A cross-sectional study of video game play habits and graduate skills attainment

Abstract

Using a survey of higher education students (N = 2145), correlations between game play habits and the attainment of certain graduate skills or attributes (communication skill, adaptability and resourcefulness) are presented. Correlations between graduate attribute attainment and a range of demographic and educational factors, including age, gender, level of study and year of study, are also calculated. While it is shown that there is no significant relationship between existing game play habits and graduate attribute attainment, several broad observations are made. Students who do not play video games tended to score best, while those students who play games in a variety of modes (online and local cooperative play, team-based and other cooperative play) also scored better on measures of graduate attribute attainment. Assumptions about the development of graduate attributes over time are also challenged by the data presented here, which suggest there is little correlation between attribute attainment and years spent at university. The work suggests that, while video games may be used to develop graduate skills on campus, there is no strong correlation between existing game play habits and the attainment of certain transferable skills.