May 25, 2008

Games Can Make Us Creative

Studies at Penn State University suggest that computer games can aid creativity, if certain criteria are met.

S. Shyam Sundar, professor of film, video and media studies at Penn State and Elizabeth Hutton, a Penn State graduate student have been studying the effects of computer games to amplify positive social traits like creativity.

“We looked at two emotional variables: arousal and valence,” said Hutton. “Arousal is the degree of physical excitation — as measured through skin conductance — and valence, which is the range of positive or negative feeling.”

The results appear to indicate that after playing, happy or sad people are most creative, while angry or relaxed people are not. Also high or low arousal is key to creativity. In other words, medium amounts of arousal are not conducive to creativity.

“When you are highly aroused, the energy itself acts as a catalyst, and the happy mood acts as an encouragement. It is like being in a zone where you cannot be thrown off your game,” explained Sundar. A negative mood, especially when there is low arousal, brings a different kind of energy that makes a person more analytical, which is crucial to creativity as well, he added.

Source Physorg