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Video Games Make You Smarter And Faster
The Strategy Page ^ | 2/1/2010 | The Strategy Page

Posted on 02/01/2010 7:50:44 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld

The U.S. military has long suspected that troops who have long experience with video console and computer games have made Americans better soldiers, at least when it comes to operating high-tech military equipment. But now a study (by the Office of Naval Research) has found that such experience also enables troops to solve problems faster, and act more quickly with those solutions. In technical terms, the computer game experience increases perceptual and cognitive ability 10-20 percent, over those with no computer game experience. The navy was interested in this because most sailors have technical jobs, and many of them involve operating electronic equipment. Officers and chiefs (NCOs) have noted that, over the years, the new recruits appear to be more skilled when they first show up. It didn't have anything to do with new training methods, so many supervisors suspected video games. That proved to be the case, but the increased problem solving ability and responsiveness was a generally unrecognized bonus. The army noted the same thing, especially under combat conditions. For example, because so many troops had years of experience with video games, they took to CROWS (the remotely controlled machine-gun turret on many vehicles) quickly, and very effectively. The guys operating these systems grew up playing video games. They developed skills in operating systems (video games) very similar to the CROWS controls. This was important, because viewing the world around the vehicle via a vidcam is not as enlightening (although a lot safer) than having your head and chest exposed to the elements, and any firepower the enemy sends your way. But experienced video gamers are skilled at whipping that screen view around, and picking up any signs of danger.

(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Technical
KEYWORDS: computergame; game; usarmy; usmilitary; videogames
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1 posted on 02/01/2010 7:50:46 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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To: sonofstrangelove

2 posted on 02/01/2010 7:52:22 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: sonofstrangelove
In technical terms, the computer game experience increases perceptual and cognitive ability 10-20 percent, over those with no computer game experience.

And this is why I pwn you noobs! LOL!

3 posted on 02/01/2010 7:53:04 PM PST by spodefly (I have posted nothing but BTTT over 1000 times!!!)
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To: sonofstrangelove

When this kind of technology(video games) became the rage in the 1980’s, Ronald Reagen said that kids who mastered these games would make good soldiers and pilots from playing them because of the finger/eye co-ordination it would build in them. He was laughed at at the time. Who’s laughing now?


4 posted on 02/01/2010 7:53:53 PM PST by John-Irish ("Shame of him who thinks of it''.)
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To: spodefly
And this is why I pwn you noobs! LOL!
OK sarcasm/on
5 posted on 02/01/2010 7:54:34 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution."-Dr.Werner Von Braun)
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To: John-Irish

They made a movie about that.

“the last starfighter”.


6 posted on 02/01/2010 7:57:12 PM PST by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: sonofstrangelove

Just wait until the societal recluse segment of FR gets a hold of this...


7 posted on 02/01/2010 8:00:20 PM PST by Terpfen (FR is being Alinskied. Remember, you only take flak when you're over the target.)
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To: mamelukesabre

I play a game called DEFCON. The gameplay is reminiscent of the “big boards” that visually represented thermonuclear war


8 posted on 02/01/2010 8:02:07 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution."-Dr.Werner Von Braun)
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To: spodefly
And this is why I pwn you noobs! LOL!


9 posted on 02/01/2010 8:06:02 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: Terpfen
Just wait until the societal recluse segment of FR gets a hold of this...

> wut r u talkin about n00b i pwn u with my reflexors

> see u have +10 damage now hahah!ha/!

10 posted on 02/01/2010 8:08:40 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: sonofstrangelove

bump


11 posted on 02/01/2010 8:12:08 PM PST by Captain Beyond (The Hammer of the gods! (Just a cool line from a Led Zep song))
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To: spodefly

What does FPS_Doug say about this?


12 posted on 02/01/2010 8:13:13 PM PST by idkfa
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To: John-Irish

“When this kind of technology(video games) became the rage in the 1980’s, Ronald Reagen said that kids who mastered these games would make good soldiers and pilots from playing them because of the finger/eye co-ordination it would build in them. He was laughed at at the time. Who’s laughing now?”

And Tipper Gore tried soooooo hard to stop it.
My parents were convinced my computer was the devil.
Reagan had so much vision.
AYBABTU


13 posted on 02/01/2010 8:19:23 PM PST by Lera
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To: idkfa
I am not a nerd!!!

(I am a Level 80 Gnome Mage!)


14 posted on 02/01/2010 8:25:25 PM PST by spodefly (I have posted nothing but BTTT over 1000 times!!!)
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To: spodefly
(I am a Level 80 Gnome Mage!)

Bah. MMORPGs don't do a thing to help you operate military equipment in real time. You need to get where the real action is - some hardcore FPS!
15 posted on 02/01/2010 8:31:09 PM PST by fr_freak
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To: sonofstrangelove
Photobucket

Meanwhile, Back at SOCOM....

Photobucket

16 posted on 02/01/2010 8:41:37 PM PST by erman (Our President-A modest man, who has much to be modest about.)
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To: sonofstrangelove

Somewhere, I saw an article explaining how video games are actually a huge conspiracy between industry and the government to train soldiers how to kill.


17 posted on 02/01/2010 8:44:01 PM PST by exDemMom (Now that I've finally accepted that I'm living a bad hair life, I'm more at peace with the world.)
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To: sonofstrangelove

and better looking,
and more attractive to the opposite sex!


18 posted on 02/01/2010 8:46:26 PM PST by PilotDave (Anyone who can get NJ + MA to vote R, can't be all bad.)
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To: fr_freak
You need to get where the real action is - some hardcore FPS!

Does finishing Far Cry 2 on Infamous count? :)

19 posted on 02/01/2010 8:47:23 PM PST by spodefly (I have posted nothing but BTTT over 1000 times!!!)
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To: sonofstrangelove


20 posted on 02/01/2010 9:24:29 PM PST by ari-freedom (Let me be clear: Obama sux)
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