What if playing video games could enhance your intelligence?

Are action video games actually beneficial to your learning? Recently, a new study has supported the unexpected. The study shows that people who play action video games frequently excel at many more tasks than the average person. Daphne Bavelier, a research professor at the University of Rochester, took it upon herself to figure out the truth behind the relationship between video games and cognitive abilities. Many parents tell their children to not play too many video games and even prohibit the use of video games. But can these games really help to become better learners? This question has been the catalyst for much research and experimentation. A series of tests showed that action versus non-action video game players specifically have a bigger advantage in certain unexpected situations and can apply their video-game-playing skills to the real world.

“Prior research by our group and others has shown that action gamers excel at many tasks. In this new study, we show they excel because they are better learners,” explained Bavelier. “And they become better learners,” she said, “by playing the fast-paced action games.”

One experiment conducted by Daphne Bavelier involved playing a video game for 50 hours spread out over nine weeks. Some people chose to play action games, and others chose non-action games. There was also a pattern discrimination task, which the participants test took before and after the 50 hours of video games. It turned out that the participants who chose to play action games, improved their templates more than the non-action video game players.

Credit: Gamestop Facebook Page
Credit: Gamestop Facebook Page

Playing action video games requires a lot of thinking as well as the ability to make quick decisions. Knowing when to run away from something, where to hide from another character, and how to complete various tasks in the game actually boosts your learning. These video game players are better at things like pattern recognition, grasping concepts quicker, moving at a faster pace with faster reactions, and retaining specific information. “In order to sharpen its prediction skills, our brains constantly build models, or ‘templates,’ of the world,” says Bavelier. So, as one plays more action video games, the brain increases its fast thinking abilities, which then sharpens the players abilities overall. After this, those newfound skills can be used to one’s advantage throughout different instances and situations.

As it turns out, while some people are against playing action video games, it might be beneficial to spend more time playing them. Who would have thought that these video games could improve learning?  It parents were cognizant of this, maybe they would let their kids play more video games!

As a result of playing action video games, the players skills have a long lasting effect on them in a positive way. These types of games teach people skills to become more capable of learning, in a faster paced environment in reality, much like in the games. If your parents don’t let you play video games, show them this study and they’ll have to give you the games to increase your learning abilities.

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