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Gamers Have Addict Brains

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Blackthorne TA, Nov 15, 2011.

  1. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    An interesting study indicates that frequent gamers have a larger reward center in the brain than infrequent gamers.

    The researchers speculate that it's the difference in the brain that makes one a frequent gamer or not rather than frequent gaming changing the brain.

    Most interesting: Frequent gamers playing a gambling game showed higher reward activity when they lost!

    Worst quote:
    Both those phrases mean the same thing; poor writing skills for the author :)
     
    Blackthorne TA, Nov 15, 2011
    #1
  2. Paracelsi

    Paracelsi Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Also that the author was no gamer.

    I've forgotten when I last played a game that didn't involve any type of "levels" or "leveling".
     
    Paracelsi, Nov 16, 2011
    #2
  3. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    I agree BTA - that's the same thing. I think it's obvious what she meant though: It's either that people who frequently game have changes in their brain, or that their brains already are differently wired (the whole reward center), and thus it predisposes them to enjoy gaming.

    That said, I KNOW I have an addictive brain - I love just about every vice you can name - smoking, drinking, gambling, gaming - you name it, I probably like it. (Although in terms of gambling I don't like it when I lose.) So it doesn't surprise me one bit.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Nov 16, 2011
    #3
  4. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I'm not sure what higher activity in the reward center presents itself as. Does it mean you necessarily "like" to lose, or does it mean that you become more determined to play again and win this time?

    If the latter, it makes a lot of sense to me. What frequent gamer gets frustrated with games easily and gives up right away? It's more likely they (maybe we :) )get bored with a game because it poses no challenge.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Nov 16, 2011
    #4
  5. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    [​IMG] I'm not exactly the best gamer, but I am a frequent gamer.

    I've never really felt addicted to anything, there are things I come back to again and again and my OCD does like to complete a game properly if I enjoy it :p but I also have no problem stopping playing something when I lose interest, I don't *have* to see the ending of every game, if it bores me and I can't find a way to make it more interesting, I stop. Simple as.

    I certainly know some gaming addicts and those who would easily fit the mold of being an addictive personality who play games as a means to satiate that.
     
    8people, Nov 19, 2011
    #5
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