Johnson makes a solid argument for the Sleeper Curve causing the Flynn Effect by showing a correlation between the two and the elimination of possible lurking variables. Among the variables targeted are education, nutrition, ethnic differences, and multiple takings of the tests measuring IQ. That leaves the environment as the only obvious variable, and Johnson continues to reduce the list. He rules out the migration to urban environments as a factor, and refutes the claim that already visually intelligent people constitute the majority of gamers; showing that videogames may indeed be making people smarter. In conjunction with studies showing games improved visual and memory skills, the Sleeper Curve appears to be to most influential factor contributing to the Flynn Effect.
The trend of increasing complexity in games is for the most part obvious. With consoles that can store more memory and have somewhat lifelike graphics, game designers can program so much more content into games. As the consoles become more advanced, so do the games to keep up with popular demand. In today’s market, any game like Pong or Galaga would ignored by the majority of gamers due to their simplicity. Just as Johnson mentions how television series must be made more complex to sustain multiple reruns in Everything Bad is Good for You, game designers must make videogames similarly (in complexity anyway) to entice gamers to buy the games.
It does make sense that as more complex games come out that our problem solving skills would have to increase to keep up with the demand from the games.
ReplyDeletethat makes a lot of sense. as more complex game consoles come out, the higher the demand for them and better games. we have the technology, so why not make them more life like. good job.
ReplyDelete