Video games are often demonized by non-players, but many scientists and psychologists find they can have positive effects. These benefits range from improved memory and problem-solving to better social skills and increased exercise.
The fast-paced nature of most games requires gamers to make decisions quickly. This can lead to an improved ability to react to questions or situations in real life, according to a study by Iowa State University.
Improved Memory
Video games engage you mentally as you solve puzzles and hone your skills to advance in the game. On a basic level, this keeps your brain active and stimulated, which helps keep your memory sharp. Additionally, you can practice your memory when playing video games, a skill that becomes more important as you age.
One study found that gamers were able to remember more information during a test after several weeks of gaming, compared to non-gamers. This is due to the fact that many video games require you to perform a large number of tasks at once. For example, you have to track the enemy on the screen, keep track of your health and ammo, and control your character’s movements all at the same time.
Different types of video games train different cognitive abilities, so don’t expect all video games to improve your memory. Action games, for example, have been shown to help you better understand spatial orientation and improve your ability to process information quickly and make decisions.
Better Spatial Memory
Playing video games can also improve your ability to remember and recognize objects and their relations in space, known as spatial memory. This skill is important in many real-life tasks such as driving or finding your way around a city.
Researchers have found that the more you practice in a game, the better your spatial skills will be. This is because you’re exercising the hippocampus, which controls short-term memory and spatial memory. This may explain why gamers are better at navigating physical space than non-gamers.
The research has also shown that action video games improve your ability to be mentally flexible, allowing you to switch between different tasks quickly. This is important in a world that increasingly requires us to multitask. However, it’s worth pointing out that the type of video game you play has a huge impact on how well you perform. For example, violent video games can lead to increased aggression and desensitization.
Better Coordination
Whether it’s controlling a controller, keyboard and mouse or swiping on a touch screen, gaming requires quick, accurate hand-eye coordination. Studies show that gamers have better coordination than non-gamers.
Video games also improve the player’s ability to learn sensorimotor patterns faster and more efficiently, a benefit that can translate into real-world skills. For example, the fast reflexes required to play first-person shooter games may help players spot enemies and dangers more quickly in the real world.
Despite the stereotypes of gamers as trigger-happy, impulsive and reckless, research shows that gamers are actually good at making decisions under pressure. One study found that gamers made decisions up to 25 percent faster than non-gamers and more accurately, dispelling the myth that video games encourage poor decision-making. In addition, many games require cooperation with other players, and team-based games can improve a player’s social skills. Especially for younger kids, age-appropriate video games can be great educational tools. They can teach kids to think strategically and creatively.
Improved Attention
Video games can be frowned upon by non-gamers, but they do help improve our focus and concentration. Some studies have shown that gamers are able to focus on tasks for longer periods of time, while others found that gaming helps you make decisions quicker and more accurately.
This improved attention is particularly true for gamers who play first person shooter games. These gamers are able to extract information from their visual periphery, which is necessary for spotting enemies and dangers. A similar study found that people who played action games were able to track multiple objects in their field of vision, while those who did not play showed poorer performance on this task.
Another example of this improved attention is the ability to rapidly shift between different tasks, which is a necessary skill for multitasking. These abilities are enhanced by gamers who have a high level of expertise in their favorite games, which is why some experts think that video game playing can be a useful tool for improving our ability to focus and multitask.