Gaming Makes You Smarter

Ever felt like you were wasting your time playing video games? Like you weren't accomplishing anything by wasting hours on end sitting on your couch? Me neither. But for those of you who have family and friends who feel that way, its time you set them straight.

For those of you who aren't familiar with IQ, chances are yours is low. But to help you catch up, IQ is a method used to measure a person's intelligence (many believe it is an inaccurate representation, but this has been debated for quite some time). According to Wired.com gaming provides people with a great opportunity to work through visual puzzles and solve riddles, very similar to the kinds of questions asked in IQ tests. Wired also mentions the Raven's test, which consists of puzzles in which several shapes are displayed, one of which is missing. The missing shape needs to be selected from a set of available choices.

So to get down to business, I want to test this hypothesis. I found a link to the Raven's test online. The average score is 100. Take the test (it takes less time than they recommend, trust me) and post your score.

Lets put this myth to rest once and for all. The next time someone tells you to put down that controller and pick up a book, take them to this site, show them these scores, and silence them forever.