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Attractive People Are Less Likely To Play Video Games, NBER Study Says: From a paper on the National Bureau of Economic Research: We investigate the relationship between physical attractiveness and the time people devote to video/computer gaming. Average American teenagers spend 2.6% of their waking hours gaming, while for adults this figure is 2.7%. Using the American Add Health Study, we show that adults who are better-looking have more close friends. Arguably, gaming is costlier for them, and they thus engage in less of it. Physically attractive teens are less likely to engage in gaming at all, whereas unattractive teens who do game spend more time each week on it than other gamers. Attractive adults are also less likely than others to spend any time gaming; and if they do, they spend less time on it than less attractive adults. Using the longitudinal nature of the Add Health Study, we find supportive evidence that these relationships are causal for adults: good looks decrease gaming time, not vice-versa. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Attractive People Are Less Likely To Play Video Games, NBER Study Says: From a paper on the National Bureau of Economic Research: We investigate the relationship between physical attractiveness and the time people devote to video/computer gaming. Average American teenagers spend 2.6% of their waking hours gaming, while for adults this figure is 2.7%. Using the American Add Health Study, we show that adults who are better-looking have more close friends. Arguably, gaming is costlier for them, and they thus engage in less of it. Physically attractive teens are less likely to engage in gaming at all, whereas unattractive teens who do game spend more time each week on it than other gamers. Attractive adults are also less likely than others to spend any time gaming; and if they do, they spend less time on it than less attractive adults. Using the longitudinal nature of the Add Health Study, we find supportive evidence that these relationships are causal for adults: good looks decrease gaming time, not vice-versa. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Perhaps not super surprising, but here goes: causal evidence that good looks decrease gaming time (not vice versa). "We investigate the relationship between physical attractiveness and the time people devote to video/computer gaming. Average American teenagers spend 2.6% of their waking hours gaming, while for adults this figure is 2.7%. Using the American Add Health Study, we show that adults who are better-looking have more close friends. Arguably, gaming is costlier for them, and they thus engage in less of it. Physically attractive teens are less likely to engage in gaming at all, whereas unattractive teens who do game spend more time each week on it than other gamers. Attractive adults are also less likely than others to spend any time gaming; and if they do, they spend less time on it than less attractive adults. Using the longitudinal nature of the Add Health Study, we find supportive evidence that these relationships are causal for adults: good looks decrease gaming time, not vice-versa" https://shorturl.at/2VL53

Shrinking attention spans have led to a decline in strategic play styles "There are many seemingly-related findings in terms of our media consumption habits. For example, over time, shorter YouTube videos have garnered a higher share of overall views. The duration of shots in movies (i.e., between each cut) has decreased from 16 seconds in 1930 to 4 seconds in 2010. The average time spent on a computer app window (e.g., on a Word doc before switching to a browser window) has decreased from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to 47 seconds in 2016. In this light, the decline in Strategy is likely not an idiosyncratic phenomenon among digital gamers, but parallels the general reduction in attention spans observed by researchers in different fields."

Do you ever wonder if playing lots of video games makes you smarter or better at your job? Neuroscience says it's true! Smart people did research and found out that people who play a ton of games can have some cool brain benefits. Even the World Health Organization looked into this and found the studies to be true. Here’s what they found: Increased Grey Matter Volume: Pro gamers have bigger parts in their brains. Grey matter is "thinking" tissue in the brain. Better Focus and Control: Key areas like the left cingulate gyrus are more developed in gamers. This improves focus and control. This is great for school or work! Good with Maps and Spaces: Gamers are great at figuring out where things are in games. This helps with jobs like building things or making maps. Improved Emotional Control and Awareness: Gamers can stay calm and make good choices even when things get tough. This is helpful at home and at work. So, playing video games is not just fun. It’s like a workout for your brain that helps you do better in other parts of your life. PS: Next time someone worries about you playing games, you can tell them how it helps your brain!

Oxford study of 40,000 video gamers sets the record straight on gaming and mental health. This research, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, found no ‘causal link’ between gaming and poor mental health. None! That means hours played, type of game, violence all had no negative effect on mental health. But that does not mean video games were harmless - the issue that surfaced was not about WHAT you play or HOW often you play it. It is all about WHY you play. “The research showed a distinct difference in the experience of gamers who play ‘because they want to’ and those who play ‘because they feel they have to’.” This is not unique to games. Any reward based behavior done compulsively, or designed to be done compulsively, is going to be a problem. And that is a great check point for gamers, regulators, and ultimately parents. #videogames #mentalhealth #powerofplay https://lnkd.in/gwpvzyBR

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀' "𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻" 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 As parents and members of the gaming community, we often hear concerns about teenagers being "𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅" to video games. However, a recent article sheds light on a different perspective that challenges this notion. Instead of pathologizing gaming as the problem, we should consider the environment in which our children are growing up. Gen Z is the most monitored and restricted generation yet. With fewer public spaces to explore freely, increased surveillance, and limited opportunities for unsupervised socialization, it's no wonder teens are turning to virtual worlds where they can have some semblance of freedom and autonomy. Games provide a space for social interaction, exploration, and even relaxation—often missing in the real world, especially given the pressures of modern life. Rather than viewing gaming as an addiction, let's recognize it as a response to the constraints and stresses they face. Let's open a dialogue about providing more supportive, open environments for our teens, both online and offline. The link to the article by Keith Stuart & Keza MacDonald of The Guardian is in the comments.

GET OUR TAKE ON CELL PHONE BANS IN SCHOOLS + OUR LATEST RESEARCH ON TEEN GAMING In this month's newsletter, we offer our view on the topic of cell phone bans in schools and some recommendations for how parents and educators can promote digital wellness. We're also excited to announce the results of our latest Pulse Survey: Unveiling the Social World of Teen Gamers. This survey of nearly 1,500 adolescents and teens dives deep into the social dynamics of video game play. Our top takeaway? Gaming is more than entertainment — it's a social hub, with over 75% of teens playing with friends/family online. https://ow.ly/TaLG50RjUYu For more recommendations on topics like cell phones in schools to insights from our latest research, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.

Last week, I found myself in an epic battle—the online version of Fortnite—against a formidable army of tech gremlins and phantom computer issues. These are the kinds of issues that only seem to emerge when you’re tackling a tricky task that you’ve never attempted before, and there’s a deadline looming. Of course! Naturally, tech gremlins have a sixth sense for when to gather their troops: right when you need things to go smoothly. Why not pile on the stress, right?🥴 That was my experience while preparing the first instalment in my three-part mini-series on emotions, a voice-narrated slide presentation I was determined to get just right. I can’t even count the number of tech hurdles I had to jump—and just when I thought I’d conquered one, another would pop up demanding attention. Ironically, the topic was all about the benefits of creating distance from intense emotions and managing them in a healthier way. Clearly, I have a lot still to learn! The good news? There’s a part two coming. This will give me another opportunity to brave the tech waters and revisit the content to practice what I preach. If you’re interested in diving into this learning, you’re invited to join my private Facebook group! This is a space for women to connect, learn, and explore the importance of making themselves a priority in a world that often demands otherwise. It’s about finding balance, resilience, and a bit of humour along the way as we tackle life’s challenges together. 👉 [https://lnkd.in/eadbn_vb] Looking forward to seeing you there!