Study: Not playing WoW is more relaxing than playing it
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 2nd 2008 at 6:00PM
A researcher at Middlesex University in Britain has conducted a survey of World of Warcraft players, almost 300 between the ages of 12 and 83, and found that people who play the game actually feel more relaxed before and after they play the game, rather than more aggressive at either of those times. Findings were supposed to be revealed today at a conference across the pond.But from what I can tell, you can't say much more about this study than that people aren't as excited before and after playing WoW as they are while playing it. And it doesn't really take you a behavioral scientist to figure that out -- there's no way that taking a quiz given by some scientist is as exciting as, say, traversing the wastelands of the Barrens, or flying around Netherstorm.
Some people have taken this as a sign that the game somehow lets you chill out or makes you less angry than other gamers or people, which may be true, but that's not what's being said here. As far as I can tell, they're just saying that you're not as excited after playing the game as you are during. Maybe this will lead to something else, but as a finding, that's not exactly a groundshaker.
[Via WorldofWar.net]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Milktub Apr 2nd 2008 6:04PM
I love studies that make me go "Duh."
The only time I'm calm while playing WoW is when I'm fishing.
Dah Apr 2nd 2008 6:19PM
Lol, exactly. "You mean I'm more relaxed not doing something compared to when I am doing something??? Dis is NEWS!"
Seriously, wow is an escape. It can be relaxing by virtue of being an escape, but to assume that it is also a relaxed activity because of this is just stupid.
People find sports to be relaxing, but that doesn't mean they don't get tired as hell after playing them.
imparush Apr 2nd 2008 6:49PM
wow is second life so you can get the same feeling as in real life experience as in game, so the test don't really tell us anything
darian Apr 2nd 2008 6:15PM
This pretty true of any activity people use to de-stress.
However, it'd be interesting to see what the findings looked like immediately after guild drama/breakups.
KillerKarl Apr 2nd 2008 6:23PM
Reminds me of the Time cover story from years ago where researchers found that men and women are different.
ThorinII Apr 3rd 2008 8:41AM
They are? O.0 I need to get out more. :oP
John Apr 2nd 2008 6:31PM
You know this kinda reminds me of a study done at the university of Michigan a few years ago.
The study found women are more likely to have sex with attractive men than unattractive men.
You needed a university study to figure that out?
Xioyn Apr 2nd 2008 7:21PM
do you have a link to the study?
John Apr 2nd 2008 7:35PM
The closest I could find was...
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSEIC04599320070710?feedType=RSS&rpc=22&sp=true
It was like 2 years ago, it was all over the local news. not sure if it was ever national/international.
ThorinII Apr 3rd 2008 8:43AM
And men are more likely to have sex with a woman who says yes than one who says no.
Eternalpayn Apr 2nd 2008 6:38PM
Honestly, did you expect someone from Middlesex University to come up with more than a half-baked study? I mean, that sounds like something to come off a Steve & Barry's shirt.
Eugene Apr 2nd 2008 7:00PM
I think it's pretty obvious that this effect is class-dependent
If you play warlock, druid or rogue => more relaxed
if you play paladin or shaman => less relaxed
censorman Apr 2nd 2008 7:08PM
Amen brother.
If I am gonna play my warlock, well, why play?
I'll tell ya...not playing wow makes you so much more productive. /envy those free of this disease. XD
prudychick Apr 2nd 2008 7:06PM
"A researcher at Middlesex University in Britain has conducted a survey of World of Warcraft players, almost 300 between the ages of 12 and 83, and found that people who play the game actually feel more relaxed before and after they play the game, rather than more aggressive at either of those times."
Okay...I drive a half hour into work, work for 8+ hours, then drive a half hour home. (I think like most people work is stressful for me.) I get home and one of two things usually starts immediately....I get on WoW and proceed to let go of the stress and aggressiveness from drive to work and being at work and driving home from work by killing things. This is my outlet. I'm much less stressed playing WoW than I am at work.
At the end of the night the only reason I'm less stressed than I was when I was playing WoW is because I'm in bed, falling asleep.
@ Eugene...I play all a lock, druid, and 2 rogues among my priest and mages, no wonder I find playing WoW relaxing.
bradv10 Apr 2nd 2008 7:19PM
i think they were trying to point out that playing games doesn't cause someone to go kill people afterwards
Drago Dracini Apr 2nd 2008 7:17PM
I honestly feel relaxed when I run circles around people in orgrimmar. Or Shatt... While talking to my guild. or fishing.
loopinvariant Apr 2nd 2008 7:26PM
You misinterpreted the point of the study in the article, which is attempting provide data to verify the link or non-link between video games and violence.
It is stating that the game generally doesn't raise people's level of aggression.
I'm surprised you missed this.
Jagoex Apr 2nd 2008 8:04PM
Bingo.
This study isn't about the state of arousal one would experience while playing a violent video game. It is about how readily that state transfers into real-life once the player has walked away from his/her computer.
Very relevant stuff.
http://jagoex.blogspot.com
Lockpain Apr 2nd 2008 7:36PM
I don't play WOW to relax. I play it to be entertained. While some people may find relaxation a form of entertainment, I do not.
Aranon Apr 2nd 2008 9:07PM
People are wildly misinterpreting the findings of the study. The study is designed to test whether or not playing an immersive game like WoW that is designed around combat increases baseline levels of aggression or more state aggression/excitement.
It appears, in this sample, that it does not. This is a response to research done by people like Craig Anderson demonstrating that playing FPS games and other "more simple" games can increase state aggression levels and impact baseline aggression/excitability over time and increased play.
I'm looking forward to seeing the actual data.
----
Also, to those of you complaining about "duh" studies. Take a look at some of the "pop" theories of human behavior. If I said that I had done a study on attraction that showed people with similar interests were more likely to be attracted to one another, you'd say "duh. Birds of a feather! lolz." If, however, I said I had done a study on attraction that demonstrated people who were different on a variety of things were more likely to be attracted to one another, you'd say "duh. Opposites attract! lolz."
Experimental control is needed to test even the things we think we know so well. Oftentimes, we find we don't know as much as we think we do.