Table of Contents
Section 1
The peer-reviewed article studies the correlation between use of information technology among children and creativity. The hypothesis for this experiment was that the internet, computer, mobile phone use and video games contributed to increase in creativity.
The research includes 491 participants. The subject variables for the research included children aged twelve years. Furthermore, the study included 53% girls and 47% boys. Furthermore, the researchers also mixed races, including African Americans at 34 percent and Caucasians at 66 percent (Jackson et al., 371).
The research design is descriptive study investigating the relationship between technology and creativity among children. The methodology included measures such as creativity, technology use and socio-demographic characteristics. In the creativity measure, the sample population had to respond to two target tests for assessment of their creativity, one including an egg on blank piece of paper. The other test was an elf-resembling object laid besides a pool. The technology use measure assessed the usability of technology expressed on a scale of point 1 to 7. Point 1 meant no technology use while point 7 meant daily use exceeding 3hours. The scale measured all aspects of technology including computer, video games, mobile phone use and internet use. Finally, the socio-demographic measure included measures of gender, ethnicity, and age. Besides, household income was retrieved from the parents of the participants (Jackson et al., 372).
The result of the study was that video game playing had a significant association with high creativity regardless of race or gender. Furthermore, video game types such as violent game did not have any video game impact on creativity. The outcome of the study fails to verify the hypothesis because only video games have a positive correlation with creativity and not any other forms of technology. According to the distinct measures conducted, the researcher attained a positive result from the study.
Section 2
The popular press article asserts that children with the tendency of playing video games are more creative that those who do not. The authors claim to get the information from a peer review study including 500 children aged 12 years. The selected participants undertook testing by being shown drawings and required to comment or expound on them. The participants also submitted their usability of a computer, phone, the internet and video games. The outcome of the research was that only video game playing was strongly related to creativity, which was true for both males and female across all races (Snider 1).
The author further claim that male play more games as compared female. Furthermore, the boys prefer sport and violent games while preferred interaction games. The article identifies some causalities such as visual-spatial skills that these skills among children are helpful later on in life when studying engineering and technology. Another causality is that the requirement by internet to read increases the reading scores among children (Snider 1).
The article also makes various assumptions for the causal link between video games and creativity. Such causalities include the frequent of images triggers the mind to respond quickly. Another causality is the nature of the virtual environment in the course of playing. Another possibility is the capability of video games to define the reality. However, these are just possibilities and author want researchers to identify the causalities (Snider 1).
Section 3
The popular press article provides the accurate information from the research. It asserts that playing video games contributed to an increase in creativity. Besides, the age of the participants was correct, but the number of participants approximated to 500 in the popular press article. However, the precise number of participants was 491. Additionally, the author of the article uses a language, which implies a causal relationship between the study variables. The authors purported that it may be because of the paid succession of images that triggers the mind increasing creativity.
Causal conclusion would not be compatible with the correlational studies because there is no evidence to prove the relationship. A causality can only be established when research shows the causal link. Besides, testing for the causal connection between video games and creativity is also difficult to determine because of difficulty in measuring the variables. I think that children who play video games have higher scores on creative thinking scores because of the focus the games require. The games require players to be more attentive and sharp to be successful in distinctive levels. It is the focus and the sharpness that may trigger the mind to be more creative. Furthermore, the games also require the players to think fast within split seconds and make decisions, which can also trigger the mind increasing creativity. Finally, video games require the players to think broadly and apply all the necessary skill, thus sharpening a player’s mind.
- Jackson, L. A., Witt, E. A., Games, A. I., Fitzgerald, H. E., von Eye, A., & Zhao, Y.. “Information technology use and creativity: Findings from the Children and Technology Project.” Computers in human behavior 28.2 (2012): 370-376.
- Snider, Mike. Video Games Help in Creativity in Boys and Girls. USA Today, 2011.