Research: Game addicts show traits of autism
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Apr 3rd 2008 at 3:15PM }
The scientists don't believe these people have Aspergers, but "share some of the same characteristics because they find it easier to empathize with computer systems than other people." They say professions like engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists are closer to the non-empathizing end of the spectrum, but Aspergers is much farther along that line. Their main point is their research supports the idea that those heavily involved in game playing may be nearer to the autistic spectrum disorders than those who don't play at all -- and here we thought it just meant they were nearer to nerd spectrum disorders.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jeff @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:19PM
I wonder if people addicted to ALL forms of things share the same trait.
I wonder if that wouldn't be as exciting a headline if it was about addiction in general, and not just videogames.
I wonder if that's why they focused on videogames.
Doh.
Roto13 @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:02PM
The study was about video games.
The blog is about video games.
I don't know what you were expecting.
brandon_r87 : Brawl : 4897-5857-5091 @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:10PM
Roto13, he's not complaining, just pointing out that ANY type of addiction has negative effects, possibly the same as being addicted to games. He's just pointing out that the study probably unfairly targets video games because people like to blame video games for society's problems.
Brian @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:42PM
Addiction to a chemical (nicotine, heroin, etc.) causes substantial changes to the way your brain works. Addiction to a specific behavior doesn't work the same way (unless you think there's a special 'video game' molecule), so I'd imagine this would only be true of most non-substance based addictions. Gambling addictions, for example, might show something similar.
Cesaria (SSBB: 3136-6466-5083) @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:19PM
That's what SHE said! Everyone is either ADD or autistic these days.
Cyro @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:26PM
What ever happened to normal but different people ?
Norm @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:27PM
Sadly, its true.
J @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:50PM
Righto. If you're different, there must be something wrong with you.
JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:37PM
You're unique...just like everybody else.
upz @ Apr 3rd 2008 6:20PM
I'm definitely, definitely not going to have my pancakes with maple syrup.
arrakisman @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:43PM
Where did you find maple syrup(that doesn't cost an arm and a leg). All I see on the shelf is syrup made from high frucrose corn syrup.
NoHitHair @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:22PM
And arrakisman gets the square.
John Z @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:20PM
In other news, World of Warcraft was voted "Best Game For Obsessive-Compulsives" eight hundred and ninety four thousand times.
Matt B @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:01PM
http://www.bridgetobridge.com/images/2006/specialOlympicsMainPage.jpg
Farseer (GDI) @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:08PM
Eight hundred ninety-four thousand, six hundred and thirty-one times.
Definitely Eight hundred ninety-four thousand, six hundred and thirty-one.
Norm @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:21PM
That's an interesting idea. My son has Asperger's but he doesn't care at all about video games.
Markez @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:22PM
"players who showed signs of "addiction" had three personality traits that are typically linked with Aspergers: neuroticism, lack of extraversion and agreeableness."
Agreeableness? Huh. Well that certainly doesn't explain the comment threads I usually see here...
Hmmmm... That's delicious ironing.
Cast closed!
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:58PM
you made me LOL with "cast closed"
That was a great thread.
Microswirl @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:15PM
I agree.
mian @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:26PM
It's possible that "lack of" applies to both extroversion and agreeableness.
zelderman @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:22PM
Wow, I just witnessed the birth of an internet meme. Sounds well.
I agree with everything everyone says...EVAR!!!
Markez @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:22PM
How is it that the term 'meme' arrived on Joystiq this week, and all of a sudden multiple people are using it? Just happened, swear to god.
Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:22PM
extremefunnyhumour.com doesn't seem very extreme or very funny from that snapshot.
PojoMofo @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:24PM
This is so ridiculous. I am so tired of people sterotyping gamers as one thing or another thing.
"they find it easier to empathize with computer systems than other people." This is the most ridiculous statement I have seen in a long time. I have a wife and 3 kids that would put this douchebag in his place. I guess its a double whammy since Im also an engineer.
I think he is closer to the assclown end of the spectrum
Jeff @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:26PM
Quick, shun this guy!
He has autism x2!
billychaos @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:06PM
I agree. I believe i'm am one of the most active gamers today. I totally replaced watching television with gameplaying and put roughly 35-40 hours gaming. Yet, I am probably the most extraverted person in my area. I still have a professional Full-time job.
Heavy gaming doesnt mean you ex out your social life and you fail at society. These stereotypes are so ridiculous. In reality there is no such thing a s a 'Gamer'..., there is only PEOPLE who play games. Yes heavey emphasis on PEOPLE.
ben @ Apr 4th 2008 6:38PM
hey man it doesnt mean everyone. i mean its insane how well that fits me but i know not all gamers are like that. but there are many of us that fit under that category
plus im going to major in computer science
Mike @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:45PM
You think he's an ass clown for performing an objective test that simply states what most of us already KNOW is true? Of course video game addicts interact with machines better than humans! Video game addicts are nerds, and plenty of nerds (like myself) have social problems that cause them to seek out technology in the first place. Some of us just happen to get addicted to it.
Please stop automatically shunning anything that conflicts with your world view and start applying critical thinking. Who knows - you might actually learn something.
Neon Jebus @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:28PM
Agreeableness? Is that what happens when I nod my head while people try to talk to me while I'm focused on a game? I mean, I nod yes and I have NO clue what they are saying.
If so I guess almost every man I know does this everytime their girlfriend or wife tries to have a serious conversation out of the blue while they are playing video games or watching a sporting event on TV.
It's not that I'm agreeing with the person. I'm just moving my head to show I hear them and really want them to shut up until I pause what I am doing and LOOK at them.
Ghen @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:19PM
My wife makes me repeat a passphrase when I'm supposed to remember something =)
At first I just had to say OK.. but that didn't work. Then I had to repeat what she just said to me. That worked for a while, but then it started becoming second nature just like 'ok' was... So now I have to repeat a random string of letters/numbers to jog my head out of the game and remember what she's saying hehe.
whistlepig @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:30PM
Autisitc kids rock !
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:02PM
Lysdexic kids rock!
lgndk11r @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:12PM
Lysdexic rock kids!
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:19PM
Are autistic chicks cute? xD
ViagraFiend @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:04PM
Slobbering on me FTW!
Cluckyx @ Apr 3rd 2008 6:47PM
gdgsius hdoishoi kids!
RealDoubleJ (Jack Jones) @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:31PM
But only 3% of this study shows signs of being addicted to videogaming! I'd just like to stress that point for all those statistic craving commenters out there. That means out of close to 400 people, 11-12 persons showed signs.
whistlepig @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:31PM
autistic that is
mr mobius @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:37PM
Surely the fact that men were used in this study skews the results anyway since I thought males were naturally more skewed towards autistic characteristics than females anyway. That could also explain the skewed gaming community - mostly males.
I don't exactly empathise with a computer too much, but then again I sometimes don't empathise with people much, though maybe thats just for people who I don't really know well. Either way - gamer and medical student - that is one hell of a no empathy/ lot of empathy mixture.
Vegnagun bwf @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:38PM
I may show autistic traits, but I'm no Van Gogh.
Number_Zero @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:40PM
This explains why one psychologist misdiagnosed me with it. Then went into tests and was proven to not have it.
Shadow El @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:44PM
Is it just me, or does that picture remind you of L from Death Note? >_>
Ghen @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:20PM
Just you
Chase @ Apr 3rd 2008 6:30PM
Only you.
Shadow El @ Apr 4th 2008 3:10PM
There have to be other Death Note fans on here. D:
zombienutz @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:45PM
Now I'll never be America's Next Top Model.
Oh well. Hey, all you scientist, leave us alone.
StrangeBum @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:00PM
Hey janitor.
What's up scientist?
Can you do me a favor?
...skip some talking...
*sniff* smells like someones having a party back here!
Sorry...first thing that popped into my head when you said scientist, which is weird because the word scientist normally doesn't do that.
ChooChooCharlie (Brawl: 1504-5357-9285) @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:06PM
Well, they must have forms laying around, right? I mean, they ARE scientists.
Bigfoot @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:59PM
Silly man in the picture. Get a straw!
Hyams @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:22PM
But straws aren't extreme.