The relationship between children's computer game usage and creativity in Korea

This study investigated the relationships among children?s creativity, computer games, natural play, TV, and their structured activities daily after school by the analysis of their time spent on computer games, and the other components with the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT), using the statistical methods of MANOVA and SEM. Activity 5 of Verbal Form B and Activity 2 of Figural Forms B of the TTCT were used to measure students? verbal and figural creativity scores. Two hundreds and thirty eight 3rd and 6th grade students from one rural and one urban school in the Republic of Korea were studied. The study also examined whether any variables (i.e., gender, grade, location, achievement, genres of computer games and parental Social Economic Status) affected children?s creativity scores and computer game usage. Children using computer games heavily showed significantly higher scores on the scale of Figural Originality than those with moderate usage. Highly structured activity students had significantly higher scores on all Figural TTCT scales than did the moderately structured activity group. There was a significant location difference on Figural Originality and Figural Elaboration, parental SES, and time spent on TV. Time spent on free play did not show any differences on any TTCT scales. Time spent on TV was differently correlated with the Figural TTCT by parental SES. Third graders obtained significantly higher scores than 6th graders on all the Verbal TTCT and Figural Elaboration scales. In this study, the subjects showed a significant preference for Role Playing Game (RPG) and Casual games. Gender differences on preferences of game genres, time spent on computer games and starting period of computer use were found. The MANOVA among genres of computer games on the TTCT scores was significant. The path models showed that the parent factor had strong correlation with children?s figural creativity and the play factor was correlated more with verbal creativity.