lifeskills such as patience and planning ahead and budgeting for any projects. This may sounds wierd now, but think of what games like WoW make you do?
  • -1
    Storm Jul 5, 07
    Games like WoW ruins lives I believe it, though. Besides, who said video games can't help with school? They can help kids learn, heh. When I got Mortal Kombat for the SNES years ago, and read the manual, I had no idea what the hell opponent was...so I looked it up and understood. Sounds lame, yeah, but it got me curious. Say a history teacher's topic is on WWII, and a kid's been playing CoD and such, they'd have some kinda knowledge on it.

    Besides, a good amount of games deal with reading last I checked.
  • 0
    Deviant Jul 5, 07
    [Quote - Deis]
    Anyway, as Gothic Girl pointed out, lots of games do involve reading, particularly RPGs, or games like the Phoenix Wright series, which are pretty much interactive detective novels. Just because children are reading less books doesn't mean they're reading less.



    Yeah... I guess your right. But there is lot more interactive things or whatever than reading, which you get every now and then.
  • 0
    SSJ3 Trunks Jul 8, 07
    Yes we are neglecting it so what? It's there faults for making games so dang addicting.
  • 1
    Shadow net583x s Jul 8, 07
    I had tons of homework, but I still managed to get it done after playing Gears or Guitar Hero 2.

    Oh, and Storm, I passed a spelling test once because of Pikmin, it had words like Pellet and stuff.

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