Computer games ‘are giving kids dementia’

[Arthur]

It would appear that you don't need scientifically proven evidence when writing stories for The Sun.

 

Source: thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/3871474/Computer-games-are-giving-kids-dementia.html

 

Computer games ‘are giving kids dementia’

 

Baroness Greenfield said they may lead to temporary "dementia".

 

She urged youngsters to turn off their computers, go outdoors and enjoy fresh air instead. In a single year, children can spend up to 2,000 hours staring at a screen, which poses risks such as computer addiction.

 

The baroness — a leading neuroscientist — said although technology had many benefits and could harness creativity, overuse was dangerous.

 

She insisted: "Screen technologies cause high arousal which in turn activates the brain system's underlying addiction. This results in the attraction of yet more screen-based activity."

 

She claimed connections in the brain "can be temporarily disabled by activities with a strong sensory content — 'blowing the mind'.

 

"Or they can be inactivated permanently by degeneration — ie. dementia."

 

Baroness Greenfield stressed: "There is a need to be outside, to climb trees and feel the grass under your feet and the sun on your face." She also blasted the rise in "trolling" — where malicious messages are posted online — and the tendency of youngsters to live their lives through Facebook.

 

The baroness added at a conference in Dorset: "What does it say about their identity if they are defining themselves by how others see them?"

 

http://i.imgur.com/0f0uO.png

[ihaveaproblem]

Until they post scientific evidence all I can say is stupid lady and stupid newspaper for reporting such crap

[kevbaz]

Cheese on toast

[jamesb]

Firstly, when has scientific evidence ever been important to get an article into a newspaper?

 

Secondly:

 

The baroness added at a conference in Dorset: "What does it say about their identity if they are defining themselves by how others see them?"

 

Obviously the baroness never studied social psychology.

[Oaktech]

It would appear that you don't need scientifically proven evidence when writing stories for The Sun.

 

or any other tabloid comic...

[X-13]

Not sure if trolling... Or just retarded.

[sonofsanta]

It's alright, between those of us from the Speccy/Amiga generation growing up and becoming adults, and Facebook games making everyone a gamer, rubbish like this will stop being the popular drum to beat and it'll die a death. We just have to wait it out. Might I recommend playing some games to pass the time?

[Hokalus]

Ben Goldacre (Doctor & Journalist for the Guardian) has some concerns about all this on his blog, asking why she doesn't publish her theory.

Susan Greenfield: why won't she publish her theory? - bengoldacre - secondary blog

[X-13]

Might I recommend playing some games to pass the time?

 

I'm waiting on Dragon age: Origins and trying to devise a way to beat the crazy Japanese Pokemon players. Pokemon is serious business in Japan.

[sonofsanta]

Response from "Dr Dean Burnett, a neuroscientist at Cardiff University": Guest post: Baroness Greenfield, junk neuroscience, and the dangers of video games – Telegraph Blogs

 

By response, I mean "complete and scornful dismissal of all your baseless, stupid, made up claims"

 

EDIT: My favourite bit from the rebuttal:

...it's annoying how people (scientists in particular) will use long-winded, verbose methods of describing something in order confuse people, and attribute a meaning to it which suits their arguments. In this case, the phrase "high arousal, which in turn activates the brain system’s underlying addiction and reward, resulting in the attraction of yet more … activity" is more commonly known as 'fun' or 'enjoyment'.

Edited October 18, 2011 by sonofsanta