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The effects of video game playing on attention, memory, and executive control
Abstract
Expert video game players often outperform non-players on measures of basic attention and performance. Such differences might result from exposure to video games or they might reflect other group differences between those people who do or do not play video games. Recent research has suggested a causal relationship between playing action video games and improvements in a variety of visual and attentional skills (e.g., [Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537]). The current research sought to replicate and extend these results by examining both expert/non-gamer differences and the effects of video game playing on tasks tapping a wider range of cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, and executive control. Non-gamers played 20+ h of an action video game, a puzzle game, or a real-time strategy game. Expert gamers and non-gamers differed on a number of basic cognitive skills: experts could track objects moving at greater speeds, better detected changes to objects stored in visual short-term memory, switched more quickly from one task to another, and mentally rotated objects more efficiently. Strikingly, extensive video game practice did not substantially enhance performance for non-gamers on most cognitive tasks, although they did improve somewhat in mental rotation performance. Our results suggest that at least some differences between video game experts and non-gamers in basic cognitive performance result either from far more extensive video game experience or from pre-existing group differences in abilities that result in a self-selection effect.
... Both of these skills are reflected in the player's reaction time, an important metric, both for gamers and researchers alike. Research suggests that video games can improve psychomotor speed and reaction times, with FPS games exhibiting particular promise in the case of psychomotor speed [73][74][75][76][77][78][79]. ...
... The ANOVA results for DLSRTT were notable, as individuals with high gaming skill levels demonstrated significantly better psychomotor speed compared to both medium-and low-skill participants. Given that psychomotor speed involves hand-eye coordination, this finding aligns with a substantial body of research suggesting that video game play enhances this cognitive domain [53,73,74,78,128]. The demands of fast-paced gaming, particularly in action-based genres, likely contribute to these improvements, as players must react quickly to visual stimuli and execute precise motor responses. ...
... Attentional speed was measured using the DLCRT. The ANOVA results revealed that participants with high gaming skill levels had significantly faster attentional speed compared to those with lower skill levels, a finding that aligns with existing literature [63,73,[130][131][132][133][134]. The cognitive demands of fast-paced video games, particularly in action genres, may explain these improvements in attentional processing speed, as these games require players to quickly identify, process, and respond to dynamic stimuli. ...
The cognitive and affective impacts of video games are subjects of ongoing debate, with recent research recognizing their potential benefits. This study employs the Gaming Skill Questionnaire (GSQ) to evaluate participants’ gaming skills across six genres and overall proficiency. A total of 88 individuals aged 20–40 participated, completing assessments of empathy and six cognitive abilities: verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, visuospatial short-term memory, visuospatial working memory, psychomotor speed (hand–eye coordination), and attention. Participants’ cognitive abilities were examined using the Digit Span Test, Corsi Block Test, and Deary–Liewald Reaction Time Task, while empathy was assessed using the Empathy Quotient Questionnaire. Findings indicate that higher levels of videogaming proficiency are linked to improvements in visuospatial short-term and working memory, psychomotor speed, and attention. Specific genres enhanced particular skills: RPGs were positively associated with both verbal working memory and visuospatial short-term memory, but were negatively associated with empathy; action games improved psychomotor speed and attention; and puzzle games showed a positive relationship with visuospatial working memory. These results add to ongoing research on the cognitive and affective effects of video games, suggesting their potential to enhance specific cognitive functions. They also highlight the complex relationship between video games and empathy. Future research should explore the long-term impacts and genre-specific effects.
... In general, digital games are claimed in some studies to contribute to executive functions as they often involve repetitive practice and increasingly challenging activities [14][15][16]. Some argue that there is no such contribution or that it is very limited if any [17][18][19]. In some other studies, it is pointed out that digital action games contribute to a few skills such as cognitive and visual selective attention and visual short-term memory [17,[20][21][22][23]. ...
... Some argue that there is no such contribution or that it is very limited if any [17][18][19]. In some other studies, it is pointed out that digital action games contribute to a few skills such as cognitive and visual selective attention and visual short-term memory [17,[20][21][22][23]. ...
... However, at this point, a study conducted in the literature invalidates this prediction. According to a study conducted by Boot and colleagues [17], expert video game players did not have any difference in terms of cognitive performance compared to non-players. The fact that there was no significant difference in the cognitive scores between the gamers/non-gamers and game types in this study was valuable for triggering new discussions in the literature and for revealing the relevant variables in the background. ...
... The relationship between video games and cognitive development has been studied across a variety of contexts, with researchers focusing on how video games affect memory, attention, and problem-solving abilities [14]. In particular, action video games have been found to improve attentional control and working memory, both of which are closely linked to spatial cognition [6,15]. ...
... Similarly, Gee [19] argues that video games can enhance players' literacy skills, including spatial literacy, by challenging them to navigate and interpret complex virtual environments. The adaptability of video games, which allows for personalized learning experiences, makes them particularly effective for developing cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and decision-making [6,14]. ...
... While the benefits of video games on cognitive development are well-documented, there remains a noticeable gap in the literature regarding their specific impact on spatial abilities, particularly among university students. Although numerous studies have explored the effects of video games on general cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making, fewer studies have focused on how video game engagement influences spatial cognition in higher education settings [5,14]. This gap is particularly important to address, as university students are frequently exposed to video games and are often required to engage with spatially demanding academic tasks. ...
Background: Video games are no longer just entertainment; they are increasingly recognized for their potential to enhance cognitive abilities, including spatial cognition. This skill is vital in academic disciplines, where strong spatial reasoning is essential for problem-solving and success. Aims: This study investigates how video game engagement impacts self-reported spatial abilities in university students, focusing on the frequency, types, and duration of gaming. It also explores the contributions of specific video game genres and features to perceived cognitive improvements. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 566 Saudi university students who completed an online questionnaire on their gaming habits and self-reported spatial abilities. Data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests and chi-square tests to assess the associations between video game behaviors and self-reported spatial cognition. Results: Frequent gamers (65% of participants) demonstrated significantly higher self-reported spatial abilities than infrequent gamers, particularly in adapting to spatial challenges (p < 0.001). Players engaged with action and open-world games reported the greatest perceived improvements in spatial cognition. No significant gender differences were observed, indicating that both males and females benefit equally from gaming. The use of perspective in games was notably linked to spatial skill enhancement (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Regular video game play, especially with spatially demanding genres, is associated with significant self-reported improvements in spatial abilities. These findings highlight the potential of video games as tools for enhancing self-reported spatial cognition in education and professional training, particularly in STEM fields.
... In comparison, studies of the effect of action video games (AVGs) on visual learning have commonly reported generalization of AVG-induced learning to untrained stimuli [24][25][26] , although there are some notable studies that have failed to replicate AVG-induced learning 27,28 and articles that have pointed out methodological issues with AVG learning results [29][30][31] . AVG training is a paradigm where participants play action video games and are tested for improvement in visual skills. ...
... The selection of this older video game raised the question of whether it would be relevant to utilize a video game that was no longer comparable to modern video games in terms of gameplay and graphics. However, similar games from the 2000s had commonly been used as training games in most prior video game studies 27,32,55 , including the study whose orientation discrimination task we were attempting to replicate 39 . Given that the claims of AVG transfer from these prior studies had been controversial, it would be important to first verify the results of these previous studies before moving on to more modern games. ...
... It remains possible that motion perceptual learning, as studied currently, is primarily template learning and untransferable from higher-level, rule-based learning. Similar lack of transfer had been found in prior studies that compared AVG training with various control conditions, although none of the prior research has tested motion direction discrimination 27,73,74 . ...
Action video game (AVG) playing has been found to transfer to a variety of laboratory tasks in visual cognition. More recently, it has even been found to transfer to low-level visual "psychophysics tasks. This is unexpected since such low-level tasks have traditionally been found to be largely “immune” to transfer from another task, or even from the same task but a different stimulus attribute, e.g., motion direction. In this study, we set out to directly quantify transfer efficiency from AVG training to motion discrimination. Participants (n = 65) trained for 20 h on either a first-person active shooting video game, or a motion direction discrimination task with random dots. They were tested before, midway, and after training with the same motion task and an orientation discrimination task that had been shown to receive transfer from AVG training, but not from motion training. A subsequent control group (n = 18) was recruited to rule out any test–retest effect, by taking the same tests with the same time intervals, but without training. We found that improvement in motion discrimination performance was comparable between the AVG training and control groups, and less than the motion discrimination training group. We could not replicate the AVG transfer to orientation discrimination, but this was likely due to the fact that our participants were practically at chance for this task at all test points. Our study found no evidence, in either accuracy or reaction time, that AVG training transferred to motion discrimination. Overall, our results suggest that AVG training transferred little to lower-level visual skills, refining understanding of the mechanisms by which AVGs may affect vision.
Protocol registration The accepted stage 1 protocol for this study can be found on the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/zdv9c/?view_only=5b3b0c161dad448d9d1d8b14ce91ab11.
The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 01/12/22. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZDV9C
... In competitive gaming, virtual interfaces heavily orient individual ability to analyze and interpret information as part of their outcome performance (Pei et al., 2022;Sharpe et al., 2023;Starke & Baber, 2018;Velichkovsky et al., 2019). In a study from Boot et al. (2008), exhibition of game skills was tested when nongamers were instructed by the research team to play videos games of various genres for 20 hr. Findings from this study uncovered that gamers performed better at tracking quickly moving objects, detecting change of visual stimuli, and multitasking, thus attributing heightened capacities to attention, memory, and executive control. ...
... Findings from this study uncovered that gamers performed better at tracking quickly moving objects, detecting change of visual stimuli, and multitasking, thus attributing heightened capacities to attention, memory, and executive control. From their results, Boot et al. (2008) suggested that the difference in cognitive performance among elite gamers and nongamers may either be the result of greater levels of experience in game play or from naturally predisposed constructs of ability, leading to tiered measures that separate elite players from novice enthusiasts, something that has been reinforced in newer studies as well (Boot et al., 2008;Choi et al., 2020;Toth et al., 2020;Vedechkina & Borgonovi, 2021). To investigate this superior cognitive stature, Chaffee et al. (2013) also recruited gamers and nongamers. ...
... Findings from this study uncovered that gamers performed better at tracking quickly moving objects, detecting change of visual stimuli, and multitasking, thus attributing heightened capacities to attention, memory, and executive control. From their results, Boot et al. (2008) suggested that the difference in cognitive performance among elite gamers and nongamers may either be the result of greater levels of experience in game play or from naturally predisposed constructs of ability, leading to tiered measures that separate elite players from novice enthusiasts, something that has been reinforced in newer studies as well (Boot et al., 2008;Choi et al., 2020;Toth et al., 2020;Vedechkina & Borgonovi, 2021). To investigate this superior cognitive stature, Chaffee et al. (2013) also recruited gamers and nongamers. ...
Esports is a global competitive phenomenon in which gamers and spectating enthusiasts engage in virtual playing competition. The growth of esports has fostered so much prominence that the establishment of amateur intercollegiate competition has taken place across the United States. Numerous institutions have sanctioned esports teams and have welcomed players as student-athletes within athletics departments. Positioned as the recipient to a remarkable boom in global esteem, the appeal of esports has stimulated exponential growth in commercial value, patronage, and societal acceptance. Scholars have since assessed the entwining of the world of sport with competitive gaming, sparking debate arguing whether esports is an admissible form of sport, and its participants credited as athletes eligible for intercollegiate athletic scholarships. In this literature overview—perspective article—we present characteristics of mainstream allure, operational terminology, and fitness of participants to render the status of esports to be, or, not to be, a collegiate sport. It is this multidisciplinary point of analysis from which the authors conclusion is supplicated. While esports currently do not satisfy the philosophical principles from which sport is characterized, growing acceptance, economic value, and alternative exhibitions of athleticism suggests the prospective of the industry’s future embrace.
... Furthermore, in some investigations with video games and cognitive tasks, games were associated with attentional benefits, including improvements in attention, optimization of attention resources, integration between attentional and sensory areas-motor and improvements in selective attention and peripheral visual attention [7,12]. VGPs may also benefit from enhanced visuospatial working memory capacity according to Boot and colleagues, who found that JVJs outperformed nonvideo gamers (NVG) on several visuospatial working memory tasks such as multiple object tracking, mental rotation and change detection [13]. Improvements in working memory and short-term memory have similarly been found following video game training in experimental versus control group research designs [13,14]. ...
... VGPs may also benefit from enhanced visuospatial working memory capacity according to Boot and colleagues, who found that JVJs outperformed nonvideo gamers (NVG) on several visuospatial working memory tasks such as multiple object tracking, mental rotation and change detection [13]. Improvements in working memory and short-term memory have similarly been found following video game training in experimental versus control group research designs [13,14]. This finding is consistent with other studies that suggest that even short video game training paradigms can improve functions related to cognitive control over long periods, such as reading skills in dyslexic children [15]. ...
... In this study, in comparison with IDG and NIDG, differences were found in the task performed, which seem to predict comparative changes in the research groups regarding short-term memory, perhaps allowing for the prediction of better cognitive performance in short-term memory in key regions of the cortex. responsible for visual processing, attention and memory [6,7,[12][13][14][15]. With a specific experimental instrument applied to a sample of two groups of university students, which showed good receptivity as a voluntary collaboration activity in an experiment in a laboratory context, the data obtained determine statistical relevance between subjects who intensely use video games in the STM results compared to the group of those who do not use them at all or little, which is in line with the empirical proof of the main working hypothesis. ...
Multiple recent studies, namely laboratory-based systematic review articles and applied or experimental research, have indicated the association, particularly in young or adult users, between results in measurements of short-term memory (STM) with the frequency and intensity of playing games using various forms of electronic support, globally known as digital games (DG). In this sense, we used an experimental study applied to the assessment of STM among university students, based on a comparative analysis between two groups, one of intensive users of digital games (IDG), and the other not (NIDG), statistically comparing the two results. The starting hypothesis holds that it is possible to statistically demonstrate that subjects who intensely use DG present, when tested in a laboratory context, higher results in STM tests. A self-assessment scale for the use of DG was used to define the experimental groups and, for data production, a subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults measured for the Portuguese population, the digit span (or digit memory), experimentally adapted from a program produced using stimulus presentation software, SuperLab6. It was developed with 164 university students, with identical gender distribution, from a higher education institution. The results of the student t test indicated the presence of statistically significant differences between the groups. There are significant differences between the groups regarding STM according to the DOD. The potential applicability of the STM assessment program to different groups and objectives is concluded, particularly in an experimental context, and suggests its possible adoption as a Psychology tool in the areas of cognition.
... Media usage is highly prevalent in American culture today with over 70% of adults reporting social media use [1] and over 40% reporting video game play [2]. Various aspects of media usage including video game play have been associated with positive impacts on an individual, including cognitive benefits [3][4][5], increased social support, and relationship intimacy [6]. However, other aspects of media have been connected to negative impacts such as poor relationships [7] and addictive behaviors [8]. ...
... Although all aspects of media may be contributing to unique implications on individuals' lives, the focus for the current study has been placed on video game play. Several cognitive benefits have been associated with playing video games including increases in processing speed [3,4], spatial ability [3,5], and multi-tasking [3]. Self-regulation is increased in expert video game players compared to moderate or non-experts during recreational gameplay [31]. ...
... Although all aspects of media may be contributing to unique implications on individuals' lives, the focus for the current study has been placed on video game play. Several cognitive benefits have been associated with playing video games including increases in processing speed [3,4], spatial ability [3,5], and multi-tasking [3]. Self-regulation is increased in expert video game players compared to moderate or non-experts during recreational gameplay [31]. ...
The current study sought to explain the connection between biological control and video game usage. Specifically, the study examined video game usage at three levels to determine if there were differences in the ability to control biological responses such as heart rate variability to complete different biofeedback activities. A biological feedback software package, ALIVE, was used to measure “heart rate smoothness” and time task completion during a tutorial training, autopilot control video game car race, and manual control video game car race. Participants were instructed to use biological control techniques including breathing and heart rate “smoothness” to complete the biofeedback video games. Results found that there were significant differences in average heart rate smoothness in autopilot and manual car races and the amount of time it took for participants to complete the manual car race between three levels of video game usage. Implications for individuals’ biological control on behaviors such as relaxation and emotions were discussed.
... Nevertheless, research on AVGs and their impact on cognitive abilities offers conflicting findings. For instance, Boot et al. (2008) did not find evidence supporting the effectiveness of AVG training in improving cognitive abilities. Oei and Patterson (2015) investigated the training potential of four distinct AVGs, each with varying levels of speed, visual complexity, and attention requirements, to test the "common demands hypothesis." ...
... However, some of the non-AVGs which were chosen for their absence of AVG characteristics and utilized as active controls in intervention studies, impacted human cognition like AVGs Novak & Tassell, 2015). Moreover, AVG training did not always produce the same results across different studies, even when using identical AVGs and study procedures (e.g., Boot et al., 2008). This suggests that other factors, such as participant demographics, may contribute to these inconsistencies. ...
... Moreover, the similar perception of cognitive demands for the non-AVG by both AVGPs and NVGPs indicates that the skills developed through playing AVGs do not necessarily translate to all gaming contexts. Boot et al. (2008) noted that while AVGs can enhance certain cognitive functions, these improvements are often task specific. The current study's finding supports this by showing that AVGPs do not perceive non-AVGs as less challenging than NVGPs, implying that the adaptations and cognitive skills honed through AVG play are not universally applicable. ...
Background. Studies on the impact of videogame play on the brain and behavior demonstrates potential benefits of playing action video games (AVGs) for cognitive enhancements. However, it is becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish between AVGs and non-AVGs due to the emergence of new video game genres and platforms that incorporate action elements in historically non-action genres. Thus, more research is needed to understand AVG mechanics.
Objective: This study developed an Action Video Game Elements (AVGE) Likert-type scale for differentiating an AVG from a non-AVG and examined its performance in an AVG and a non-AVG.
Method: We employed standardized lab data collection procedures to administer the AVGE scale in undergraduate education majors after they played either an AVG (n = 144) or a non-AVG (n = 48).
Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-factor theoretically sensible structure: (1) focus, (2) pacing & goal setting, (3) challenge, (4) sensory stimulation, and (5) speed. Using an experimental research design, we examined the AVGE scale for its ability to distinguish an AVG from a non-AVG. Players who played the AVG rated the game significantly higher in all AVGE categories than their peers who played a non-AVG, thus providing empirical evidence regarding the scale’s discriminant validity of the game. Additionally, we explored the AVGE score differences in players with and without prior AVG experience in the AVG and non-AVG.
Conclusion: The AVGE scale has a promising internal consistency and discriminant validity. Future research can use it for examining AVG elements in various games as well as guiding the design and development of video games that aim to enhance cognition and better align these games with players’ demographics.
... Both of these skills are reflected in the player's reaction time, an important metric, both for gamers and researchers alike. Research suggests that video games can improve psychomotor speed and reaction times, with FPS games exhibiting particular promise in the case of psychomotor speed [73][74][75][76][77][78][79]. ...
... The ANOVA results for DLSRTT were notable, as individuals with high gaming skill levels demonstrated significantly better psychomotor speed compared to both medium-and low-skill participants. Given that psychomotor speed involves hand-eye coordination, this finding aligns with a substantial body of research suggesting that video game play enhances this cognitive domain [53,73,74,78,128]. The demands of fast-paced gaming, particularly in action-based genres, likely contribute to these improvements, as players must react quickly to visual stimuli and execute precise motor responses. ...
... Attentional speed was measured using the DLCRT. The ANOVA results revealed that participants with high gaming skill levels had significantly faster attentional speed compared to those with lower skill levels, a finding that aligns with existing literature [63,73,[130][131][132][133][134]. The cognitive demands of fast-paced video games, particularly in action genres, may explain these improvements in attentional processing speed, as these games require players to quickly identify, process, and respond to dynamic stimuli. ...
The cognitive and affective impacts of video games are subjects of ongoing debate, with recent research recognizing their potential benefits. This study employs the Gaming Skill Questionnaire (GSQ) to evaluate participants’ gaming skills across six genres and overall proficiency. A total of 88 individuals aged 20–40 participated, completing assessments of empathy and six cognitive abilities: verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, visuospatial short-term memory, visuospatial working memory, psychomotor speed (hand–eye coordination), and attention. Participants’ cognitive abilities were examined using the Digit Span Test, Corsi Block Test, and Deary–Liewald Reaction Time Task, while empathy was assessed using the Empathy Quotient Questionnaire. Findings indicate that higher levels of videogaming proficiency are linked to improvements in visuospatial short-term and working memory, psychomotor speed, and attention. Specific genres enhanced particular skills: RPGs were positively associated with both verbal working memory and visuospatial short-term memory, but were negatively associated with empathy; action games improved psychomotor speed and attention; and puzzle games showed a positive relationship with visuospatial working memory. These results add to ongoing research on the cognitive and affective effects of video games, suggesting their potential to enhance specific cognitive functions. They also highlight the complex relationship between video games and empathy. Future research should explore the long-term impacts and genre-specific effects.
... Both of these skills are reflected in the player's reaction time, an important metric, both for gamers and researchers alike. Research suggests that video games can improve psychomotor speed and reaction times, with FPS games exhibiting particular promise in psychomotor speed [72][73][74][75][76][77][78]. ...
... The results of the ANOVA on DLSRTT were of interest, as high gaming skill level individuals showed better psychomotor speed than both medium-level and low-level participants. As psychomotor speed is essentially hand-eye coordination, there is a plethora of studies advocating that gaming is leading to improvements in that area of cognition [52,72,73,77,124]. Furthermore, the best regression model identified AGS as a predictor, reinforcing the role of action games in enhancing psychomotor skills [77,125,126]. ...
... The ANOVA revealed that participants with high gaming skill level had a significantly faster attentional speed than those with how gaming skill level, consistent with literature. [62,72,[126][127][128][129][130]. This finding is partially supported by the best regression model of the DLCRT, whereby AGS is the sole predictor, influencing the attentional speed positively. ...
The cognitive and affective impacts of video games are subjects of ongoing debate, with recent research recognizing their potential benefits. This study employs the Gaming Skill Questionnaire (GSQ) to evaluate participants' gaming skills across six genres and overall proficiency. Eighty-eight individuals aged 20-40 participated, completed assessments of empathy and six cognitive abilities: verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, visuospatial short-term memory, visuospatial working memory, psychomotor speed (hand-eye coordination), and attention. Cognitive abilities were examined using the Digit Span Test, Corsi Block Test, and Deary-Liewald Reaction Time Task, while empathy was assessed using the Empathy Quotient Questionnaire. Findings indicate that high video game skill levels correlate with improvements in visuospatial short-term and working memory, psychomotor speed, and attention. Different genres enhanced specific skills: RPGs positively influenced verbal working and visuospatial short-term memory but negatively affected empathy; action games improved psychomotor speed and attention; and puzzle games benefited visuospatial working memory. These promising results contribute positively to ongoing research on the cognitive and affective effects of video games, highlighting the potential for video games to enhance certain cognitive functions while also underscoring the complexity of their impact on empathy. Future research should further investigate genre-specific effects and long-term outcomes.
... Procrastination is sometimes viewed positively, with some writers referring to it as a functional delay or a way to avoid rushing. For instance, Bernstein (1996) argued that not acting immediately can hold value, especially when the outcome is uncertain and new information may arise. The scientific study of procrastination has led to various definitions, reflecting the diverse perspectives of researchers. ...
... All the above studies indicate that video game playing has the potential for performance enhancement across an extensive range of tasks. The video game experience transfer seems to be extensive, even when the tasks differ from the games themselves; improvements in skills can occur relatively quickly, often with as little as 10 hours of game experience (Boot et al., 2008). ...
The study examines the relationship between gaming disorder, procrastination, and game genres, focusing on the moderating effects of video game genres on the association between procrastination and video game addiction. The issue's relevance is increasing as gaming and internet gaming become dominant activities among young adults. They tend to spend a significant portion of their leisure time playing video games. The "gamer" subculture is expanding continuously and rapidly each year. This research utilized correlation analysis to investigate the connection between video game disorder and procrastination and moderated regression to explore how game genres may moderate the correlation between them. A significant positive correlation was revealed between internet gaming disorder and procrastination scores, indicating that individuals with high levels of gaming addiction tend to procrastinate more. However, no statistically significant moderation effects of game genres on the relationship were found. However, the analysis of the results suggests that there could be effects worth exploring further. The main drawback of the research was the insufficient sample size, which may have affected the ability to detect more minor effects. Regardless of the limitations, the analysis has shown important insights into the relationship between gaming behaviors and procrastination and has underlined the opportunity to find more interesting results with a larger sample size. Mental health professionals, game developers, policymakers, and educators may benefit from these findings and endorse healthier gaming habits, potentially reducing the adverse effects of excessive gaming.
... The participants in the current study reported similar experiences, where the challenges and complexities of games helped them hone their creative and problem-solving abilities. Boot et al. (2011) investigated the effects of video game playing on attention, memory, and executive control, concluding that gaming can enhance these cognitive functions [36]. These findings are consistent with the current study, where participants reported improvements in critical thinking and time management, which are aspects of executive control. ...
... The participants in the current study reported similar experiences, where the challenges and complexities of games helped them hone their creative and problem-solving abilities. Boot et al. (2011) investigated the effects of video game playing on attention, memory, and executive control, concluding that gaming can enhance these cognitive functions [36]. These findings are consistent with the current study, where participants reported improvements in critical thinking and time management, which are aspects of executive control. ...
This study explores the relationship between video game engagement and creative thinking among university students in an academic setting. Utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 university students aged 17–25 years, from various academic disciplines. The sample, predominantly female (57.5%) and aged 22 years (27.5%), provided diverse perspectives on the impact of video games on their academic and creative capabilities. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed significant insights into how video games may enhance creative problem-solving skills and overall creative thinking in an educational context. The study found that a high percentage of participants (47.5%) had a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0, suggesting a potential link between academic performance and video gaming habits. The results highlight the need for further research into specific game genres and their distinct influences on creativity among different demographics. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the cognitive benefits of video games and their potential to foster creative skills in higher education environments.
... Surprisingly, only a limited number of video games are identified to effectively promote cognitive skills in non-game contexts. These games are first-person shooter (Bediou et al., 2018) for perceptual attention skills (d 5 1.2), Tetris (Boot et al., 2008) for twodimensional mental rotation skills (d 5 0.8), and All You Can ET (Parong et al., 2017) for shifting (d 5 1.4). Besides, video games can shelter people from other problematic behaviors, such as aggressive behaviors (Turel, 2020) and substance use (Turel, 2020), as long as they are played in moderation. ...
... Seventh, the benefits of using more than one type of IT in treating addiction can be evaluated. For example, the efficacy of a smartphone use tracker app to reduce smartphone (Boot et al., 2008) for twodimensional mental rotation skill • All You can ET (Parong et al., 2017) for shifting • Makey Makey for creative invention Source(s): Table created by authors addiction can be compared to when it is used alone vs when it is used together with a meditation app. ...
Purpose
In this current review, we aimed to understand technology addiction interventions and provide guidelines for IS scholars to use IT to prevent or attenuate technology addiction.
Design/methodology/approach
We systematically reviewed articles associated with technology and substance addiction interventions. These articles included review articles, peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings, and online articles.
Findings
We propose a roadmap for technology addiction intervention development and testing based on the review. Next, we summarize the similarities and differences between substance addiction and technology addiction in terms of antecedents, negative consequences, and neurobiological mechanisms. Based on this, two types of potential interventions for substance addiction were reviewed to explore how they can be used for technology addiction. To conclude, IT-mediated interventions were summarized, and promising avenues for future research were highlighted.
Originality/value
Technology addiction has a broad range of adverse impacts on mental health and well-being. With the knowledge and insight from this review, the Information Systems community can become part of the solution to technology addiction.
... This raises intriguing questions about the nature of these cognitive adaptations, especially in terms of how they might compensate for the reduced physical activity levels commonly associated with gaming [17]. Boot [18][19][20] have explored this phenomenon, suggesting that the specific demands of esports could lead to shortened reaction times, even amidst lower levels of physical activity. Furthermore, professional esports players exhibit significant cognitive improvements, challenging traditional expectations and opening new avenues for understanding the cognitive impact of esports [12,21]. ...
... This reveals an intriguing aspect: regular gaming might develop cognitive abilities that compensate for some benefits typically gained from physical activity, such as enhanced mental agility and faster reaction times. This aligns with cognitive adaptation theories in esports, suggesting that gaming's mental challenges can enhance various cognitive functions [18,20]. Nonetheless, the significance of balancing physical health with cognitive growth is paramount. ...
This study aims to compare physical activity levels, esports-specific reaction times, self-evaluated health, and injuries between non-professional esports players (EPs) and non-players (NPs). Participants were healthy, with an average age of 22.7 ± 2.49 years and BMI of 25.5 ± 4.95 kg/m2. Physical activity was quantified using the Baecke Questionnaire, while reaction times were measured with computer games. The analysis reveals that EPs exhibit significantly lower levels of physical activity compared to NPs (p < 0.05), underscoring the sedentary nature of esports. Despite this, EPs demonstrate superior reaction times (p < 0.001), suggesting cognitive enhancements associated with esports participation. EPs report increased incidences of gameplay-related discomfort (p = 0.025), highlighting health drawbacks of prolonged gaming. However, no significant differences were observed in overall self-evaluated health statuses and specific pain complaints between the groups, indicating a complex relationship between esports involvement and perceived health outcomes. These findings suggest that esports can offer cognitive benefits through improved reaction times but are also associated with reduced physical activity and increased reporting of discomfort. This dichotomy underscores the need for strategies that capitalize on the cognitive advantages of esports while mitigating its physical health risks, encouraging a more balanced engagement with the activity.
... Digital game-based learning (GBL) is the hallmark of the 21st century according to Boot et al. [31]. A game-based learning environment (GBL) is one in which gameplay and content improve knowledge and skill acquisition and where game activities include challenges and problem-solving areas that provide players/learners with a sense of accomplishment [32]. ...
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently experience impairments in a range of abilities. Due to their poor attention and concentration, they find it challenging to stay focused when learning. They need help to retain the directions given by teachers and are very animated. Focus issues, hyperactivity, and attention problems may hamper learning. The needs and challenges of children with ADHD have been addressed by numerous digital solutions over the years. These solutions support a variety of needs (e.g., diagnosing versus treating), aim to address a variety of goals (e.g., addressing inattention, impulsivity, working memory, executive functions, emotion regulation), and employ a wide range of technologies, including video games, PC, mobile, web, AR, VR, tangible interfaces, wearables, robots, and BCI/neurofeedback, occasionally even in tandem. According to studies on the psychological impacts of serious games, immersive games can potentially be valuable tools for treating ADHD. This research investigates using PC, mobile/tablet applications, augmented reality, virtual reality, and brain-computer interfaces to develop executive functions and metacognitive and emotional competencies in children with ADHD through serious games. Following PRISMA 2020 criteria, this systematic review includes a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The database search provided 784 records, and 30 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that serious games assisted by multiple technologies could significantly improve a wide range of cognitive and socioemotional meta-competencies among children with ADHD, including visuospatial working memory, attention, inhibition control, cognitive flexibility, planning/organizing, problem-solving, social communication, and emotional regulation. The results of this review may provide positive feedback for creating more inclusive digital training environments for the treatment of ADHD children.
... Attentional processing speed, as assessed by the TMT-A results, demonstrated that highly skilled gamers had better attentional processing speed than low-skilled gamers, in line with previous research [36,39,130,[133][134][135][136]. Additionally, findings revealed that participants in middle adolescence achieved better outcomes in the TMT-A than those in early adolescence. ...
Given the widespread popularity of videogames, research attempted to assess their effects on cognitive and affective abilities, especially in children and adolescents. Despite numerous correlational studies, robust evidence on the causal relationship between videogames and cognition remains scarce, hindered by the absence of a comprehensive assessment tool for gaming skills across various genres. In a sample of 347 adolescents, this study aimed to develop and validate the Gaming Skill Questionnaire (GSQ) and assess the impact of gaming skills in six different genres (sport, first-person shooters, role-playing games, action-adventure, strategy, and puzzle games) on cognitive and affective abilities of adolescents. The GSQ exhibited strong reliability and validity, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool. Gaming skills positively affected executive function, memory, overall cognition, cognitive flexibility, and emotion recognition, except for empathy. Various game genres had different effects on cognitive and affective abilities, with verbal fluency influenced mainly by sports, executive functions by action, strategy, and puzzle, and emotion recognition positively impacted by action and puzzle but negatively by sports and strategy games. Both age and gaming skills influenced cognitive flexibility, with gaming having a greater effect. These intriguing genre-specific effects on cognitive and affective functioning postulate further research with GSQ’s contribution.
... Previous research has demonstrated that individuals who engage in traditional AVG (AVGPs) outperform nonvideo game players (NVGPs) in tasks assessing visual short-term memory (VSTM), such as change detection, color wheel tasks, scene change detection, and enumeration tasks (Boot et al. 2008;Sungur and Boduroglu 2012;Clark, Fleck, and Mitroff 2011;Green and Bavelier 2006;Blacker and Curby 2013;Wilms, Petersen, and Vangkilde 2013;Blacker et al. 2014;Li et al. 2015;Colzato et al. 2013;Oei and Patterson 2013;McDermott, Bavelier, and Green 2014;Waris et al. 2019). Furthermore, recent investigations have explored the potential cognitive benefits of action realtime strategy gaming (ARSG), a relatively new genre of AVG that combines action and strategy elements, necessitating timely strategic decision-making and teamwork. ...
Background
The digital age has had a profound impact on our lives and cognitive abilities, such as working memory. Typically, visual working memory (VWM) is an important aspect of our working memory. As a crucial cognitive function for individuals, VWM has been extensively studied in the context of the digital age and may be affected by the digital age.
Objective
This review aims to provide a summary of the impact of the digital age on VWM and cover various aspects and novel methods for investigating its effects on our VWM.
Methods
Qualitative review of the VWM in the context of the digital age.
Results
This paper reviews the research on VWM in the context of the digital era, expounds the influence of both the digital content usage and the active video games on the VWM, introduces the application of the virtual technology in the research of VWM, and puts forward the future research direction of VWM in the context of the digital era.
Conclusion
By synthesizing the existing research, this review sheds light on the complex relationship between the digital age and VWM, as well as identifies potential avenues for future research on VWM.
... Green and Bavelier (Green and Bavelier, 2003) after comparing two groups of gamers and non-gamers to ascertain if the attentional demands of modern video games enhance video gamers' attentional abilities, found that video gamers showed superior attentional abilities on several standard cognitive tasks, such as ignoring distracting information. Despite this, upon comparing these findings with the same experiment conducted by Boot et al., (Boot et al., 2008) which encompassed a broader range of cognitive tasks than previously tested, it remains unclear to what extent attentional differences between gamers and non-gamers are due to pre-existing group disparities or video game play specifically. ...
In the era of rapid digitalization, the widespread integration of digital technology into various aspects of daily life has sparked significant interest in understanding its impact on cognitive mental processes. While the emerging data suggests that its influence may be positive or negative, the depth of evidence regarding neurobiological mechanisms remains limited. This review aims to synthesize previously published studies and develop a comprehensive framework that systematically categorizes digital technologies, the cognitive functions they impact, and developmental stages around the concept of neuroplasticity, while clearly illustrating their interconnections. Despite acknowledged limitations, through an exhaustive approach, this paper intends to offer a dynamic perspective on the effects of digital media on the human brain, before the onset of addiction.
... That is, the ability to task switch (Boot et al., 2008), an effect broadly coordinated by attention. Within the neuroscience literature, task switching is commonly associated with a suppression of alpha power and event related desynchronisation in the alpha frequency band prior to movement onset. ...
This study aimed to identify neural correlates of high performance in ecological valid, sporting tasks and quantify the differences between high skilled and low skilled players. To do this, Esports was chosen to be the sporting model to facilitate clean brain activity recordings whilst playing sport. After being separated based on skilled objective classification measure, players brain activity was then recorded as they completed a visuomotor psychophysics task and Esports aim-training tasks. Results indicated that skilled players display enhanced response in time-domain activity of occipital parietal electrodes, displaying increases to p100 and p300 peak amplitude. Peak decoding using MVPA, classifying brain activity between skilled or unskilled players, is achieved during the first 300ms of the response. Furthermore, skilled players show greater modulation to visual attention, gated by alpha oscillations localized to the visual cortex, and to cognitive workload, gated by theta oscillations localized to the frontal-midline. During complex, Esports tasks however, skilled players show an increase in frontal-midline theta showing the increased drive of ACC facilitating repeated execution of precise movements. Due to the nature of the model, applied implications are suggested for both coaches and athletes of all sports to utilize this research.
... 24 A study showed that expert players performed better than non-expert players in tracking moving objects, detecting change, and switching tasks. 25 Aligned with past studies, a moderate significant relationship between online gaming addiction and hand reaction time was observed in this study. Also, according to the daily time allocated to video games, the adolescents who play more than two hours a day have significantly better hand reaction times than those who play online games for less than one hour. ...
Objective: It was aimed to investigate the relationship between online gaming addiction, core muscle endurance, and reaction time in adolescents. Methods: The study was designed as a descriptive-correlational study and was conducted with 67 adolescents who play online games daily. The Online Gaming Addiction Scale, core muscle endurance tests, and hand and foot reaction time tests were performed. Results: The overall score of the Online Gaming Addiction Scale was 64.79±17.38, which corresponds as moderate negative reflections on the individual's life. A statistically significant difference was observed in online gaming addiction (p
... Systematic review findings have underlined the benefits of video games on brain functions such as visual attention (Green & Bavelier, 2003), visual short-term memory (Blacker & Curby, 2013), even though the beneficial effects vary among video game types (Brilliant et al., 2019). Video gaming has also been found to be positively associated with working memory improvements (Blacker et al., 2014;Boot et al., 2008;Chaarani et al., 2022;Green & Bavelier, 2006). The use of games has become an important part of education. ...
This study explored the relationship between digital gaming and creativity by conducting a meta-analysis of effect sizes using data from 78 effect sizes in 19 studies encompassing 3,172 samples. We employed a two-level multivariate model with a robust variance estimator and conducted separate analyses for between-subject and within-subject designs. For the between-subject designs, the mean effect size was r = .109, 95% [−0.036, 0.249], indicating non-significance. We conducted moderator analyses to explore potential sources of variation in the observed effects, including creativity test modality, creativity test type, divergent thinking index, analytical approach, age, gender, and year of publication. None of the examined moderators were found to be statistically significant. In contrast, we observed a significant mean effect size for within-subject designs based on 29 effects from seven studies (r = .772, 95% CI [0.595, 0.878]). Variation in mean effects by study design warrants caution when making inferences about the impact of digital gaming on creativity. The implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.
... Recent literature suggests that the immersive nature of video gaming can significantly modulate cognitive performance, particularly when gaming is coupled with other cognitive tasks (Strobach, Frensch & Schubert, 2012;Boot et al., 2008). Literature has delved into the impact of video gaming on cognitive performance, particularly when coupled with other cognitive tasks. ...
This study investigates the cognitive impacts of video game immersion and task interference on immediate and delayed recall as well as recognition tasks. We enrolled 160 subjects aged 18 to 29, who were regular players of "shoot-em-up" video games for at least 3 years. Participants were assigned to one of three experimental groups or a control group. The experimental conditions varied in the timing and type of tasks: the first group performed a video game session between recall tasks, the second group multitasked with video games and recall tasks simultaneously, and the third group engaged in task switching from video games to recall tasks. Using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, we measured the effects of these conditions on cognitive performance, focusing on error types and recall accuracy. Results indicated that multitasking and task switching significantly affected the subjects' performance, with notable decrements in recall and recognition accuracy in conditions of high task interference. The study highlights the cognitive costs associated with multitasking in immersive digital games and provides insights into how task similarity and interference might increase error rates and affect memory performance.
... However, the novelty of the VR experience might diminish over time (Boot et al., 2008;Hanus & Fox, 2015;Luse et al., 2013;Tsay et al., 2018). Initially, students might be highly engaged due to the newness of the experience, but as the novelty fades, the engagement levels might drop. ...
Background
Online synchronous learning in higher education frequently struggles to overcome the social presence gap, resulting in dissatisfaction and poor learning outcomes.
Objectives
This study examined the effectiveness of desktop‐based virtual reality (VR) social platforms compared to video conferencing (VC) platforms in enhancing students' learning gains and experiences in online synchronous learning.
Methods
The study used a within‐subject design, involving 34 college students in two online lecture modules, one via a VR social platform and another through a VC platform. Knowledge assessments occurred pre‐ and post‐modules and after 1 week. Students also completed post‐module questionnaires to evaluate their learning experience, in terms of social presence, easiness of use and perceived emotions. In‐depth interviews provided further insights into their experiences with both platforms.
Results
The study showed that using VR social platforms for online synchronous learning enhanced immediate knowledge, especially in students less interested in the content, yet it did not notably impact long‐term knowledge retention. Despite no significant findings in social presence from questionnaires, interviews indicated that the VR's heightened interactivity might be offset by the effect of not seeing others' real appearances in promoting social presence. Furthermore, the VC platform was found to be easier to use, attributed to its familiarity and user‐friendliness. Finally, students experienced increased fun, awe and interest, along with reduced boredom, when using the VR social platform.
Conclusion
The findings highlight the potential of VR to enrich online learning while underscoring the need for effective strategies facilitating a smooth integration into educational settings.
... Ïðèñóùàÿ VR-èãðàì ñïîñîáíîñòü ìîòèâèðîâàòü ïîëüçîâàòåëåé íà ïîâòîðåíèå èãðîâîãî ïðîöåññà â ñëó÷àå äåòåé ñ àìáëèîïèåé ïðåäñòàâëÿåòñÿ áîëüøèì ïðåèìóùåñòâîì ñ ó÷åòîì èìåþùåéñÿ íåóäîâëåòâîðèòåëüíîé ïðèâåðaeåííîñòè ýòèõ ïàöèåíòîâ òðàäèöèîííîé òåðàïèè. Èññëåäîâàíèÿ ïîêàçàëè, ÷òî ó äåòåé, êîòîðûå èãðàþò ñ èñïîëüçîâàíèåì VR-ñèñòåì, ïîâûøåíà òîëùèíà êîðû è èìååòñÿ áîëüøèé ðåãèîíàëüíûé îáúåì ñåðîãî âåùåñòâà â äîðñîëàòåðàëüíîé ïðåôðîíòàëüíîé êîðå è äðóãèõ îáëàñòÿõ ìîçãà [63,64], ÷òî ñïîñîáñòâóåò óëó÷øåíèþ ðÿäà êîãíèòèâíûõ íàâûêîâ [65,66]. ...
The review discusses the current state of affairs and prospects for the use of virtual reality (VR) technologies in visual rehabilitation strategies based on neuroplasticity activation. Vision training in VR has a number of advantages compared to traditional rehabilitation activities. Play-based VR exercises, practices in a safe and controlled environment, attract the users and encourage them to actively participate in therapy and comply with the treatment plan. VR systems have options that enable the creation of individual treatment programs tailored to the specific needs and abilities of each patient. VR systems are only beginning to be used in the rehabilitation of visually impaired but on the whole show promising results already. Yet, more careful evaluation of the results and additional research are required to overcome the existing limitations of the approach, such as a small size of the sample and lack of control groups. Objective diagnostic methods are needed to create a solid and high-quality evidence base. It seems promising to expand the potentials of VR technologies for visual rehabilitation of diverse retinal pathology patients by combining visual training in the virtual world with rhythmic photostimulation using optimal parameters of optical signals.
... Research has indicated potential benefits of the same for visual function (Spence & Feng, 2010). However, these benefits investigated in a natural environment were often limited and not applicable in the specific context of the game-competition (Boot et al., 2008;Murphy & Spencer, 2009;van Ravenzwaaij et al., 2014;Kristjánsson, 2013;Ferguson, 2007). It was thus hypothesized that early video games, being simple and not specifically designed for sports training or for the development of specific skills, offered limited applications in this field (Wolf, 2007;Powers, 2013). ...
The Sincrony Method, introduced in Italy in 1991, represents an innovative pedagogical approach in the motor-sport sector. Connected with the theory of embodied cognition, this method highlights the complex synergy between body and cognition, considering them fundamental tools in learning. A key aspect of this approach is the interaction between peripheral visual capacity and body dynamics, particularly relevant in high-level sports education. This study, focusing on Embodied Artificial Intelligence in the sports field, used as a specialized device, aims at training peripheral vision in real contexts. In the past decade, in this field, the integration of advanced technologies such as video games or viewers has been tested with ambivalent results often related to a lack of transferability. Therefore, the application of new technologies directly in the real training environment could make motor learning more efficient. Although data are limited, the integration of Embodied A.I. for the improvement of peripheral vision, according to expert estimates, is potentially enriching. However, it must be acknowledged that, while this technology is estimated to be useful in the evolution of motor learning, it cannot replace traditional teaching. The real challenge will then consist of integrating body, mind, environment, and technology in a holistic approach to refine technical skills while respecting individual uniqueness. 1. Introduction The Sincrony method is a motor teaching methodology that was developed in Italy around 1991, although the first official text was not published until 2008. It relies on the biomechanical understanding of movement and offers a practical and integrated approach that encompasses both the motor and neurophysiological dimensions. In this method, among the various investigated aspects of movement, it highlights the importance of the interaction between peripheral vision and bodily movement. Furthermore, it emphasizes how vision training can be utilized to enhance both generic motor abilities and more complex sports skills. This methodology can be connected to the theory of embodied cognition, as it views motor practice not as a collection of isolated abilities but rather interprets it as a complex function influenced by the continuous interaction between internal perception, the external environment, and action. The implementation of the Sincrony Method within the context of embodied cognition serves to illustrate how biomechanical concepts can be effectively 44 applied in praxeology, but only if viewed through an integrative lens. With peripheral vision placed at the heart of the interaction between the individual and their environment , the Sincrony method also aligns with various theoretical models of motor physiology, underscoring the perpetual need for both internal and external feedback (Betestein, 1967; Adams, 1987). The attention to biomechanical detail, in synergy with the acuteness of visual perception, creates a motor learning system that highlights the interdependence between cognition and physical action, promoting a physical education that reflects the complex and coordinated nature of human experience.
... In contrast to predictions, AC-shifting moderates the relationship between internet game addiction tendency and attentional engagement bias. Studies have suggested that the gaming experience could influence visual processing and certain visual attentional abilities (55)(56)(57). For example, Boot and his colleagues (56) investigated visual search skills and reaction times to visual stimuli, and the ability to process rapid visual information of game players was higher compared to non-gamers. ...
Background
The aim of this study was to elucidate individual difference factors that modulate the attentional processing of game stimuli to explain the heterogeneity of extant findings. The current study examined whether individual differences in components of attentional control (AC-shifting and AC-focusing) moderated the link between internet gaming addiction symptom and attentional engagement to and disengagement biases from game-relevant cues.
Methods
A total of 75 male undergraduate students who have played League of Legend (LOL) for more than 2 years completed well-established self-report questionnaires of internet gaming disorder symptoms and attentional control. The attentional bias toward game stimuli was measured for attentional engagement and disengagement using the attentional response to the distal vs. proximal emotional information (ARDPEI) task.
Results
The results revealed that attentional control was a significant moderator of the relationship between internet game addiction symptoms and attentional disengagement bias. Further analyses revealed a positive relationship between internet game addiction symptoms and attentional disengagement bias only among those with low levels of AC-shifting ability. Contrary to our expectations, AC-shifting also moderated the relationship between internet gaming disorder and attentional engagement bias. The positive relationship between internet game addiction symptoms and attentional engagement bias only appeared among those with low levels of AC-shifting ability. Individual differences in AC-focusing did not moderate the relationship between internet gaming disorder and any attentional bias.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that the greater the symptoms of game addiction, the stronger the attentional bias, especially in individuals with low AC-shifting ability. Therefore, it is necessary to examine sub-factors of AC in understanding the nature of attentional bias mechanisms in the development of internet game addiction and consider it as a psychological intervention to improve attentional bias.
... In line with this, previous studies have shown that serious games lead to an increase in individuals' motivation to engage more intensively with the learning content, thereby increasing the time devoted to learning [5][6][7][8]. Accordingly, previous studies have shown that students in the medical and nursing professions generally show a positive attitude toward serious games [9,10]. Reviews of published studies on serious games in health-care education show that serious games most often result in an increase in knowledge acquisition and are perceived as offering an attractive learning approach in comparison with traditional methods [7,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. ...
Background
The use of serious games in medical education provides a bridge between rapidly developing technology and traditional health-care teaching. Building on a promising web-based serious game for reviewing and acquiring factual knowledge in dental education, the present study investigated the benefits of a dual-player mode and various game options for enhancing knowledge gain and study motivation.
Methods
Before the intervention, students’ dental knowledge and game experience were assessed using a pre-knowledge test and questionnaire-based self-assessment. Students in the clinical study phase (n = 57) were stratified based on prior knowledge and gender and then randomly assigned to two groups, with two player modes: single player (SP) and dual player (DP). In the SP group, each participant played alone, whereas in the DP group, the participants played against a previously determined peer. For a period of 4 weeks, the students were able to playfully acquire knowledge from the field of operative dentistry using METIS, a serious game application with three different game options (Marathon, Sprint, and Time). After the intervention phase, both groups completed a post-knowledge test. The usability of the serious game was evaluated with a self-assessment questionnaire.
Results
The competitive game mode (DP mode; M = 8.92, SD = 1.85) resulted in an increase in the factual knowledge test that was a mean of 2.49 points higher than the SP mode (M = 5.89, SD = 2.19; p < 0.001). The DP group also found the game significantly more helpful for learning (p = 0.04) and engaged more with the teaching content because of the app (p = 0.04). Overall, the usability of METIS was rated as excellent, and students successfully improved their knowledge of dentistry after game play with both game modes (SP, DP, p < 0.001), with the game option “Marathon,” which involves playing the largest number of questions, being the most preferred.
Conclusions
These results suggest that serious games such as METIS are a suitable educational medium for increasing students’ knowledge and interest in the field, and that competition with peers provides even greater motivation to engage with the learning content.
... First, previous studies have predominantly utilized cross-sectional designs to explore the relationship between digital game usage and creativity, making it challenging to establish causal relationships. It is plausible that digital games use may enhance creativity and vice versa, but individuals with different levels of cognitive ability may also prefer different kinds of digital games (Boot, Kramer, Simons, Fabiani, & Gratton, 2008). For example, individuals with high creativity may be more likely to seek novelty and take risks (Davis, 1992;Feist, 1998), which can be fulfilled by specific features of digital games. ...
With the increasing popularity of the Internet, there is significant interest among academics and the public in understanding the relationship between the Internet and individual development. However, the association between digital games use and creativity has been a topic of controversy, as highlighted in previous research. This study aimed to investigate the potential moderating effect of cultural backgrounds on the relationship between digital games use and creativity. To examine this hypothesis, a meta-analysis of 11 papers (51 effect values) was conducted. The findings revealed digital games use was significantly correlated with originality and elaboration, rather than fluency and flexibility. Moreover, the relationship between digital games use and originality was found to be moderated by cultural collectivism-individualism. Specifically, as the level of individualistic culture increased, the strength of the correlation between digital games use and originality gradually diminished. No such moderating effect was observed for other dimensions of creativity. These results hold important theoretical implications for understanding the impact of digital games use on individual cognitive development. Additionally, they provide practical insights for offering sensitive recommendations on how to effectively harness the positive effects of digital games.
... Both of these skills are reflected in the player's reaction time, an important metric, both for gamers and researchers alike. Research suggests that video games can improve psychomotor speed and reaction times, with FPS games exhibiting particular promise in psychomotor speed (Ahn & Won, 2023;Boot et al., 2008;Chaarani et al., 2022;Deleuze et al., 2017;Horoszkiewicz et al., 2022;Ou et al., 2013;Reynaldo et al., 2021). ...
The cognitive and affective impacts of video games are subjects of ongoing debate, with recent research recognizing their potential benefits. This study employs the Gaming Skill Questionnaire (GSQ) to evaluate participants' gaming skills across six genres and overall proficiency. Eighty-eight individuals aged 20-40 participated, completed assessments of empathy and six cognitive abilities: verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, visuospatial short-term memory, visuospatial working memory, psychomotor speed (hand-eye coordination), and attention. Cognitive abilities were examined using the Digit Span Test, Corsi Block Test, and Deary-Liewald Reaction Time Task, while empathy was assessed using the Empathy Quotient Questionnaire. Findings indicate that high video game skill levels correlate with improvements in visuospatial short-term and working memory, psychomotor speed, and attention. Different genres enhanced specific skills: RPGs positively influenced verbal working and visuospatial short-term memory but negatively affected empathy; action games improved psychomotor speed and attention; and puzzle games benefited visuospatial working memory. These promising results contribute positively to ongoing research on the cognitive and affective effects of video games, highlighting the potential for video games to enhance certain cognitive functions while also underscoring the complexity of their impact on empathy. Future research should further investigate genre-specific effects and long-term outcomes.
... Some articles seem to suggest a link between the development of psychomotor and cognitive skills and the practice of video games [2]. Research dating back to the early 1980s has consistently shown that playing video games (regardless of genre) enables players to acquire faster reaction times, better hand-eye coordination, enhanced psychomotor skills, and improved self-esteem [3][4][5]. These elements have been found in various fields, including medical education. ...
Background
The practice of dental surgery requires a few different skills, including mental rotation of an object, precision of movement with good hand-eye coordination, and speed of technical movement. Learning these different skills begins during the preclinical phase of dental student training. Moreover, playing a musical instrument or video game seems to promote the early development of these skills. However, we found that studies specifically addressing this issue in the field of dental education are lacking.
Objective
The main aims of this study are to evaluate whether the ability to mentally represent a volume in 3D, the precision of gestures with their right and left hand, or the speed of gesture execution is better at baseline or progresses faster for players (video games or music or both).
Methods
A prospective monocentric controlled and longitudinal study will be conducted from September 2023 and will last until April 2025 in the Faculty of Dental Surgery of Nantes. Participants were students before starting their preclinical training. Different tests will be used such as Vandenberg and Kuse’s mental rotation test, the modified Precision Manual Dexterity (PMD), and performing a pulpotomy on a permanent tooth. This protocol was approved by the Ethics, Deontology, and Scientific Integrity Committee of Nantes University (institutional review board approval number IORG0011023).
Results
A total of 86 second-year dental surgery students were enrolled to participate in the study in September 2023. They will take part in 4 iterations of the study, the last of which will take place in April 2025.
Conclusions
Playing video games or a musical instrument or both could be a potential tool for initiating or facilitating the learning of certain technical skills in dental surgery.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/55738
... Another study [22] found that engagement in video game activities leads to a reorganization of the neural system associated with cognitive control, resulting in an enhanced ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously i.e. cognitive flexibility. A longitudinal and cross-sectional study [23] was conducted wherein they employed a task-switching test to investigate the impact of video game experience on the cognitive flexibility of the participants. In their cross-sectional study, researchers observed that individuals who engage in action video games demonstrated superior This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. ...
... 5 According to some research, playing for a certain amount of time does not improve short term memory. 6 Although video games do not improve short term memory, they can affect visual -short term memory. 7 Video games have been shown to benefit certain cognitive systems related to visual attention and short-term memory. ...
... Navigation performance is influenced by a variety of factors. For example, males tend to represent geometric attributes, while females tend to represent landmarks (Moffat et al., 1998); people with a better sense of direction were more likely to point to unseen landmark in familiar environments (Kozlowski & Bryant, 1977); and video game experience was also an important factor affecting spatial ability which was partially reflected in sense of direction (Boot et al., 2008). Six covariates were considered: age, gender, and education, score on the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction (SBSOD) Scale (Hegarty, 2002), self-reported mathematical ability and 3D gaming experience. ...
... Indeed, they are known to improve visuospatial attention (W. R. Boot et al., 2008), but they may also lead to increased impulsivity (West et al., 2020) and aggressive behaviors (Q. Zhang et al., 2021aZhang et al., , 2021b, with this being mediated by an individual's personal factors (Burkhardt & Lenhard, 2022;Gentile et al., 2012;López-Fernández et al., 2021). ...
This report explores the potential implications of rapidly integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications into children's environments. The introduction of AI in our daily lives necessitates scrutiny considering the significant role of the environment in shaping cognition, socio-emotional skills, and behaviors, especially during the first 25 years of cerebral development. As AI becomes prevalent in educational and leisure activities, it will significantly modify the experiences of children and adolescents, presenting both challenges and opportunities for their developmental trajectories. This analysis was informed by consulting with 15 experts from pertinent disciplines (AI, product development, child development, and neurosciences), along with a comprehensive review of scientific literature on children development and child-technology interactions. Overall, AI experts anticipate that AI will transform leisure activities, revolutionize education, and redefine human-machine interactions. While AI offers substantial benefits in fostering interactive engagement, it also poses risks that require careful considerations, especially during sensitive developmental periods. The report advocates for proactive international collaboration across multiple disciplines and increased research into how technological innovations affect child development. Such efforts are crucial for designing a sustainable and ethical future for the next generation through specific child-centered regulations, and helping to educate all potential stakeholders (regulators, developers, parents and educators, children) about responsible AI use and its potential impacts on child development.
... Due to its aforementioned availability and seemingly superior construct validity, the CST presents as a potentially useful paradigm in intervention research, where multiple cognitive tests are often administered to participants in a test-retest design. Task-switching paradigms have been previously used in a variety of test-retest designs, including the study of the potential cognitive benefits of action video game play (Boot et al., 2008;Green et al., 2012), and the study of the deleterious effects of total sleep deprivation on cognition (Couyoumdjian et al., 2010;Slama et al., 2018) for example. However, two potential problems may emerge in such a scenario. ...
... Video games have also been shown to be able to train different cognitive abilities (for a metaanalysis, see . Earlier studies have focused on action video games and their effects on (visual) attention and (visual) working memory (e.g., Boot et al., 2008;) -action video games require a multitude of different skills for successful play, which they in turn train while playing (for a review, see Spence & Feng, 2010). On the one hand, this is a compelling argument for using video games to train multiple abilities at once. ...
... Memory of slow learners can be improved by performing play activities which enhance memory. 2 Play contributes to health and brain development. In academic environment, play helps the children to adjust with the school setting, thereby fostering school engagement and enhances children's learning readiness, behaviors and problem-solving skills. ...
... From the point of view of cognitive science, it is known that esports can help players gain faster reaction time and information processing skills [2,3]. Moreover, esports experts have superior visual behavior (e.g., gaze movement) and attention skills (e.g., visual attention) [4,5]. The gaze movement is a well-known factor for understanding the superior performance level in esports [6]. ...
... That being said, mismatches between a player's proficiency to efficiently deal damage and the challenge a game offers (independent from single-player or competitive settings) can harm a player's perception of flow [28,35,36,72,94], as consistently being unable to deliver a necessary amount of damage can easily cause frustration, and effortlessly finishing combat because of disproportionate damage numbers is linked to boredom instead of interesting play [37][38][39]. As accomplishing this is rarely an easy task, but often involves and requires perception, memory, motor skills, anticipation, timing, accuracy, coordination, response selection and other dimensions [19,20,31,41,42,62,75,92,104,106,135], players are often willing to invest considerable amount of times in learning, understanding and practicing combos, techniques or rotations [58,112,140]. To this respect, a rotation is commonly defined as "an order in which [one casts] items, spells, or other abilities [...]. ...
The concept of dealing damage is established and widespread in video games. With growing complexity and countless interactions in modern games, capturing how damage unfolds becomes an intricate problem - for developers just as for players. Misunderstanding how to optimize damage potentials includes risks of game imbalances, game-breaking exploits, mismatches between player skill and challenge (harming flow), and impaired perceived competence. All of these considerably impact player experience, game reception, success, and retention, yet polishing optimal strategies remains often a player community effort. To accelerate, inform and ease this process, we implemented an interactive tool capable of simulating, visualizing, planning and comparing damage strategies in video games. Following a case study within the Guild Wars 2 community, we contribute a player-driven perspective on the problem of damage optimization, as well as an artifact that resulted in empirical improvements – advancing the fields of game analytics, game evaluation methods and self-regulated learning.
p>The study aims to estimate the impact of the video game "Fall Guys" on the convergent and divergent cognitive processes of players with different levels of gaming experience. Convergent processes assessed included short-term memory, selective attention, and mental inhibition. The indicator of divergent processes was verbal fluency. Among 203 surveyed students from the first year of psychology faculties, 147 later participated in the experimental study where 74 participants completed cognitive tests before and after playing the video game, while 73 participants completed tests before and after reading popular science texts printed on a paper blank. The gaming condition involved the popular arcade game "Fall Guys." The battery of cognitive tests included a short-term memory assessment, the Eriksen Flanker Task, the SART task, a short version of J. Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, the Guilford Unusual Uses Test, and the Deary-Liewald Task. A total of four sessions were completed based on the number of cognitive indicators. Participants with regular gaming experience showed higher scores in fluid intelligence, reaction speed, verbal fluency, and abilities related to selective attention and mental inhibition compared to non-players. However, short-term video game experience (compared to reading popular science texts) led to a decline in selective attention and mental inhibition but positively affected verbal creativity scores. Therefore, no positive short-term effect of video gaming on convergent processes was identified, though it was observed for verbal fluency scores. The significant differences in cognitive indicators between gamers and non-gamers allow for the discussion of these results in terms of the potential long-term effects of video games on both convergent and divergent processes.</p
GİRİŞ
Teknolojinin hayatımıza girmesi ile birçok alanda fayda elde etmiş, zaman alan aktivitelerden kurtulmuş, eğitim, ulaşım, sağlık gibi birçok sektörde hayatımızı kolaylaştıran fırsatlar elde etmiş olsak da kolaylaşan koşullarla birlikte bazı noktaların artık daha da zorlaştığı aşikâr. Zorlaşan bu alanların en başında dijital oyunlara karşı gelişen bağımlı davranışlar gelmektedir. Geçmişte çocuklar için sokaklar oyun alanı iken, bugün kendilerine keyif veren ve hayatı deneyimleme bakımından önem taşıyan oyun oynama ortamı tam anlamıyla değişmiş, sokaktan evlere taşınmış durumdadır. Teknoloji ile hayatımıza giren dijital oyunlar bireylere keyif veren bir aktivite olsa da oyunun değişen doğası birçok sosyal ve psikolojik sorunu da beraberinde getirmiştir. Geçmişte oyunun doğasında çocukların hayatı birbirleri ile deneyimlemeleri, oyun üzerinden derinlemesine bağ kurmaları varken bugün sağlıklı iletişim kurma ortamının sağlanmasının pek mümkün olmadığı dijital oyunlar ve arkadaşlıkların yaygınlaştığı görülmektedir. Bildiğimiz oyunlar veya diğer bir ifadeyle geleneksel oyunlar insan doğası için gerekli doğal birer aktivite olup bireyin büyümesine katkı sağlaması sebebiyle sağlıklı olduklarının da bir göstergesi ve bireylerin hem kendileri hem de başkalarıyla iletişim kurmaları için önemli bir iletişim aracıdır (Winnicott, 2019, s. 67). Oyun oynayan kişi genellikle sağlıklı ve motivasyonu yüksek olarak değerlendirilmekteydi. Hem toplumsal olarak hem de zihin sağlığı çerçevesinde değerlendirildiğinde neredeyse her kesimin geleneksel oyunları oynamaya bakışı bu nedenle oldukça pozitiftir ve teşvik edilen bir davranıştır. Çünkü oyun adeta bir terapi gibidir ve birey gerçek dünyayı oyun üzerinden ve oyun içerisinde deneyimler. Oyun içerisinde özgür olan birey oyundan keyif alır ve oyunun kontrolü tamamen kendisinde olduğu için özgürce oyunun yönünü ve tarzını kendi isteğine göre şekillendirebilir. Oyun, aynı zamanda çocuğun konuşmadığı fakat hareket ettiği, sembollerle dolu bir ortamdır (Klein, 2015, s. 31-32). Oyunun heyecan verici olma özelliği ise evrenseldir. İçinde yaratıcılığın da bulunduğu oyun birey için önemli bir deneyimdir. Dijital oyunlarda ise geleneksel oyunlardan farklı olarak çoğunlukla gerçek dışı bir dünya söz konusudur. Dijital oyunların sınırları ve kuralları vardır ve genellikle bir yarış içerisinde kurgulandığı için kaybetme hissi kaçınılmaz biçimde sürekli olarak deneyimlenir.
The proposed idea explores the effect of video gaming on brain function, focusing on how gaming enhances cognitive speed due to the improvement of gray matter in the brain. We hypothesize that regular gaming activates neural pathways, improving mental agility and managing anxiety levels. Using data from gamers, we measured cognitive speed through reaction times and assessed anxiety via self-reports. Results indicate that increased gray matter correlates with faster brain function during gameplay, especially in lower-anxiety conditions. These findings highlight gaming's role in enhancing brain functions and cognitive performance.
Background
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) high-intensity interval training (HIIT) boxing protocol compared to traditional high-intensity circuit training (HICT) in improving exercise motivation, engagement, and physiological responses among 30 healthy medical students.
Objective
The purpose was to compare the VR HIIT protocol, which involved using an Oculus Quest 2 for a futuristic exoskeleton game experience, with a traditional 12-exercise HICT.
Methods
In total, 30 medical students engaged in both VR HIIT, using an Oculus Quest 2 for a futuristic exoskeleton game experience, and a traditional 12-exercise HICT. Metrics included heart rate (HR) and blood lactate levels before and after exercise alongside ratings of perceived exertion and the Situational Motivation Scale.
Results
VR HIIT showed significantly higher mean HR (mean 161, SD 15 vs mean 144, SD 11 bpm; d =1.5; P <.001), peak HR (mean 182, SD 15 vs mean 176, SD 11 bpm; d =0.8; P =.001), and ratings of perceived exertion (mean 16, SD 2 vs mean 15, SD 2; d =0.4; P =.03). Postexercise lactate levels were higher in HICT (mean 8.8, SD 4.5 vs mean 10.6, SD 3.0 mmol/L; d =0.6; P =.006). Intrinsic motivation and other psychological measures showed no significant differences, except for lower fatigue in HICT ( d =0.5; P =.02).
Conclusions
VR HIIT significantly enhances physiological parameters while maintaining intrinsic motivation, making it a viable alternative to traditional HICT. However, the short-term nature of this study is a limitation, and future research should explore the long-term engagement and therapeutic impacts of VR exercise in diverse and clinical populations.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are increasingly used in various industries. However, this increased automation can lead to reduced safety, decreasing situational awareness (SA). Industry experts have investigated operator accuracy, attentiveness, and selection methods by testing transferable skills between pilots with different video gaming (VG) habits and flying a drone. To contribute to this research further, we investigated pilots’ VG playing habits on SA while flying a UAV and their ability to learn and perform in a novel scenario. SA of non-VG playing pilots and VG playing pilots while operating a drone using a simulator was compared. VG playing pilots ( n = 31), compared to non-VG playing pilots ( n = 31) were quicker to adapt and learn in a novel environment and exhibited significantly better SA while flying a drone. These findings may be useful to identify individuals who are predisposed to better SA, thus improving selection and training.
This study aims to reveal the impact of using the digital game Minecraft: Education Edition in teaching geographical features in social studies on the achievement and spatial perception skills of 5th grade students. The research adopts a sequential explanatory mixed-method design. Quantitative data was collected using self-assessment and teacher assessment forms on spatial perception skills, and an achievement test developed by the researchers. Qualitative data was gathered through interviews. The study found that using Minecraft led to an increase in students' achievement and their skills in examining space. This study provides valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers, offering a potential pathway to enhance students' understanding of geographical concepts and spatial perception skills through interactive digital tools such as Minecraft: Education Edition in the future.
E-sports necessitate maintaining high-speed reactions as well as precise and frequent hand-eye coordination during competitions. This study employs literature review, experimental methods, and statistical analysis to compare the hand-eye coordination abilities of e-sports participants with non-e-sports participants. Additionally, it investigates the correlation between hand-eye coordination and the duration of gaming. The study encompasses a total of 90 subjects, categorized into three groups based on their weekly gaming hours. The first group comprises e-sports participants who engage in gaming for 14 hours or more per week, while the second group consists of those who game for less than 14 hours per week. The third group includes non-e-sports participants. The findings of the study are as follows:1.E-sports participants exhibit significantly superior visual reaction times and hand-eye coordination abilities compared to non-e-sports participants.2.Among e-sports participants, those who game for more than 14 hours per week demonstrate better visual reaction times, hand-eye coordination, and short-term decision-making capabilities.3.Within the e-sports cohort, FPS (First-Person Shooter) players outperform MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) players in visual reaction times and hand-eye coordination. Conversely, MOBA players excel in short-term decision-making compared to FPS players.
Background
Currently, the fusion of technology and sports is inevitable. The integration of various systems and devices has brought about significant transformations in established sports practices, impacting not only the rules but also physiological, biomechanical, and even psychological aspects.
Objective
The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of an attention intervention through a video game on young soccer players.
Methods
Twelve young male soccer players (age: mean 8.5, SD 1 years) were divided into 2 groups: a control group (CG; n=10) and an experimental group (EG; n=10). During the 6-week training program, the EG received attention training through a video game twice a week for 15 minutes per session. Pre- and postintervention measurements included a specific decision-making soccer test and interviews with coaching staff. Additionally, success in the video game, muscular activity, and sweat levels were monitored.
Results
The EG demonstrated a significant improvement in video game success following the intervention program, as indicated by the achieved level ( P <.001). However, no significant differences were found between groups regarding electromyographic (EMG) activity ( P =.21) and sweating ( P =.20). Prior to implementing the attention training program, both groups exhibited similar data for variables related to decision-making and execution mechanisms (≤10%). Only 2 decision-making variables exceeded 10% but remained below 15% (Shot_D=13.35%; Marking_with_Ball_D=−12.64%). Furthermore, changes in attacking action variables were more pronounced in execution-related variables, except for dribbling and fixing. Conversely, in defensive action variables, changes were greater in decision-related variables, except for marking with the ball and marking without the ball.
Conclusions
Our findings reveal that incorporating a specific attentional video game into a soccer training program enhances decision-making compared to a program without the video game. Therefore, it is advisable for practitioners to consider using this tool due to its high efficiency in terms of economic and temporal costs, particularly in improving a key psychological variable.
We argue herein that typical training procedures are far from optimal. The goat of training in real-world settings is, or should be, to support two aspects of posttraining performance: (a) the level of performance in the long term and (b) the capability to transfer that training to related tasks and altered contexts. The implicit or explicit assumption of those persons responsible for training is that the procedures that enhance performance and speed improvement during training will necessarily achieve these two goals. However, a variety of experiments on motor and verbal learning indicate that this assumption is often incorrect. Manipulations that maximize performance during training can be detrimental in the long term; conversely, manipulations that degrade the speed of acquisition can support the long-term goals of training. The fact that there are parallel findings in the motor and verbal domains suggests that principles of considerable generality can be deduced to upgrade training procedures.
The relationship between mental rotation ability and gender differences in Scholastic Aptitude Test-Math (SAT-M) across diverse samples was investigated. Talented preadolescents, college students and high- and low-ability college-bound youths, totaling 760, were administered the Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test. Gender comparisons showed male outperforming female students in both mental rotation and SAT-M for all 3 high-ability groups but not for the low-ability group. For all female samples, mental rotation predicted math aptitude even when SAT-Verbal was entered first into the regression. For male samples, the relationship varied as a function of sample. When mental rotation ability was statistically adjusted for, the significant gender difference in SAT-M was eliminated for the college sample and the high-ability college-bound students. This suggests that spatial ability may be responsible in part for mediating gender differences in math aptitude among these groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The authors examined whether the learning and performance of dual tasks by young and old adults could be enhanced through training. Adults were trained with either a fixed-priority or variable-priority training strategy on a monitoring task and an alphabet-arithmetic task and then transferred to a scheduling and a paired-associates running memory task. Participants in the variable priority condition learned the monitoring and alphabet-arithmetic tasks more quickly and achieved a higher level of mastery on these tasks than did those in the fixed-priority condition. Moreover, participants trained with the variable priority technique showed evidence of the development of automatic processing and a more rapid rate of learning and higher level of mastery of the transfer tasks than did the fixed-priority participants. These results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms that underlie learning and performance of dual tasks and with respect to potential applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Researchers interested in the associations of gender with spatial experience and spatial ability have not yet focused on several
activities that have become common in the modern digital age. In this study, using a new questionnaire called the Survey of
Spatial Representation and Activities (SSRA), we examined spatial experiences with computers and videogames in a sample of
nearly 1,300 undergraduate students. Large gender differences, which favored men, were found in computer experience. Although
men and women also differed on SAT scores, gender differences in computer experience were still apparent with SAT factored
out. Furthermore, men and women with high and low levels of computer experience, who were selected for more intensive study,
were found to differ significantly on the Mental Rotations Test (MRT). Path analyses showed that computer experience substantially
mediates the gender difference in spatial ability observed on the MRT. These results collectively suggest that the “Digital
Divide” is an important phenomenon and that encouraging women and girls to gain spatial experiences, such as computer usage,
might help to bridge the gap in spatial ability between the sexes.
The present paper discusses the theoretical foundations and methodological rationale of a novel approach to the training of complex skills. This approach is based on the introduction of multiple emphasis changes on subcomponents of a complex task. The approach links together arguments from models of skills and theories of attention. It is construed that the core of expert performance is an organized set of response strategies that can be employed flexibly to meet task demands. Strategies can be constructed through emphasis change. This approach was applied to the training of 4 groups of players in a highly demanding computer game. Subjects trained under emphasis manipulations performed significantly better than control players who played the game for the same duration without instruction. Moreover, the advantage of the trained groups continued to increase after formal training had been terminated. Low-ability subjects benefitted more than high ability subjects from multiple emphasis changes. The proposed approach appears capable of resolving several of the difficulties that were hitherto encountered by traditional part-whole training methods.
Declines in various cognitive abilities, particularly executive control functions, are observed in older adults. An important goal of cognitive training is to slow or reverse these age-related declines. However, opinion is divided in the literature regarding whether cognitive training can engender transfer to a variety of cognitive skills in older adults. In the current study, the authors trained older adults in a real-time strategy video game for 23.5 hr in an effort to improve their executive functions. A battery of cognitive tasks, including tasks of executive control and visuospatial skills, were assessed before, during, and after video-game training. The trainees improved significantly in the measures of game performance. They also improved significantly more than the control participants in executive control functions, such as task switching, working memory, visual short-term memory, and reasoning. Individual differences in changes in game performance were correlated with improvements in task switching. The study has implications for the enhancement of executive control processes of older adults.
Through rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP), we asked Ss to identify a partially specified letter (target) and then to detect the presence or absence of a fully specified letter (probe). Whereas targets are accurately identified, probes are poorly detected when they are presented during a 270-ms interval beginning 180 ms after the target. Probes presented immediately after the target or later in the RSVP stream are accurately detected. This temporary reduction in probe detection was not found in conditions in which a brief blank interval followed the target or Ss were not required to identify the target. The data suggest that the presentation of stimuli after the target but before target-identification processes are complete produces interference at a letter-recognition stage. This interference may cause the temporary suppression of visual attention mechanisms observed in the present study.
Within an information processing framework, age-related declines in speeded responding are attributed to one or more stages of processing. It was the purpose of this experiment to demonstrate the potential reversibility of this decline in at least one processing stage, response selection. Two groups of elderly participants (57 to 83 years) were pretested on a two-choice reaction time (RT) task under two levels of spatial stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility, a task demand shown to affect response selection. Following the pretest, one group participated in 7 weeks of videogame play, whereas a second group did not. All participants were posttested on the same two-choice RT task. The results of the analysis of covariance revealed that those elderly individuals who played videogames were faster than the control participants under both levels of S-R compatibility. The effect of videogame play, however, was greater for low compatibility. These results are taken as support for a potential to improve response selection through videogame play.
Alternative explanations for the male advantage in arithmetical reasoning, as measured by the ability to solve complex word problems, include a male advantage in spatial cognition and a male advantage in computational fluency. The current study was designed to test these competing hypotheses. To this end, 113 male and 123 female undergraduates were administered arithmetical computations and arithmetical reasoning tests, along with an IQ test and a test of spatial cognition. There was no sex difference on the IQ test, but males showed significantly higher mean scores on the arithmetical computations, arithmetical reasoning, and spatial cognition measures. A series of structural equation models indicated that individual differences in arithmetical reasoning were related to individual differences in IQ, spatial abilities, and computational fluency. Moreover, the results suggested that the male advantage in arithmetical reasoning is mediated by the male advantages in both computational fluency and spatial cognition.
Cognitive function in older adults is related to independent living and need for care. However, few studies have addressed whether improving cognitive functions might have short- or long-term effects on activities related to living independently.
To evaluate whether 3 cognitive training interventions improve mental abilities and daily functioning in older, independent-living adults.
Randomized, controlled, single-blind trial with recruitment conducted from March 1998 to October 1999 and 2-year follow-up through December 2001.
Volunteer sample of 2832 persons aged 65 to 94 years recruited from senior housing, community centers, and hospital/clinics in 6 metropolitan areas in the United States.
Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: 10-session group training for memory (verbal episodic memory; n = 711), or reasoning (ability to solve problems that follow a serial pattern; n = 705), or speed of processing (visual search and identification; n = 712); or a no-contact control group (n = 704). For the 3 treatment groups, 4-session booster training was offered to a 60% random sample 11 months later.
Cognitive function and cognitively demanding everyday functioning.
Thirty participants were incorrectly randomized and were excluded from the analysis. Each intervention improved the targeted cognitive ability compared with baseline, durable to 2 years (P<.001 for all). Eighty-seven percent of speed-, 74% of reasoning-, and 26% of memory-trained participants demonstrated reliable cognitive improvement immediately after the intervention period. Booster training enhanced training gains in speed (P<.001) and reasoning (P<.001) interventions (speed booster, 92%; no booster, 68%; reasoning booster, 72%; no booster, 49%), which were maintained at 2-year follow-up (P<.001 for both). No training effects on everyday functioning were detected at 2 years.
Results support the effectiveness and durability of the cognitive training interventions in improving targeted cognitive abilities. Training effects were of a magnitude equivalent to the amount of decline expected in elderly persons without dementia over 7- to 14-year intervals. Because of minimal functional decline across all groups, longer follow-up is likely required to observe training effects on everyday function.
Useful field of view, a measure of processing speed and spatial attention, can be improved with training. We evaluated the effects of this improvement on older adults' driving performance. Elderly adults participated in a speed-of-processing training program (N = 48), a traditional driver training program performed in a driving simulator (N = 22), or a low-risk reference group (N = 25). Before training, immediately after training or an equivalent time delay, and after an 18-month delay each participant was evaluated in a driving simulator and completed a 14-mile (22.5-km) open-road driving evaluation. Speed-of-processing training, but not simulator training, improved a specific measure of useful field of view (UFOV), transferred to some simulator measures, and resulted in fewer dangerous maneuvers during the driving evaluation. The simulator-trained group improved on two driving performance measures: turning into the correct lane and proper signal use. Similar effects were not observed in the speed-of-processing training or low-risk reference groups. The persistence of these effects over an 18-month test interval was also evaluated. Actual or potential applications of this research include driver assessment and/or training programs and cognitive intervention programs for older adults.
Here, we demonstrate that action video game play enhances subjects' ability in two tasks thought to indicate the number of items that can be apprehended. Using an enumeration task, in which participants have to determine the number of quickly flashed squares, accuracy measures showed a near ceiling performance for low numerosities and a sharp drop in performance once a critical number of squares was reached. Importantly, this critical number was higher by about two items in video game players (VGPs) than in non-video game players (NVGPs). A following control study indicated that this improvement was not due to an enhanced ability to instantly apprehend the numerosity of the display, a process known as subitizing, but rather due to an enhancement in the slower more serial process of counting. To confirm that video game play facilitates the processing of multiple objects at once, we compared VGPs and NVGPs on the multiple object tracking task (MOT), which requires the allocation of attention to several items over time. VGPs were able to successfully track approximately two more items than NVGPs. Furthermore, NVGPs trained on an action video game established the causal effect of game playing in the enhanced performance on the two tasks. Together, these studies confirm the view that playing action video games enhances the number of objects that can be apprehended and suggest that this enhancement is mediated by changes in visual short-term memory skills.
The authors investigated the effect of action gaming on the spatial distribution of attention. The authors used the flanker compatibility effect to separately assess center and peripheral attentional resources in gamers versus nongamers. Gamers exhibited an enhancement in attentional resources compared with nongamers, not only in the periphery but also in central vision. The authors then used a target localization task to unambiguously establish that gaming enhances the spatial distribution of visual attention over a wide field of view. Gamers were more accurate than nongamers at all eccentricities tested, and the advantage held even when a concurrent center task was added, ruling out a trade-off between central and peripheral attention. By establishing the causal role of gaming through training studies, the authors demonstrate that action gaming enhances visuospatial attention throughout the visual field.
Playing action video games enhances several different aspects of visual processing; however, the mechanisms underlying this improvement remain unclear. Here we show that playing action video games can alter fundamental characteristics of the visual system, such as the spatial resolution of visual processing across the visual field. To determine the spatial resolution of visual processing, we measured the smallest distance a distractor could be from a target without compromising target identification. This approach exploits the fact that visual processing is hindered as distractors are brought close to the target, a phenomenon known as crowding. Compared with nonplayers, action-video-game players could tolerate smaller target-distractor distances. Thus, the spatial resolution of visual processing is enhanced in this population. Critically, similar effects were observed in non-video-game players who were trained on an action video game; this result verifies a causative relationship between video-game play and augmented spatial resolution.
We demonstrate a previously unknown gender difference in the distribution of spatial attention, a basic capacity that supports higher-level spatial cognition. More remarkably, we found that playing an action video game can virtually eliminate this gender difference in spatial attention and simultaneously decrease the gender disparity in mental rotation ability, a higher-level process in spatial cognition. After only 10 hr of training with an action video game, subjects realized substantial gains in both spatial attention and mental rotation, with women benefiting more than men. Control subjects who played a non-action game showed no improvement. Given that superior spatial skills are important in the mathematical and engineering sciences, these findings have practical implications for attracting men and women to these fields.
On most accounts of expertise, as agents increase their skill, they are assumed to make fewer mistakes and to take fewer redundant or backtracking actions. Contrary to such accounts, in this paper we present data collected from people learning to play the videogame Tetris which show that as skill increases,the proportion of game actions that are later undone by backtracking also increases. Nevertheless, we also found that as game skill increases, players speed up as predicted by the power law of practice. We explain the observed increase in backtracking as the result of an interactive search process in which agentinternal and agent-external actions are interleaved, making the cognitive computation more efficient (i.e., faster). We refer to external actions which simplify an agent's computation as epistemic actions. Introduction In this paper, we present experimental data which runs counter to an assumption that underlies most theories of skill learning: that more skilled agents take ...
A training sequence on a complex video research task was distributed over 10 days or massed within two days. Measures of fatigue and confidence were taken. A final test battery given 1 week after acquisition consisted of retention tests, a test of resistance to interference, and a test of transfer. Trainees in the Distributed condition performed better throughout. Massed and Distributed trainees showed moderate levels of fatigue and did not differ from each other. Differences in confidence could not account for the results. Theories based on massing simple task acquisition within an hour are discussed as a framework for understanding and reducing suppression caused by massing complex tasks within days.
Visual information can be processed at pre-conscious as well as conscious levels. Understanding the factors that determine whether or not a stimulus reaches phenomenal awareness and the fate of stimulus information that remains at preconscious levels, poses major challenges to current research in visual cognition and neuroscience. First published in 1984, Visual Masking was a classic text in the field of cognitive psychology. In the years since, considerable advances that have been made in the cognitive neurosciences have been accompanied by a growing interest in the topic of consciousness. The current, 2nd edition takes into account these new findings and research interests. Incorporating much new, and deleting some old materials, this book focuses on visual masking as a technique of making 'time slices' on a millisecond scale through conscious and pre-conscious vision. The result is a detailed description of the temporal dynamics that comprise the microgenesis of visual object perception from the time a stimulus is presented on the retinae to the time, several hundreds of milliseconds later, of its registration at pre-conscious, behavioural, and at conscious, perceptual levels. The book takes a highly integrative approach, relating visual masking within a wide compass, not only to the study of conscious perception, but also to related spatio-temporal phenomena of vision such as motion perception, attention, and to a variety of visual deficits.
Past research shows that videogame play appears to be effective in improving performance on visual, spatial, and motor tasks. In this experiment 20 subjects, 5 male and 15 female, were pre- and posttested for reaction time speed over 20 trials. The experimental group received a 15-min. practice treatment interval on an Atari 2600 videogame system between the two test sessions. Analysis using the reaction time differences confirmed the hypothesis that videogame play decreases reaction time.
The complex span measure of working memory is a word/digit span measured while performing a secondary task. Two experiments investigated whether correlations between the complex span and reading comprehension depend on the nature of the secondary task and individual skill in that task. The secondary task did not have to be reading related for the span to predict reading comprehension. An arithmetic-related secondary task led to correlations with reading comprehension similar to those found when the secondary task was reading. The relationship remained significant when quantitative skills were factored out of the complex span/comprehension correlations. Simple digit and word spans (measured without a background task) did not correlate with reading comprehension and SAT scores. The second experiment showed that the complex span/comprehension correlations were a function of the difficulty of the background task. When the difficulty level of the reading-related or arithmetic-related background tasks was moderate, the span/comprehension correlations were higher in magnitude than when the background tasks were very simple, or, were very difficult.
A field study was conducted at the US Army Aviation Center to determine whether workload-coping and attention-management skills developed through structured video game experience would generalize to flight training. Three groups of 24 trainees were compared: (1) One received 10 hours of training on an IBM-PC version of Space Fortress, replicating an earlier study; (2) The second played a commercial video game (Apache Strike) for 10 hours which also required tracking, monitoring, situation assessment, and memory; (3) The third matched group receive no game training. Flight school records were monitored during the next 18 mos to compare performance of the three groups during initial flight training. Check ride ratings began to show an advantage for the group trained with Space Fortress by the Instrument stage of training, as predicted. Furthermore, attrition rates were lower for this group, replicating the results of an earlier study conducted by Gopher (1990) in the Israeli Air Force Flight School.
The number of moving objects that can be tracked with attention is often reported to be 4, suggesting that there is a “structural limit” on tracking. We show that the tracking limit is not fixed, but depends systematically on the speed of the objects, such that at slow speeds observers can track 8 targets as well as a single target moving at a fast speed. Critically, the function relating the speed limit to the number of targets tracked is continuous, without any noticeable break in the 3-5 target range, suggesting that tracking accuracy is limited only by the amount of resources devoted to each target, not by a structural limitation. Method: Observers performed a multiple object tracking task in which they tracked 1–8 circles among a set of 16 identical moving circles. In session 1, observers adjusted the speed of the objects to find the maximum speed at which they could perfectly track the targets for 5 seconds. In session 2, we verified the accuracy of these settings by having observers track 1-8 targets moving at their “personal” speed limit for each number of targets. Results: With each increase in the number of targets, the speed limit decreased significantly. Moreover, the function was continuous, without any noticeable discontinuities in the 3–5 object range (r = .998 between speed and log of the number of targets). All speed settings were greater than zero indicating that on average observers estimated there was a speed at which they could perfectly track as many as 8 moving targets. It also appears that observers were able to accurately estimate their speed limits for tracking different numbers of targets, as tracking performance was near 100% for each number of targets in the second session and did not differ for different numbers of targets. Conclusion: These results are inconsistent with models that assume a fixed 4 object limit on tracking, and suggest that that tracking capacity is limited only by the amount of resources devoted to each target.
Four groups of postmen were trained to type alpha-numeric code material using a conventional typewriter keyboard. Training was based on sessions lasting for one or two hours occurring once or twice per day. Learning was most efficient in the group given one session of one hour per day, and least efficient in the group trained for two 2-hour sessions. Retention was tested after one, three or nine months, and indicated a loss in speed of about 30%. Again the group trained for two daily sessions of two hours performed most poorly. It is suggested that where operationally feasible, keyboard training should be distributed over time rather than massed.
ABSTRACT Research on task ,switching and dual-task performance ,has spawned ,two lit- eratures that have, to a surprising extent, developed independently. This tutorial reviews the principal findings of each ,tradition and considers how ,these phenomena ,may ,be related. Beginning with Jersild 1927, task-switching studies reveal that when people perform two tasks in succession, with each task requiring different responses to the same set of stimuli, substantial slowing occurs. Recent research suggests that while this slowing can be partially ameliorated by allowing sufficient time between tasks, advance reconfiguration is almost always incomplete. In studies of dual-task performance, stimuli arc presented very close together in time, and subjects attempt concurrently to perform two wholly distinct tasks. A substantial slowing of one or both tasks is usually observed. The most stubborn source of this slowing appears to be queuing of central processing stages, sometimes supplemented by other kinds of interference. This queuing occurs even when ,the tasks are highly dissimilar and is unlikely to reflect voluntary strategies. A number,of possibilities for how task switching and dual-task queuing plight be related are discussed critically, including the possibility that queuing might stem from an inability to maintain two distinct task sets at the same time. What happens ,when ,people try to switch rapidly between ,one task and
This chapter discusses chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. It describes experimental paradigms for investigating the nature of mental images, selective reduction of reaction times, and preceding reaction-time studies of mental rotation. In the experiments described in the chapter, mental transformations and the selective reduction of reaction times are used, jointly, to establish that the internal representations and mental operations upon these representations are to some degree analogous or structurally isomorphic to corresponding objects and spatial transformations in the external world. In all of these experiments, each spatial transformation consists simply of single rigid rotation of a visual object about a fixed axis. However, in related work reported elsewhere, reaction times have been measured for much more complex sequences of imagined operations in space.
Presents the results of a learning strategies program that examined the extent to which it is possible to improve on unsupervised practice when students must master complex tasks on a self-regulated schedule. The term learning strategies refers to control of practice schedules, changes in schedule structures, or augmented feedback. Discussion focuses on the history and structure of the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Two experiments examined whether video game expertise transfers to performance on measures of spatial ability. In Experiment 1, skilled Tetris players outperformed non-Tetris players on mental rotation of shapes that were either identical to or very similar to Tetris shapes, but not on other tests of spatial ability. The pattern of performance on those mental rotation tasks revealed that skilled Tetris Players used the same mental rotation procedures as non-Tetris players, but when Tetris shapes were used, they executed them more quickly. In Experiment 2, non-Tetris players who received 12 hours of Tetris-playing experience did not differ from matched control students in pretest-to-posttest gains on tests of spatial ability. However, Tetris-experienced participants were more likely to use an alternative type of mental rotation for Tetris shapes than were Tetris-inexperienced participants. The results suggest that spatial expertise is highly domain-specific and does not transfer broadly to other domains. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
To establish the rules that governs the effectivenness of part-task training in the learning of complex perceptual-motor tasks such as the ‘Space Fortress’ game, we compared two part-task training regimes with a control training regime basd on whole-task practice. In previous research, these part-task training regimes were shown to improve subjects' performance. We compared the rate of learning and the final performance of subjects trained with these regimes, as well as the extent to which the acquired skills were susceptible to inference by a battery of concurrently performed tasks.Thirty-three subjects participated in the study. The quality of subject performance varied with the training regime. The best performance was achieve by subjects trained with the hierarchicalapproach, which devotes part of the training time to practice on a series of sub-tasks presumed to develop the elements of the subjects' optimal strategy. Subjects trained with the integratedapproach were continually exposed to the wholegame, while components of the game were emphasized by means of instructions and feedback. These subjects obtained lower scores than did subjects in the hierachical group, although they were superior to control subjects. However, the resistance to the interference produced by the concurrent tasks was most pronounced for subjects in the integrated group. Thus part-task training was superior to whole-task training. However, in the choice of training regimes it is important to consider which aspect of performance is to be optimized because robustness to inference in dual-task conditions is not necessarily correlated to higher levels of performance in single-task practice.
The primary purposes of the present research are (1) to specify a principled basis for analyzing the skill and knowledge components of expert performance within a domain. (2) to develop an instructional strategy based upon this decomposition, and (3) to study the knowledge and skills resulting from such instruction. The domain of application, the Space Fortress game (Mané et al. 1984; Mané 1985), is a complex task which involves the concurrent and coordinate use of perceptual and motor skills, conceptual and strategic knowledge, in the service of multiple goals.
We present data and argument to show that in Tetris—a real‐time, interactive video game—certain cognitive and perceptual problems are more quickly, easily, and reliably solved by performing actions in the world than by performing computational actions in the head alone. We have found that some of the translations and rotations made by players of this video game are best understood as actions that use the world to improve cognition. These actions are not used to implement a plan, or to implement a reaction; they are used to change the world in order to simplify the problem‐solving task. Thus, we distinguish pragmatic actions—actions performed to bring one physically closer to a goal—from epistemic actions—actions performed to uncover informatioan that is hidden or hard to compute mentally.
To illustrate the need for epistemic actions, we first develop a standard information‐processing model of Tetris cognition and show that it cannot explain performance data from human players of the game—even when we relax the assumption of fully sequential processing. Standard models disregard many actions taken by players because they appear unmotivated or superfluous. However, we show that such actions are actually far from superfluous; they play a valuable role in improving human performance. We argue that traditional accounts are limited because they regard action as having a single function: to change the world. By recognizing a second function of action—an epistemic function—we can explain many of the actions that a traditional model cannot. Although our argument is supported by numerous examples specifically from Tetris, we outline how the new category of epistemic action can be incorporated into theories of action more generally.
An experimental study was conducted to test the transfer of skills from a complex computer game to the flight performance of cadets in the Israeli Air Force flight school. The context relevance of the game to flight was argued on the basis of a skill-oriented task analysis, using the framework provided by contemporary models of the human processing system. The influence of two embedded training strategies was compared, one focusing on the specific skills involved in performing the game, the other designed to improve the general ability of trainees to cope with the high processing and response demands of the flight task and teach better strategies of attention control. Efficient control and management of attention under high task load are argued to be skills that can improve with proper training and generalize to new situations. Flight performance scores of two groups of cadets who received 10 h of training in the computer game were compared with those of a matched group without game experience. Both game groups performed significantly better than the no-game group in the subsequent test flights. The results are discussed with reference to the theoretical framework within which the context relevance of the game was supported. Also considered are the effects of the different training schedules and the significance of the data to the study of attention control. The game has now been incorporated into the regular training program of the Air Force.
A clear double dissociation between the effects of left and right temporal-lobe excisions was demonstrated for two identically-designed learning tasks that utilized different memoranda. Patients with left temporal-lobe lesions showed a deficit for the verbal task and normal performance for the non-verbal analogue, whereas the converse was evident for patients with right temporal-lobe lesions. Again, on two formally similar tests of short-term recall with interpolated activity, this same pattern of dissociation was observed for the retention of verbal as compared with non-verbal information. For both pairs of experiments, the severity of the material-specific learning and retention deficits was directly related to the extent of surgical encroachment upon the hippocampal zone of the affected hemisphere. These studies implicate the hippocampal region in the crucial transfer of experience from a temporary storage system (primary memory) to more permanent long-term storage (secondary memory).
Short title on half-title page: Memory and the medial temporal region of the brain. Thesis (Ph. D.)--McGill University, 1972. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-78). Microfilm of typescript.
There is considerable evidence that visual attention is concentrated at a single locus in the visual field, and that this locus can be moved independent of eye movements. Two studies are reported which suggest that, while certain aspects of attention require that locations be scanned serially, at least one operation may be carried out in parallel across several independent loci in the visual field. That is the operation of indexing features and tracking their identity. The studies show that: (a) subjects are able to track a subset of up to 5 objects in a field of 10 identical randomly-moving objects in order to distinguish a change in a target from a change in a distractor; and (b) when the speed and distance parameters of the display are designed so that, on the basis of