Susan Greenfield, my kids, and the Phi Complex

My children play an inordinate amount of video games, and I do wonder if this is entirely good for them. A recent speech by Susan Greenfield iterated this fear by claiming that excessive time on a screen could be detrimental to the cognitive development of teenagers. I don't think she specifically mentioned which particular aspect of their mental life would be impaired, but if I was to make a guess I would go for the Phi Complex. This is a pattern of brain activation which operates when we are in close relational contact with other human beings and which allows for the subtle communication and negotiation of emotional states through the tick tock of bodily responses; a kind of fine-grained body language that we are not usually conscious of but which allows us to feel empathy and compassion. I am hoping that this Phi Complex communion can operate at a distance, and through the highly restricted vehicle of headsets and microphones, so that playing Call of Duty 4 is not turning my children in sociopaths.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Susan
• Greenfield
• cognition
• teenagers
• brain
• neurology
• neuroscience
• call
• of
• duty
• video
• games
• screen

[defconquell]

Two books that I've recently read that speak to this a little bit are The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, and Surely You're Joking by Richard Feynman. Both these books have a really interesting approach to using creativity to solve problems.

[defconquell]

One fact that kinda backs up Susan's theories is the general rise of anti-depressants and A.D.D. drugs. I would suggest that if real-life was more interesting, fewer people would need "crutches", whether they be drugs, alcohol, videogames, religion, etc. Susan's point about making creativity the focus point in our culture I think is a valid one.

[defconquell]

Videogames are just another form of group puzzle solving, usually with a fast reponse time requirement. As a 38yo who has dabbled in video games since the Atari 2600 in 5th grade, I would say a "healthy" life includes a variety of activity. For example, sports, rock bands, reading, any science or lab, math... the key thing is to give your boys as much as a cross-sample of experiences as possible so they can always adapt and grow as their lives change.

[thedialogueproject]

Not sure if you'll pick this up but I found your thoughts very interesting - both as a fellow father of sons and as someone who's interviewing Susan Greenfield on Monday. Do get in touch and we can exchange emails maybe.

[josephexell]

i don't believe anything she said and if i was you i wouldn't listen to her. i play games alot and i'm just like the other peple in my school, and maybe more sensible and make better decisions that other people so games have made me no different.