It’s common to think that video games cause violence, obesity, and social isolation – but that’s far from the truth. Video games are the new reason to blame societal collapse, taking over from television, movies, and even books. Monarchs used to think books would cause people to become delusional and withdrawn, but gaming, like reading, helps with memory, attention, and decision making.
Visual Processing
Gaming has been tested to improve visual contrast sensitivity, which is the ability to see differences in shades. This came to the surprise of researchers, since staring at the television long-term ruins eyesight, but 50 hours of action games spread over 10 to 12 weeks makes a difference. Playing video games can also improve amblyopia (lazy eyes) over a short period of time.
Vigilance and Attention
Over four separate studies, researchers have concluded that gaming improves spatial attention, the ability to track moving objects reduces impulsiveness and can help overcome dyslexia. Spatial awareness is the ability to locate something quickly, so video games like Overwatch that involve a player to shoot fast-moving targets improve our own ability to find objects in real life.
Tracking a moving object is improved with gaming, even with watching roulette reals on an online casino slot game, like on Casumo. Adults are able to keep track of moving objects that were identical to each other after extended play. Action games seem to come out on top for cognitive improvements because they also improve reading and writing in dyslexic children.
The most unexpected change in children was a Dye, Green, & Bavelier study that oversaw a child’s impulsiveness after playing action games like Call of Duty. Children were tested on their ability to stop themselves from responding to stimuli that wasn’t the target of the exercise. They were less likely to target non-target stimuli than the average.
Executive Functions
Executive function is a combination of mental resources such as attention, memory, and perception. These are important in problem-solving and decision making, and video games seem to improve these functions significantly. For example, mental flexibility is enhanced through action games; again, action games remains a constant theme.
Along with that, it helps the mental decline of aging. There have been multiple studies that suggest puzzles, learning a language, and active reading stop your brain from getting old. Think of your mind like a muscle; it needs to be worked out like your biceps. The Brain Age games on the Nintendo DS were popular because they tested multiple cognitive skills, and gave you an age based on those results.
Job and Life Skills
Hand-eye coordination, memory, quick decision making, and attention are all helpful in the job market, and gaming helps to produce those life skills at an earlier age. Hand-eye coordination is as important as ever because of the use of computers in everyday life. Hand-eye coordination isn’t just useful for computer and computing; it’s also helpful for pilots, surgeons, and drivers.
One study by McKinley in 2011 suggested that gamers are better at flying and landing aerial drones, or are on-par to trained drone pilots. You may want your surgeon to play video games because gamers are also better at surgery. Another study by Rosser in 2007, suggests that surgeons that play completely unrelated video games are on par with more experienced surgeons on average.
Social Skills
Video games used to be about playing with the whole family, or at least, with a large group of friends. Now with the internet, you can play anyone from anywhere at any time. Multiplayer games let children speak to anyone, make friends, and interact with people who have similar interests. Depending on the age of the child, they should be supervised during the interaction.
There are many child-friendly games, muting, and private chat rooms where children can play with their friends without others joining in. In this case, players will be able to learn how to play as a team and how to lead when necessary. Fortnite is incredibly popular with children due to it’s simple to understand concept, bright colors, and it’s pick up and play nature. Games like Fortnite have created long-standing friendships with kids who may otherwise be introverts.
