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Research papers on Video games and cognition

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  1. Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development

    Christopher Hertzog, Arthur F. Kramer, R. J. Wilson, et al. · 2008 · Gothic.net · 1,477 citations

    In this monograph, we ask whether various kinds of intellectual, physical, and social activities produce cognitive enrichment effects-that is, whether they improve cognitive performance at different points of the adult life span, with a particular emphasis on old age. We begin with a theoretical framework that emphasizes the potential of behavior to influence levels of cognitive functioning. According to this framework, the undeniable presence of age-related decline in cognition does not invalidate the view that behavior can enhance cognitive functioning. Instead, the course of normal aging shapes a zone of possible functioning, which reflects person-specific endowments and age-related const

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  3. Meta-analysis of action video game impact on perceptual, attentional, and cognitive skills.

    Benoît Bediou, Deanne Adams, Richard E. Mayer, et al. · 2017 · Psychological Bulletin · 815 citations

    The ubiquity of video games in today's society has led to significant interest in their impact on the brain and behavior and in the possibility of harnessing games for good. The present meta-analyses focus on one specific game genre that has been of particular interest to the scientific community-action video games, and cover the period 2000-2015. To assess the long-lasting impact of action video game play on various domains of cognition, we first consider cross-sectional studies that inform us about the cognitive profile of habitual action video game players, and document a positive average effect of about half a standard deviation (g = 0.55). We then turn to long-term intervention studies

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  4. Do Action Video Games Improve Perception and Cognition?

    Walter R. Boot, Daniel P. Blakely, Daniel J. Simons · 2011 · Frontiers in Psychology · 473 citations

    Frequent action video game players often outperform non-gamers on measures of perception and cognition, and some studies find that video game practice enhances those abilities. The possibility that video game training transfers broadly to other aspects of cognition is exciting because training on one task rarely improves performance on others. At first glance, the cumulative evidence suggests a strong relationship between gaming experience and other cognitive abilities, but methodological shortcomings call that conclusion into question. We discuss these pitfalls, identify how existing studies succeed or fail in overcoming them, and provide guidelines for more definitive tests of the effects

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  5. The effect of active video games on cognitive functioning in clinical and non‐clinical populations: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

    E. Stanmore, B. Stubbs, D. Vancampfort, et al. · 2017 · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews · 433 citations

    HighlightsThis is the first meta‐analysis of active video games (‘exergames’) for cognition.Our search identified 17 randomized controlled trials with 926 participants in total.Exergames improved cognition in both clinical and non‐clinical populations.Significant effects were found executive functions, attention and visuospatial skills. Abstract Physically‐active video games (‘exergames’) have recently gained popularity for leisure and entertainment purposes. Using exergames to combine physical activity and cognitively‐demanding tasks may offer a novel strategy to improve cognitive functioning. Therefore, this systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to establish effects of exergame

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  6. Enhancing Cognition with Video Games: A Multiple Game Training Study

    Adam Oei, Michael D. Patterson · 2013 · PLoS ONE · 403 citations

    BACKGROUND: Previous evidence points to a causal link between playing action video games and enhanced cognition and perception. However, benefits of playing other video games are under-investigated. We examined whether playing non-action games also improves cognition. Hence, we compared transfer effects of an action and other non-action types that required different cognitive demands. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We instructed 5 groups of non-gamer participants to play one game each on a mobile device (iPhone/iPod Touch) for one hour a day/five days a week over four weeks (20 hours). Games included action, spatial memory, match-3, hidden- object, and an agent-based life simulation. Partic

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  7. Neural Basis of Video Gaming: A Systematic Review

    Marc Palaus, Elena Muñoz Marrón, Raquel Viejo-Sobera, et al. · 2017 · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · 284 citations

    Background Video gaming is an increasingly popular activity in contemporary society, especially among young people, and video games are increasing in popularity not only as a research tool but also as a field of study. Many studies have focused on the neural and behavioral effects of video games, providing a great deal of video game derived brain correlates in recent decades. There is a great amount of information, obtained through a myriad of methods, providing neural correlates of video games. Objectives We aim to understand the relationship between the use of video games and their neural correlates, taking into account the whole variety of cognitive factors that they encompass. Methods A

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  9. Video game training does not enhance cognitive ability: A comprehensive meta-analytic investigation.

    Giovanni Sala, K. Semir Tatlidil, Fernand Gobet · 2017 · Psychological Bulletin · 266 citations

    As a result of considerable potential scientific and societal implications, the possibility of enhancing cognitive ability by training has been one of the most influential topics of cognitive psychology in the last two decades. However, substantial research into the psychology of expertise and a recent series of meta-analytic reviews have suggested that various types of cognitive training (e.g., working memory training) benefit performance only in the trained tasks. The lack of skill generalization from one domain to different ones-that is, far transfer-has been documented in various fields of research such as working memory training, music, brain training, and chess. Video game training is

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  11. Cognitive training with casual video games: points to consider

    Pauline L. Baniqued, Michael Kranz, Michelle W. Voss, et al. · 2014 · Frontiers in Psychology · 136 citations

    Brain training programs have proliferated in recent years, with claims that video games or computer-based tasks can broadly enhance cognitive function. However, benefits are commonly seen only in trained tasks. Assessing generalized improvement and practicality of laboratory exercises complicates interpretation and application of findings. In this study, we addressed these issues by using active control groups, training tasks that more closely resemble real-world demands and multiple tests to determine transfer of training. We examined whether casual video games can broadly improve cognition, and selected training games from a study of the relationship between game performance and cognitive

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  13. Stretching the limits of visual attention: the case of action video games

    Bjorn Hubert‐Wallander, C. Shawn Green, Daphne Bavelier · 2011 · WIREs Cognitive Science · 65 citations

    Abstract Visual attention is the set of mechanisms by which relevant visual information is selected while irrelevant information is suppressed, thus allowing the observer to function in a world made up of nearly infinite visual information. Recently, those who habitually play video games have been documented to outperform novices in a variety of visual attentional capabilities, including attention in space, in time, and to objects. Training studies have established similar improvements in groups of nongamers given experience playing these video games. Critically, not all video games seem to have such a beneficial effect on attention; it seems that fast‐

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  14. A Systematic Review on Serious Games in Attention Rehabilitation and Their Effects

    L. Shahmoradi, F. Mohammadian, Meysam Rahmani Katigari · 2022 · Behavioural Neurology · 59 citations

    Attention is a basic and main mental task and can play an important role in the functioning of other brain abilities such as intelligence, memory, learning, and perception, and its deficit occurs in 80% of patients with traumatic brain injury. The use of game-based tools for rehabilitation is rapidly expanding. Cognitive rehabilitation via video games is an emerging hot topic in cognitive science. Serious games serve a specific purpose in addition to entertainment. They can be more engaging than exercises since they replace reward and motivation systems with real-world motivations as a complement for rehabilitation activities. This study was aimed at identifying and categorizing serious comp

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  15. Cognitive effects of video games in older adults and their moderators: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression

    N. Mansor, C. Chow, M. Halaki · 2020 · Aging & Mental Health · 42 citations

    Abstract The growing interest in preserving cognition through video games in the ageing population is evidenced by its wealth of literature. However, there has been a lack of consensus on video games efficacy and even limited understanding on the factors moderating its effectiveness. The present review sought to evaluate video game effects, relative to no-game control condition, on cognitive functions in older adults. The functions included processing speed, attention, delayed memory, reasoning, and executive functions (inhibition, shifting and updating memory). Personal and methodological moderators were explored to explain the variability in cognitive effects using meta-regression. Through

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  16. The Effects of Video Games in Memory and Attention

    Chrysovalantis Kefalis, Eirini Zoi Kontostavlou, Athanasios Drigas · 2020 · International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP) · 33 citations

    The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is ubiqui-tous. Technologies like video games have become very popular not only with the young generation but also with older people. The video game indus-try has seen rapid growth over recent years, as has the interest in the influ-ence of video game experience on people’s daily life. The study focuses on a novel approach to training Visual Working Memory (VWM) through the use of video games and examines research evidence concerning whether video games can serve as a vehicle for promoting the development of cogni-tive skills and especially memory and attention.

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  19. The Benefits of Video Games on Brain Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies

    He Huang, Chuan-chuan Cheng · 2022 · Applied Sciences · 20 citations

    Benefits of video games on cognitive function have been proved by increasing evidence. However, reasons for game-induced changes in cognitive function are still elusive. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review of brain function activation changes in association with video games. We retrieved publications from three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycInfo), with publication dates before 8 February 2021. After screening the study with fMRI data, 13 studies were included in this work, including 9 cross-sectional studies and 4 types of research. In this review, we summarized the potential benefits of video games on cognitive function and discussed the effects of di

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  21. Do action video games make safer drivers? The effects of video game experience on simulated driving performance

    James Howard, Vanessa K. Bowden, T. Visser · 2023 · Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour · 13 citations

    Research suggests, action video games (AVGs) can benefit cognitive performance across multiple domains including attention, visual-spatial awareness, psychomotor control, and executive functioning. Many of these domains overlap with the skills needed to safely drive a vehicle. We therefore predicted that experience playing AVGs may be associated with improved driving performance and greater spare capacity. One-hundred-and-thirty-eight participants who varied in action video game experience, completed a driving simulation under distracted and non-distracted conditions. Driving performance was measured through participants ’ ability to maintain a consistent speed and lane position, and their s

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  22. Effects of memory and attention on the association between video game addiction and cognitive/learning skills in children: mediational analysis

    A. Kappi, R. El-etreby, Ghada Gamal Badawy, et al. · 2024 · BMC Psychology · 8 citations

    Background Video games have become a prevalent source of entertainment, especially among children. Furthermore, the amount of time spent playing video games has grown dramatically. The purpose of this research was to examine the mediation effects of attention and child memory on the relationship between video games addiction and cognitive and learning abilities in Egyptian children. Methods A cross-sectional research design was used in the current study in two schools affiliated with Dakahlia District, Egypt. The study included 169 children aged 9 to 13 who met the inclusion criteria, and their mothers provided the questionnaire responses. The data collection methods were performed over appr

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  24. Alpha‐tACS alters attentional control but not cognitive functions as video games do: A psychophysical investigation based on the theory of visual attention

    Yannik Hilla, F. Link, P. Sauseng · 2023 · European Journal of Neuroscience · 5 citations

    Video game players' faster speed of information processing has been shown to coincide with altered posterior alpha power modulation, that is, brain oscillatory activity around 10 Hz. Thus, it was proposed that improved cognitive processing in video game players may be related to differential alpha activity. However, a causal relationship thereof has not yet been established. We addressed this by conducting a non‐invasive brain stimulation study to demonstrate that modulating alpha power using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) may impact on speed of information processing. Furthermore, we aimed to show that this effect correlated with altered attentional control, for example

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