More on “video gaming addiction”

May 21, 2009

On April 27 I posted a blog, "Are Video Games Addictive?," about the concept of “video gaming addiction.” A study had determined that 8.5% of “youths” were addicted. I suggested that if you changed video games to books you would never say they were addicts. You would just say they loved to read.

It was with great pleasure then that I received a note from Liz Danforth, an American Library Association gaming team member and a blogger/columnist for Library Journal. SHE AGREED WITH ME!! She wanted me to know she was like minded. In fact, she had, coincidentally, written her own blog posting about it and then came upon mine.

So, I thought you might find it interesting to see how she saw the same subject. While you are at it, explore her blog, it’s called Games, Gamers & Gaming. So, click here to read how she asks and answers the question: “Why books engaging but games are are are addictive?”

Posted by Richard Gottlieb on May 21, 2009 | Comments (2)

June 13, 2009

In response to: More on “video gaming addiction”
Mary Couzin commented:

I love Liz's blogs!!! And, if anyone is going to be at the ALA Conference in Chicago in July, she'll be there. (as will I) Regarding addicts, a recent Study states: "... (video) games players get on average 1.6 hours less sleep per week, they also spend less time in bed, have longer sleep latency and sleep less 'deeply' (as monitored through REM)." play.tm/news/25077/study-says-gamers-need-more-sleep Does this mean book addicts are sleep deprived, too?

May 21, 2009

In response to: More on “video gaming addiction”
Nate Scheidler commented:

My two cents: diminishing returns. The greatest value to playing a game is learning the rules. Playing the game is a reward for having successfully learned the rules. Continued playing of the game becomes pure recreation. If one were to properly equate video game addiction to book addiction, it would be reading the same small collection of books repeatedly. This is coming from someone who had the Level 70 Warlock in World of Warcraft, designed maps for Unreal Tournament, and has belonged to several online communities built up around loving to play video games. I avoided countless social and educational opportunities for the sake of spending more time in front of the computer screen. I've been a video game addict. It can be an addiction. And it isn't unfair to label it as such.