<p>games as in computer games, PSPs, nintendos etc.</p>
<p>Why are they so addicting? What is it about them that makes people want to keep playing? I don’t get it. Every time I attempt to study, 5 minutes into it I get bored, and want to stop. But I can play a game for an hour easily. Perhaps if I found why games are so addicting, I’d be able to apply it to studying and actually be able to start studying.</p>
<p>I think one reason might be because your progress is actually measured, i.e., your score goes up, your level goes up, etc. as opposed to studying where you don’t reap the benefits until much later.</p>
<p>That’s what i thought too.</p>
<p>But progress while learning is measured too (ex. school grades, tests, contests, SATs etc)</p>
<p>Yeah, but games are more like instantaneous gratification. </p>
<p>For example: I certainly feel happy after I see that I got a good score on a test, but I don’t see my score steadily increasing as I study.</p>
<p>Anything that improves your survival ability makes you feel good (its an evolutionary incentive to improve your survival ability). So that’s why mastering something gives you a high.
Games are a way to trick your brain into thinking you are improving your survival ability without the pain and sacrifice that comes with it.
And, as these guys pointed out, it is fairly quick & easy to be successful. Games give you a minor challenge but realize they can always be beaten if you put enough time in it. However, if you dedicate yourself to something real there’s no guarantee you will succeed. So they are a safe risk and all you have to sacrifice is time.</p>
<p>^^ but that really only applies to rpg games. I play sc mostly, on bnet. And in starcraft, like in real life, you can’t always get better. Just ask the pros in south korea. But it’s still alot of fun, in the same way chess is fun.</p>
<p>I don’t know. I used to be a huge video game addict up until the age of 15. Right about the time I started dating and weightlifting. Now I get bored after 10 minutes playing them.</p>
<p>I don’t have the problem of getting addicted to my games. I’m one of those people who are just really bad at all games, so after ten minutes, I’m bored. If I could advance to higher levels, I might play longer but…nope.</p>
<p>It’s interesting and fun.</p>
<p>
Same, I used to be a hardcore gamer, played countless RTS/FPS/MMORPG and the like on the computer (since I was really bored), but now I only play occasionally.</p>
<p>That is, until SC II comes out…although I don’t know how good it’s going to be. I’m more into sports and hanging out, and movies now.</p>
<p>Because Madagascar just won’t die. (I hope somebody actually gets that).</p>
<p>I used to be a huge FPS guy but then school kind of took over.</p>
<p>Maybe because you have nothing that is more interesting and meanful.</p>
<p>in my view,games especially video games are boring,so hallucinatable,there exits nothing but killing your precious time and your energy too,if you tell yourself that they are not seductive,then they can not attract you anymore.</p>
<p>Maybe you just don’t feel like you really need to study or feel a lot of pressure to. I never got really serious about studying when I was an econ major but when I switched to engineering I HAD to study a ton to get good grades.</p>