Video Game-Asperger's Link?

[Akira]

http://gamepolitics.com/2008/04/03/study-links-video-game-addicts-with-aspergers-syndrome/

Study Links Video Game Addicts with Asperger’s Syndrome

A new study maintains that people who are addicted to video games exhibit characteristics similar to those who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism.

As reported by Videogamer.com, the research was produced by Dr. John Charlton of the England’s University of Bolton and Ian Danforth of Whitman College in the United States:

391 “computer game players”, 86% of whom were male, were questioned… Results found that the closer the players got to [game] addiction the more likely they were to display negative personality traits. With stronger signs of game addiction came three personality traits that would usually be associated with Aspergers: neuroticism, and lack of extraversion and agreeableness.

The researchers believe that video game addicts can not be classified as having Aspergers syndrome, but do share characteristics because they find it easier to empathise with computer systems than other people.

According to Dr. Charlton:

The thinking in the field is that there is a scale along which people, even those considered to be ‘normal’, can be placed upon. And that people such as engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists are nearer to the non-empathising, systemising, end of the spectrum, with people with Aspergers syndrome even further along again.

Our research supports the idea that people who are heavily involved in game playing may be nearer to autistic spectrum disorders than people who have no interest in gaming.

GP: Interesting stuff, although the underlying concept of “video game addiction” itself has not yet been accepted as a diagnosis by the American Medical Association.

[KingMob]

I still play Burger Time on occasion.

[Akira]

I still play Burger Time on occasion.

That explains so much.

[KingMob]

http://img70.exs.cx/img70/5183/dancingboy7lr.gif

[JoeE]

File this under the "no shit" category. Pretty much every major geek hobby caters heavily to people with Asperger's.

Let's face it, you have to be a little off to be willing to do some of the more extreme things video games can require of you.

[Marc Lombardi]

YAY!!!! ANOTHER thing that means someone has Asperger's. :roll:

[DrMachine]

I can't help but agree with the study.

I mean, just the people around here who are "hardcore" come across as having some kind of "issue".

[noble]

YAY!!!! ANOTHER thing that means someone has Asperger's. :roll:


I think the whole planet has aspergers at this point :roll:

[Whip]

Everybody has something.

[Albert]

Countdown to Persevering Guy...

[DrMachine]

Everybody has something.

yes, but the level of significance (statistically speaking) is what is important

I didn't read the study (primary literature) but I would assume that they are saying that the presence of asperger's like traits occurs at some meaningful level of significance. Enough to differentiate between control groups.

[killingyouguy]

I think the whole planet has aspergers at this point :roll:

It's the new ADD!

[Ben]

yes, but the level of significance (statistically speaking) is what is important

I didn't read the study (primary literature) but I would assume that they are saying that the presence of asperger's like traits occurs at some meaningful level of significance. Enough to differentiate between control groups.Good luck trying to explain statistical significance to these people.

[DrMachine]

Good luck trying to explain statistical significance to these people.

Oh...come on. It can't be THAT bad.

[Ben]

Oh...come on. It can't be THAT bad.It's significantly more difficult than trying to stab yourself in the face.

[DrMachine]

It's significantly more difficult than trying to stab yourself in the face.

I like what you did there.

[KingMob]

Good luck trying to explain statistical significance to these people.

by these people do you mean blacks?

[Marc Lombardi]

by these people do you mean blacks?
Only the blacks who are Aspies. Auties aren't included here.

[DrMachine]

by these people do you mean blacks?

I'm pretty sure he only means the dead fish.

[Ben]

They also never mention effect sizes in these articles, which is as important as the degree of significance.

[DrMachine]

They also never mention effect sizes in these articles, which is as important as the degree of significance.

press release results reporting are always shitty

[Susan BANthony]

I guess I can blame playing Heart Full of Black on medium for two weeks so I could five it on my ass burgers now.

[Lyfeforce]

I guess I can blame playing Heart Full of Black on medium for two weeks so I could five it on my ass burgers now.

as long as you're not blaming it on me. :shifty:

[KingMob]

I'm pretty sure he only means the dead fish.

and SNAP!

[Lanowar]

File this under the "no shit" category. Pretty much every major geek hobby caters heavily to people with Asperger's.

I have Aspergers and it's true, I suspect if I was'nt for the geek hobbies I would have found it harder to make friends, harder then some people I know who are into really obscure genres of music and things like railway collecting.

[costello]

I played video games as kid, but don't think it has anything to do with the development of my neuroses or mysanthropy. And I love playing videogames now, but my full-blown hatred towards people and myself was fully developed by the time I bought a PS2.

[Amos Moses]

Jesus tap dancing Christ, what is with this obsession with diagnosing every little oddity about people? What happened to just being eccentric? You know what I have? S.O.U.S.S.
Sick Of Useless Scientific Studies. My brain tells me that we should stop wasting time and money on this bullshit and start putting more effort into developing temporary gills for people. Or Rocket Legs.

I blame Pfizer. And all of you monkey's for playing along.

[costello]

Jesus tap dancing Christ, what is with this obsession with diagnosing every little oddity about people? What happened to just being eccentric? You know what I have? S.O.U.S.S.
Sick Of Useless Scientific Studies. My brain tells me that we should stop wasting time and money on this bullshit and start putting more effort into developing temporary gills for people. Or Rocket Legs.

I blame Pfizer. And all of you monkey's for playing along.

Hey, I get my meds from Pfizer!

[costello]

I have Aspergers and it's true, I suspect if I was'nt for the geek hobbies I would have found it harder to make friends, harder then some people I know who are into really obscure genres of music and things like railway collecting.

My grandfather gave me his record collection. Any of the people you know collect big band records?

[DrMachine]

Jesus tap dancing Christ, what is with this obsession with diagnosing every little oddity about people? What happened to just being eccentric? You know what I have? S.O.U.S.S.
Sick Of Useless Scientific Studies. My brain tells me that we should stop wasting time and money on this bullshit and start putting more effort into developing temporary gills for people. Or Rocket Legs.

I blame Pfizer. And all of you monkey's for playing along.

wow...I didn't think they made the world is flat people anymore

I'm going to go stab my face with a knife now.

[Amos Moses]

Hey, I get my meds from Pfizer!

Stop feeding the beast! STOP!



wow...I didn't think they made the world is flat people anymore

I'm going to go stab my face with a knife now.


Now you're thinking! No face means no mouth, no mouth means you can't swallow Pfizer's lies. I like your style Dr.!



......


Wait a minute...

Just what kind of Doctor are you, anyway?

[Susan BANthony]

as long as you're not blaming it on me. :shifty:

AND you. I beat medium mode last night because of you! :x

[Marc Lombardi]

Jesus tap dancing Christ, what is with this obsession with diagnosing every little oddity about people? What happened to just being eccentric? You know what I have? S.O.U.S.S.
Sick Of Useless Scientific Studies. My brain tells me that we should stop wasting time and money on this bullshit and start putting more effort into developing temporary gills for people. Or Rocket Legs.

I blame Pfizer. And all of you monkey's for playing along.
I'm with you, man. It seems in many of these occasions it's just parents who can't control their kids anymore finding doctors who diagnose aspergers or autism. Ten years ago these same misdiagnosed kids "had ADD." Twenty years ago they were Hyperactive. Before that these same kids were just annoying little miscreants who didn't know how to act. :lol:

Let me clarify. I DO believe that there are many correctly diagnozed cases of Aspergers and autism. It's just that these are somewhat FAD diseases that suddenly are pouring out of the woodworks.

[Lyfeforce]

AND you. I beat medium mode last night because of you! :x

...glad I could help :D

[costello]

I'm with you, man. It seems in many of these occasions it's just parents who can't control their kids anymore finding doctors who diagnose aspergers or autism. Ten years ago these same misdiagnosed kids "had ADD." Twenty years ago they were Hyperactive. Before that these same kids were just annoying little miscreants who didn't know how to act. :lol:

Let me clarify. I DO believe that there are many correctly diagnozed cases of Aspergers and autism. It's just that these are somewhat FAD diseases that suddenly are pouring out of the woodworks.

You can now buy pills for hyperactive dogs too.

[Marc Lombardi]

You can now buy pills for hyperactive dogs too.
My RainDog only wears underwear from KMart.

[Japhy Ryder]

Does anyone else have a problem with the oh so scientific phrasing here:

"Results found that the closer the players got to [game] addiction the more likely they were to display negative personality traits. With stronger signs of game addiction came three personality traits that would usually be associated with Aspergers: neuroticism, and lack of extraversion and agreeableness."

Saying negative (as opposed to positive) is really just saying bad (as opposed to good). When did "scientists" start getting to decide what character traits are good and bad?

[Shepherd]

I still play Burger Time on occasion.

Well, as long as it's not Ass Burger Time, I think you're okay.

R