Geek therapy is a mental health intervention that incorporates so-called nerd culture into the therapeutic process. It’s a method that mental health professionals can utilize to reach clients who are interested in anime, gaming, comics, and other traditionally “nerdy” pursuits. Geek therapy operates on the principle of affinity, meaning that…
A new Australian study indicates that adolescents can benefit from daily screen time, but only in limited doses: under 75 minutes for girls and under 105 minutes for boys. The researcher attributes the gender divide to a lower “active contribution” from girls during media use. Boys tend to play more…
Good news for anyone who’s ever been criticized for playing too many video games: virtual building games like Minecraft can boost creativity. This, from researchers at Iowa State University. Researchers split 352 participants into four groups: one group played Minecraft with specific instructions; another played Minecraft without instructions; and…
You’ve heard it many times before: “Violent video games spark aggressive behavior in players and lead to violence in real life…” But, have you ever stopped to look at the facts and consider the validity of this statement? Heather Ness, a psychology professor and blogger who specializes in the psychology…
In the digital era, both children and adults have been looking to video games for entertainment more and more often. The number of players getting involved, even when looking at a single game alone, can be staggering; for example, as of June 2018, the popular video game Fortnite had more…
Let’s be honest, the media often gets a bad rap: social media platforms are criticized for being highlight reels, news networks are condemned for disseminating false or disheartening news, and movies as well as TV shows and video games are blamed for provoking violent behavior amongst viewers/users. But what about…
Some people spend hours with their eyes glued to their computer or TV screen and hands glued to the keyboard or controller in front of them—and others turn on their game console once every few days or weeks. In either regard, many believe that the effects of playing video games…
A popular topic of conversation (at least in the world of psychology) is whether or not video games make people more aggressive. For years, the bulk of research said yes, they certainly do; even the American Psychological Association declared violent video games—such as Halo and Call of Duty—a danger to…
My dad is an older, recently retired gentleman who is having some trouble keeping busy. During the summer he flourishes, as he loves to do work outside like mow the lawn, trim leaves, and plant new trees. But now that the temperature has dropped and the fall (almost winter) days…
Growing up, my two brothers and I loved to play all sorts of video games. We’d crowd onto the couch and battle each other in Halo 2 and Call of Duty on the Xbox. We’d spend hours creating our dream houses and families on Sims (with the help of some…
My brother is one of those kids that plays video games into the wee hours of the night. He gets home from school, throws his backpack on the floor, and runs to his computer. For the next couple hours, we don’t see him but oh, can we hear him—yelling at…
Let’s face it- video games are here to stay. With the next generation of consoles about to come out, it’s a great time to review a few ways to make gaming a positive addition to your family, rather than a negative one. 1. No gaming before bed. This includes the…