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Study shows that gamers are not shy nerds photo

Though you all were already totally aware, it seems that the rest of the world is finally finding out that their image of the stereotypical gamer is mostly incorrect. Gamers aren't the shy, lonely geeks they think us to be.

An Australian study helps out our image. It says that only one percent of polled gamers in this study appeared to have poor social skills, specifically shyness.

"Our findings strongly suggest that gaming doesn't cause social problems, and social problems are not driving people to gaming," says psychology graduate Daniel Loton, from Victoria University.

Even though 15 percent of the polled adult gamers were identified as "problem gamers" who spend more than 50 hours a week playing games (mostly MMO players), even they weren't shy nerds. It's just that they'd rather be gaming!

"What is important to note is that even problem gamers did not exhibit significant signs of poor social skills or low self-esteem," said Loton.

Loton, who admitted that he has always played video games, spent the last two years conducting the study, which was based on mainly Australian and mainly male respondents, says Reuters.

I know that I'm not a shy, introverted geek that can't communicate with the outside world, even though I game about 30 hours a week. My co-workers here at Destructoid are the same way, as are most of the Destructoid community members I've met. Some of us are geeky, but we're defintely not shy! Why do you think the non-gaming world sees us as shy, lonely people?








More gaming stories around the web. Got news? Submit yours to tips@destructoid.com

Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools. Meet the rest of the team



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42 comments | showing # 1 to 42
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van's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 08:53
van
"You know, when you were a baby laying in your crib, your father looked down at you and said to himself, 'One day, my son will grow to be a man.' Well, look at you now. You just got yer asses whipped - by a bunch of goddamned nerds."
"NERDS!"
SyntaxError's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 08:55
SyntaxError
It's all part of the scaremongering to ban videogames. We all know that people tend to stereotype others. So when an image of a gamer (who has legitimate problems0 come up, suddenly, all gamers are like that.
Static Jak's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 08:56
Static Jak
Am I shy? No
Am I a geek? Yes
Am I proud to be a geek? Hell yes!
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 09:04
Wexx
*shuffles off*

Seriously though, my 'gamer' (for lack of a better word) friends and myself are some of the most animated and awesome people that I know. I don't really get how people say that gamers are bad with talking to people or anything of that nature.
Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 09:07
Excel-2011
57% of me has social anxiety.
Dale North's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 09:10
Dale North
van: well played
SWE3tMadness's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 09:48
SWE3tMadness
Seriously, if anything, video games have helped me become more social. It's a common interest with other people I meet and gives me a way to start conversations and discussions. Guys in my class that I've never met I'm now very good friends with because we all enjoy video games.

It's also helped boost my self-esteem, it makes me feel more confident talking to someone if I know I can probably kick their ass in Guitar Hero. :3
ajaxender's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 09:49
ajaxender
Stereotypes, duh... blondes are stupid. Black people are good at basketball. Asians are super smart. Lawyers are blood-sucking assholes. And gamers are shy people with no social life. When you have little knowledge and few (if any) experiences with a group in society, stereotypes tend to be what you go with.
Blarg the Destroyer's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 10:08
Blarg the Destroyer
Ugh.

Yet another "study" using surveys to poll individuals (because people never lie, right) put out by a self-serving, self-aggrandizing "scientist" with a self-interest in the subject matter doesn't mean that the results are accurate.

I really don't care if the results are accurate or not. What I do care about is people taking this kind of crap science as accurate when it fits their needs or agenda.
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 10:10
Eschatos
Can I get a "DURKADURKADURK"?
Stealthy Robot's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 10:12
Stealthy Robot
Its because they would rather not talk to us.
They pretend we are shy so they dont have to talk to us.

or not.

i dont know.
Spartacus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 10:35
Spartacus
Someone just show them pictures from a NARP or something.
Mike Moran's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 10:53
Mike Moran
Because gamers are often nerds, and the negative nerd stereotype was previously handled by, like, Trekkies and shit?
SnakeDude4Life's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:02
SnakeDude4Life
@Spartacus


That reminds me, When the hell are any of you gonna have a NARP in Miami or at least South Florida? Just saying.
monkeyspoon5's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:05
monkeyspoon5
Gamers were shy nerds. Ten years ago. Since then people who would have turned out to be jocks now sit around and play online FPS. Same thing with MMOs. Gaming has changed, but more often than not society as a whole doesn't see this. However, this has also changed the people who would have been shy nerd, they now do have people to talk to about gaming, but its different now. More likely than not, this stereotype is perpetrated by the people who don't game at all.
CaptainApocalypse's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:13
CaptainApocalypse
Movies portray us as shy, bumbling idiots. Usually this is for comic relief, but the label still sticks. This, like all stereotypes, is largely untrue of the people it is supposed to represent.
Brahms's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:38
Brahms
Unfortunately I am part of that stereotype. I'm mostly reclusive, just shy of being an honors student, and I could really care less about much of television, popular culture, and sports et al. However, I'm also great with children, and haven't had any trouble finding a date for a while.

Personally, I'm more worried about the stereotype that gamers may "snap" and engage in the violent behavior from the games they play.
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:43
fetusmilk
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSS
Knivy's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:47
Knivy
Nerds fucking rock, best candy ever!
ConsummateK's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:49
ConsummateK
Meh.

It's hard to say "Yeah I'm a stud that gets lots of chicks, loves sports, parties like a rock star AND will drop your jaw with my list of PSO rares" and not sound like a douche.

That being said:
I'm a stud that gets lots of chicks, loves sports, parties like a rock star AND will drop your jaw with my list of PSO rares.
DrNutt's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 11:56
DrNutt
Yeah dude, I don't know about any of these other geeks but I get laid ALL the time.
ConsummateK's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 12:04
ConsummateK
Right? RIGHT?

*fist bump*
foxhound009's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 12:24
foxhound009
hmmmmmmmmmmm... so they asked gamers if they are shy?

hmm ofcourse they said no..

:P
Velt's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 12:29
Velt
I know that NOBODY cares, but
I allready posted the news at my c blog.
Peronthious's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 12:32
Peronthious
This an many other points were made in the recently hyped novel Grand Theft Childhood, which everyone should read. In fact, Drs. Kutner and Olsen heavily press the fact that gaming is a social activity, and all these stories of the kid sitting up in his room all day constantly playing a game are myths, or at the very least, abnormal circumstances that could be signs of trouble.
Alexradl's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 12:53
Alexradl
I have no friends.
atheistium's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 13:37
atheistium
I'm not shy :D I like to take off my wizard cape & hat ...
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 13:39
Sharpless
I do not personally support the results of this study. :(
Blue Ryd3r's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 13:51
Blue Ryd3r
Yeah I guess I fall into the 1 percent catagory.
Basic human connections fill me with intense anxiety.
I feel uncomfortable grouping up in MMO's sometimes too.
I can't make a phone call without going through 15 minutes of hell before hand as I'm just to scared to even call someone I know.

Alas it seems that I am a walking stereotype, luckily no one in the outside world ever sees it so I guess I'm doing the community a service by staying inside.
Shinu's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 14:12
Shinu
i dont get alone easily outside. i dont play either that much time on my games... well maybe.

anyway, i never did fit in. im like mental.
Tekoa's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 14:12
Tekoa
@Blue Ryd3r: you pretty much described me right there also.
but i usually do ok talking with someone 1 on 1. but i dread ever going to the store or talking on the phone. i hate paying for gas because it requires that i actually "say" something to the clerk.

thank god for online shopping! am i right? lawl.
CypherVR's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 14:20
CypherVR
NNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Rifter01's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 14:28
Rifter01
LOL Reaprar! I want to comment more, but I'm feeling a little shy today.. hehe
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 14:51
Aaron Mxy Yost


Nerds get all the hot chicks, especially if they're David Carradine's half-brother.
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 15:09
Cheeburga
I DONT LIEK BEING SOCIAL
vonrichter's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 15:12
vonrichter
What do you have against shy people?

Also, "shy" and "lonely" are two very different things.
nintendoll's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 15:17
nintendoll
Self Esteem: I haz it.
van's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 15:19
van
All jocks think about are sports; all nerds think about is sex.
F Whipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 18:04
F Whipple
I'm actually pretty shy. But I love sports (although being a runner doesn't really detract from the skinny, reclusive stereotype) and I was a member of a fraternity (so sue me).
SWE3tMadness's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/15/2008 19:06
SWE3tMadness
Peronthious, my younger brother did a research project for his English class this past year on violence and video games, so we bought that book for it.

It's actually written very well, makes lots of good points about studies like these in general, and provides more practical advice than what you normally hear from mass media outlets. I'd highly recommend it to any worried parents of gamers. :3
Inuboy1000's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/23/2009 15:03
Inuboy1000
I am shy but I have always been like that. I am not shy to talk to fellow guys, but I act like an idiot when I talk to girls, I am extremely shy towards girls.
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