Avid gamers are loners, stick to themselves and hide away in basements

Gamers cannot interact with others outside of their gaming community 

Gamers only think about the next opportunity they have to play/interact

Mostly after school and weekends- parents limit and monitor the time- total probably 3-4 hrs day (but not 7 days a week)

2.  Since you’ve been gaming do you notice improvements in other skills/abilities in your life?
Hand/eye coordination, finger dexterity and problem solving abilities.  Reaction time and decision making too. more below... #4

3. What are your favorite games?  The more intricate and involved the better. Anything that challenges. When younger it was car vehicle races and battle combat (Star Wars was a favorite)  but later it has become more social and interactive gaming with others online.

4. What do you feel you learn or gain from playing games?
Reaction and making decisions quickly- 2 summers ago a neighbor had a fire in their backyard (he came to the rescue and received commendation)- My nephew really thinks that his ability to respond, react, and decide what to do came from the concentration and attentiveness that is involved with gaming.
Visual processing skills- organization and space optimization- my nephew has improved spacial relationship skills (his parents want him to pack the car for trips regularly) and organize and sort items around the household.

While a Boy Scout- he felt that an adventurous spirit came about from gaming- more so than he would have thought. He feels he took on and attempted more challenges in his Scouting days because of scenarios he was faced with while gaming.

Actually more social interaction comfort- playing the interactive social games allows my nephew to "try out" different social interactions, situations and responses in a safe non threatening environment.

Study of laparoscopic (small incision) specialists found that those who played for more than three hours per week made 32 percent fewer errors during practice procedures compared to their non-gaming counterparts.  

 The reason, researchers believe, is that the games have constantly changing environments that require intense focus.

Players showed significant, sometimes normalized improvement in the affected eye. 

Researchers have noted that players can display a correlating motivation in their real-world career goals. 

Many games use actual historical events to drive their stories. 

While some games promote a whole-body level of interaction, even those requiring a simple handheld controller can lead to physical activity.

So-called “brain games” involving problem-solving, memory, and puzzle components have been shown to have a positive benefit on older players.  

Playing can actually produce an analgesic (pain-killing) response in our higher cortical systems. 

Gamers are sometimes stigmatized as being too insulated, but the opposite is actually true. 

One study showed that MS patients who played games requiring physical interaction while standing on a balance board displayed improvement afterward. 

11. You’ll Make Faster Decisions.   
Because new information is constantly being displayed during play, players are forced to adapt quickly. 

Players preoccupied with indulging in overeating, smoking, or drinking might be best served by reaching for a controller instead. 

 A major study that tracked players over six months and measured heart rate found that certain titles reduced the adrenaline response by over 50 percent. 

One study that had players assume the role of both the hero and villain showed that those controlling the bad guy’s behaviors displayed a greater sense of remorse over their actions. 

Gamers using systems that incorporate the entire body to control onscreen movement have been shown to be more engaged in celebrating victories with their peers, which runs counter to the lack of communication people with autism sometimes present.