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Information Technology News Driving: simulation vs reality
Information Technology News Driving: simulation vs reality | Driving: simulation vs reality |
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| Written by Stephen Withers | |
| Tuesday, 20 March 2007 | |
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News that German researchers have suggested a link between playing street-racing video games and risky on-road behaviour deserves a close look. We know that younger people tend to be heavier game players, and that they are also over-represented in accident statistics. But what did the research actually measure? The first part involved a questionnaire about driving habits and playing driving games. Those who said they played racing games were more likely to admit aggressive driving habits. If we accept there is a relationship, is it causal? Does playing racing games lead to bad driving? Or are bad drivers attracted to such games? In other words, is there a propensity to risk-taking that shows up in real life and contrived situations? The second part saw university students playing certain computer games for 20 minutes before doing a quiz involving words with two meanings, one of which related to risky behaviour. The subjects that had been playing a racing game were more likely to pick the meaning relating to risk. Given the choice between "lawn" and "to drive at high speed" for the German word "rasen", the racing game group were more likely to choose the latter. Is that surprising? You'll find my explanation on the next page.
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