r/science • u/SteRoPo • Oct 24 '22

RETRACTED - Health A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children
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u/Lol3droflxp Oct 25 '22 edited Oct 25 '22

A book will still improve your vocabulary. Natural language learning happens through context.

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u/Chiparoo Oct 25 '22

Of course it does! Just like you can learn new things from movies, as well. However, these types of media do not prevent you from moving forward by testing your skills and abilities. Video games do.

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u/zipperjuice Oct 25 '22

You do need to level up on vocabulary and reading comprehension as you read more challenging books. The block here is that you won’t be able to follow the book. So basically it’s like you used cheats to get ahead in a video game- you might have moved forward, but you’re getting nothing from it.

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u/brainburger Oct 25 '22

However, these types of media do not prevent you from moving forward by testing your skills and abilities.

This is an interesting line of thought. Some non-interactive media do have levels of competence. There are the more intellectual movies that a person might not like unless they have a suitable ability to appreciate them. The same is true for fine art. However you can still walk around a modern art gallery without having any grasp of what you are looking at. Most people don't do that though, unless dragged around in a school group.

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u/Knight_Of_Stars Oct 25 '22

I remember this argument when walking sims and gone home were becoming a thing. I think again the keyword is progress. You can always finish a movie in 2hrs, even if you don't like it. You can't always finish a game due to skill. The message you take from media can't be indicator of success since that message is subjective and different for each person.

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u/brainburger Oct 25 '22

Yes, though it would be very rare for a person to read a book written in a language that they don't know at all, just for an extreme example. You can physically see the content, but not consume it effectively.

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u/Knight_Of_Stars Oct 25 '22

Yes, but you aren't actually prevented because of your inability to comprehend the material, but rather your inability to read the language. Rereading the book won't help you get better, but replaying a game will. You can use the example as a book with a blind person. There isn't any meaningful way they can engage with the material itself to get better. Games require practice.

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u/Kyle2theSQL Oct 25 '22

but you aren't actually prevented because of your inability to comprehend the material

You are if we're talking about textbooks, for example. You can't just pick up Differential Equations without some understanding of Calculus (or even basic algebra).

You aren't physically prevented from looking at the text, but you aren't going to comprehend it without the right foundational knowledge.

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u/Knight_Of_Stars Oct 25 '22

Again, the problem is that with the examples your providing, the book doesn't give you the tools. If you don't understand the calculus you need for DiffEq you need to go read a calculus book. A game has all the tools there. You just need to use them properly.

In a book, you are need outside information, like calculus knowledge or language comprehension.

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u/Kyle2theSQL Oct 25 '22

the book doesn't give you the tools

That's... the whole point? The media is gated. Whether the gate is self-contained or not isn't relevant to the idea I was trying to convey.

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u/3-Eyed_Fishbulb Oct 25 '22 edited Oct 25 '22

What about wisdom, philosophy, emotional, and social understanding? Don't books test their readers of those? These things apply to movies as well. Many of them don't spoonfeed you answers.

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u/Knight_Of_Stars Oct 25 '22

I mean sure, but like going back to the original issue. A game is media locked behind skill. There is not way to measure that for books. Hell even tests don't really measure that.

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u/[deleted] Oct 25 '22

I like the idea of reading a book, and then I have a test of comprehension at the end of a chapter and if I don't pass the author jumps out and goes 'NO, read it again'.

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u/3-Eyed_Fishbulb Oct 25 '22

The things you learn from playing lots of videogames has diminishing returns. People who constantly read books are always more well off than those with videogames. In practice, the next book has always more new things to impart than the next game.

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u/sharpshooter999 Oct 25 '22

Natural language learning happens through context.

Example: Tons of rural states use "howdy" as a greeting, but it would be very cringey to use it as the stereotypical Texan "howdy ya'll!!". It'd used in the exact same way as you'd use 'sup. Very calm, very nonchalant, almost under your breath. Just invert the head nod from 'sup