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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Spending time playing video games is not always a bad thing. In fact, a series of studies from around the country show certain games can improve dexterity and the ability to solve problems; skills not only useful for students, but also for laparoscopic surgeons.
At Fordham University in New York, studies of fifth, sixth and seventh graders showed video games improved cognitive and perceptual skills. At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, researchers found games based on learning fostered scientific thinking.
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At Iowa State University, psychologists examined studies that looked at how video games impacted high school students and laparoscopic surgeons. The team confirmed violent games promote hostility. Players of those games were less forgiving and believed violence was normal. But those who played prosocial games got into fewer fights and were more helpful to fellow students. Other studies showed entertainment games led to poor school performance and obesity.
Laparoscopic surgeons improved their dexterity by playing video games. Surgeons who were played video games were 27 percent faster at advanced procedures and made 37 percent fewer errors, according to psychologist Douglas Gentile, Ph.D., of Iowa State. He also said high level game skills and experience were good predictors of suturing capabilities.
The big picture is that there are several dimensions on which games have effects, including the amount they are played, the content of each game, what you have to pay attention to on the screen and how you control the motions, Gentile was quoted as saying. This means that games are not good or bad, but are powerful educational tools and have many effects we might no have expected they could.
SOURCE: Annual Convention of the American Psychological Foundation, August 17, 2008
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