Study finds Nintendo's "edutainment" ineffective, researcher calls charlatanism |
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Here's why you shouldn't believe everything you read and hear from ads. Nintendo has been packaging their Big Brain Academy and Brain Training
as "edutainment," which supposedly improves blood flow to the brain,
thus, improving "practical intelligence." Not true, researchers say.A study was conducted with a survey of ten year old children, and no evidence was found to support Nintendo's claims. “The Nintendo DS is a technological jewel. As a game it's fine,” said Alain Lieury, professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Rennes, Brittany, who conducted the survey. “But it is charlatanism to claim that it is a scientific test.”
The kids were split into four groups: the first two did a seven-week memory course on a DS, the third did puzzles with pencils and paper, while the fourth group just went to school as normal.
In the survey, these kids were asked to do a few tasks such as memorizing words and logic tests. Researchers found that those who are using the DS games failed to show any significant improvement in memory tests. In math tests, the DS users showed just as much improvement as the pencil-and-paper group.In memorizing, the pencil-and-paper group recorded a 33 per cent improvement, while the Nintendo children were 17 per cent worse.
So why ten year olds? Professor Lieury notes, "That's the age where you have the best chance of improvement,” Professor Lieury said. “If it doesn't work on children, it won't work on adults.” So that Nicole Kidman DS ad is a bunch of hooey too, huh? Oh well...
More studies:
- Study: video gamers are more likely to become drunks and druggies
- New research says violent games not linked to school shootings
- Study: violence is not a plus for gamers, challenge is
Via Times Online
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Comments [refresh]
wasn't that obvious?
This is such a bunch of BS.
"which supposedly improves blood flow to the brain"
That means increased brain activity. PLENTY of research already proves that video games in general increase brain activity. Especially the "thinking" games. So now that they are testing DS games specifically, brains just shut off? FAIL!
"failed to show any significant improvement in memory tests"
"showed just as much improvement as the pencil-and-paper group"
So which is it? Did they improve or not? Again, nothing but BS conclusions on half assed research. Nintendo claimed nothing more then increased brain activity which is a crap statement in itself. They never claimed to churn out brainiacs!
Though for my Mum who had cancer this was a way for her to keep her mind active while she was stuck in bed unable to move. She passed away at the end of 2007.
I'm very sorry.
Pretty flaky imho. The idea that just because you're 10 you'll show the greatest improvement in these games is a ridiculous claim. Although it is true that they are in a state where studies have shown that your brain is very plastic, the fact that they're all also in school, an activity which dominates the majority of the day and most likely engages the brain a lot more than playing Brain Age half an hour a day will confound any results.
On top of that, the fact that this study claims that doing paper and pencil puzzles AND going to school actually had less effect than merely going to school should have been a tip-off that something was wrong.
If you REALLY want to test this, do it over the summer when kids aren't going to school, use a larger population size than 15 kids per group (I mean really, 15? That's tiny for such a simple study), include kids from different schools, and normalize groups for scores on both the pre-study tests and IQ scores so that you don't have a bunch of kids that just naturally pick things up quickly don't all get thrown into the "just go to school" group.
not to mention, everyone will learn at a different rate and with only 15 kids per group, that's way too small of a number to provide accurate results.
The word "SUPPOSEDLY" is VERY important in your first quote. Playing these games DOES NOT increase blood flow to the brain.
In the second set of quotes, there's NO CONTRADICTION. You're quoting HALF A SENTENCE.
God, you're a sycophant.
Sorry as well Avatar, God bless.
Yeah, but these Brain games on the DS are marketed as games you play for 15-30 minutes a day, each day, which improves your brain.
So it was a pretty natural environment if you ask me.
It does seem as if this person just did this little test to get publicity to sell his upcoming book.
It,s easy to say that any kind of mental gymnastic is good to prevent mild cognitive impairements due to aging. More than that, it also helps attention flexibility and calculating processes (located in the frontal lobes). I can't say why they can't seem to do a study by the scientific rules... Well, I mean, "Why Qj can't stop spamming flame topics on useless research done by unknow supposed scientist..."
"So why ten year olds? Professor Lieury notes, "That's the age where you have the best chance of improvement,” Professor Lieury said. “If it doesn't work on children, it won't work on adults.”"
The best chance of improvement? At 10? LOL. Yeah right, maybe at 6 years old, and even saying that would be 10 cents psychology you can read in the newspaper. And saying that if it doesn't work on children, it can't work on adults is like saying "if my kids can't understand the law of relativity, I won't be able to"... The brain of the kids is, yes, more flexible. But the brain never stop to complexify itself and it's a shame such remarks can be read here...
@naohikari: No, a group of 15 is pretty good for this kind of research. Having too much subjects can create wierd statistic evidences, that I can say, lol.
PS: Nothing really "improves blood flow to the brain", lol. It can change the areas where the blood is heading, yes, but not much more. Also, the blood isn't a perfect indicator of what is in use (that's a new problem IRMf users will have to face) in the brain. And anyway, doing mental gymnastic is ALWAYS good and having a proof is pretty easy, without any kind of study. For your next vacations, let's say to Hawaï or Cuba, do not think, at least restrain yourself from thinking too much. Let things go... Then, without any kind of preparation, start working again, lol. You will see that your brain is affected. Not for a long, but if you see someone that do nothing, like, let's say, old people, you'll see that MCI are popping WAY faster if no one is around, supporting the person...
Anyway, I'm not a specialist, I'll start my Ph. D. in more than a year... But still, this is just another useless article to read, and I'm surely never gonna write a comment on those Qj "30¢ psychology" post...
owned by freeplay
+ i agree
"And saying that if it doesn't work on children, it can't work on adults is like saying "if my kids can't understand the law of relativity, I won't be able to"... The brain of the kids is, yes, more flexible. But the brain never stop to complexify itself and it's a shame such remarks can be read here..."
Your comparing a statement about learning speed to a statement about knowlage base. they are totally different aspects of a brain. and yes, humans have "windows" of time where they learn at a higher rate, 10 being within one of those windows.
the second part of that statement is also wrong, your brain stops growing around 23 years old, thats a rough statistic as everyone is different.
u need 2 learn it's called READING COMPREHENSION
srry couldn't resist
the researches are right on the part about children vs adults...
And why did you spend so long writing up a response for this apparently useless article? Although I found it interesting...
Stay tuned folks. Next week other researchers are going to find these guys wrong.
*This just in, milk is the devil.
I like how Freeplay has once again ditch reality in order to twist his own view. I guess you failed to understand the part where ALL VIDEO GAMES INCREASE BRAIN ACTIVITY.
Don't believe it? Google is your friend.
That is FACT my friend. You, much like Mr. Douche, like to IGNORE FACTS.
I guess you ALSO FAILED to read, "which is a crap statement in itself.". MOST activities INCREASE BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN, that require train of thought.
Now let's look at the second part of my post which you FAILED to comprehend.
"failed to show any significant improvement in memory tests"
"showed just as much improvement as the pencil-and-paper group"
WTF does that have to do with Nintendo's BRAIN ACTIVITY statement? Not a damn thing! Who cares if no significant improvement was found. NINTENDO NEVER CLAIMED THERE WOULD BE!
Damn, day after day you continue to PROVE how useless you are.
Even when I take a jab at Nintendo, you have freeplay, unable to UNDERSTAND that I took a jab at Nintendo and continues on in his default mode of acting like a douche.
well nintendo just had misleading advertisement, sure what they stated is true but for people who don't know what "increased brain activity" is or does well they'll just think it does something that it actually doesn't, there is nothing wrong with the game, it just you don't see most games saying that it increases brain activity even though it actually does, brain activity is increases a lot during sleep but we don't really notice or feel much of a difference when we wake up, so while you play the game your brain is more active but when you stop playing is back to normal then again it just a game to be play and not really to make us improve.
Exactly! Well put.
Yup, and eggs are good for you, this week.
"I guess you failed to understand the part where ALL VIDEO GAMES INCREASE BRAIN ACTIVITY."
Increased brain activity DOES NOT EQUAL IMPROVED BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN.
"MOST activities INCREASE BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN, that require train of thought."
You know NOTHING about neurology. Shut your ignorant mouth.
"WTF does that have to do with Nintendo's BRAIN ACTIVITY statement? Not a damn thing! Who cares if no significant improvement was found. NINTENDO NEVER CLAIMED THERE WOULD BE!"
Again, you quoted HALF A GODDAMN SENTENCE. You MISQUOTED IT OUT OF CONTEXT to TWIST what was said.
READ FOR COMPREHENSION, donglips.
"Increased brain activity DOES NOT EQUAL IMPROVED BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN."
And that's exactly how ignorant you are.
"You know NOTHING about neurology. Shut your ignorant mouth."
HAHAHAHA!!!!!! Let me guess, you visited a couple Wiki pages this morning and now you think you're a genius on the subject? HAHAHAHA!!!!!!
"Again, you quoted HALF A GODDAMN SENTENCE. You MISQUOTED IT OUT OF CONTEXT to TWIST what was said."
No, I did not. Since you are too goddamn stupid to figure it out on your own I guess I'll have to spell it for you. I posted the RELEVANT PARTS. People with a BRAIN are supposed to know what's going on.
Users of DS games (SINCE IT DOES NOT SPECIFY THAT MEANS ALL OF THEM INCLUDING MATH) showed NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. Please tell me you can AT LEAST follow along with that part? Otherwise you would just be pathetic! In math tests (WHICH IS IRRELEVANT) showed just as much improvement as those on using paper. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
So there is no significant improvement and there is significant improvement. Not only do they FAIL, you FAIL on every level that I can possibly describe.
When are you going to learn that every time you challenge me, I pound you into the ground so damn far that hardly anyone on this site gives a damn about what you have to say?
Maybe if you would learn to be CONSTRUCTIVE in your remarks I wouldn't feel the need to trash you around like road kill!
Grow up jackass.
"HAHAHAHA!!!!!! Let me guess, you visited a couple Wiki pages this morning and now you think you're a genius on the subject? HAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
In other words, you don't actually have ANYTHING relevant to say; you can't support your (wrong) position; so you'll just laugh it off. FAIL.
"No, I did not. Since you are too goddamn stupid to figure it out on your own I guess I'll have to spell it for you. I posted the RELEVANT PARTS. People with a BRAIN are supposed to know what's going on."
Yes, you DID. This is what you should have quoted:
"Researchers found that those who are using the DS games failed to show any significant improvement in memory tests. In math tests, the DS users showed just as much improvement as the pencil-and-paper group. In memorizing, the pencil-and-paper group recorded a 33 per cent improvement, while the Nintendo children were 17 per cent worse."
This is what you DID quote:
"failed to show any significant improvement in memory tests"
"showed just as much improvement as the pencil-and-paper group"
You CHOPPED THE WORDS UP to fit your position. You didn't quote the "relevant" parts. You intentionally misquoted the article to fit what you WANTED it to say and paint the study as self-contradictory. That is DECEPTIVE.
"In math tests (WHICH IS IRRELEVANT) showed just as much improvement as those on using paper. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT."
How the hell are you going to say that's IRRELEVANT? Do you even know what "relevant" MEANS? And how do you know it's a SIGNIFICANT improvement when you DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DATA TO BACK UP YOUR CLAIM?
"So there is no significant improvement and there is significant improvement. Not only do they FAIL, you FAIL on every level that I can possibly describe."
Let me do to you what you just did to them.
"So there i... FAIL... on every level... ."
You can intentionally misquote people all you want to support your position. It's funny how it works.
Wow! So I spell it out to a point that an 8 year old can follow along and you still can get it?
Have you ever thought about getting a gun and putting an end to all your confusion?
I guess this is all you can ever understand. SCREW PETA!!!!
You have utterly failed to form a logical argument. You chopped up the article to make it say something that IT DOES NOT SAY because you WANTED it to say WHAT IT DID NOT SAY.
You are such a damn fool. I WENT BACK AND USED ALL OF IT.
I even gave YOU want YOU wanted. My other comment addressed ALL WORDS and I pointed out WHY those words DID NOT MATTER in my POINT.
Get over yourself!
I didn't think it was possible for anyone on this planet to be DUMBER then Mr. Douche!