My sister is a video game fanatic, literally. Ever since we were kids, she has turned a shoulder on reality to escape to the fantasies created within these games. She has hundreds of games, and from what I can tell, every gaming device there is known to man. I’m only partial to Nintendo 64 (do they even make those anymore?) but she has x-box, Wii, PlayStations, game cube, etc. and her collection of games ranges far and wide as well.
She can also walk into a room for no longer than 10 seconds and tell you exactly where everything was placed, the colors of the paintings on the wall, how many outlets there are and if there were tiny cracks or cobwebs unseen to most.
Video games have long been attributed to a continuum of behaviors we see in society today. One end of the spectrum includes anger, violence, social isolation and hostility, while the other encompasses improvements in fine motor and spatial skills, multi-tasking, and quick thinking. It’s hard to judge and pinpoint how a video game will affect an individual, since all games are different as are people, but for better or worse, I like to believe that playing video games has made my sister increasingly more aware of her surrounding environment.
A short review article in the Review of Optometry journal stated that research shows individuals who play video games can reorganize the brains cortical network, which can help them perform complex visuomotor tasks. The study placed subjects in an fMRI machine while playing video games and measured which areas of the brain were activated during the duration of the game. Experienced gamers had more activity in the prefrontal cortex while non-gamers had more activity in their parietal cortex, and it was therefore concluded that there is a correlation between video games and reorganization of the cortical network.
Another study from the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science at the University of Rochester showed that playing video games increases the speed of processing surrounding stimuli. The researchers studied effects of games on hand-eye coordination, visual processing in the periphery, and visuospatial memory, and their results concluded that there was a significant increase in these three parameters among individuals who regularly played video games compared to individuals who do not. This research is where I want to contribute my sisters’ impressive photographic memory to her passion of nonstop gaming. Although I am aware that playing video games did not suddenly bless her with the ability to distribute her visual attention across space, I believe it certainly enhanced her abilities to be incredibly visual.
Obviously there are valid arguments that playing video games can be detrimental, regardless if they are violent or not. Gaming consistently promotes laziness, and absence of social interaction can create complications in communication. However, as mentioned above there are benefits of playing video games including being more aware of your visual surroundings, increase hand-eye coordination, fine tune visuomotor skills, etc. Video games challenge your brain to pay more attention to detail, patterns, and other stimuli which can be very beneficial in other areas of your life. I have seen these aspects in my sister when she plays. She absorbs everything that’s happening on the tv screen, every move she makes is done with precision and awareness, conscious that something bad could happen at any moment. I’m lucky enough if I can keep Mario and his little cart straight on the road, let alone thinking about those evil green and red shells that are out to destroy me (you know what I’m talking about if you every played Mario Cart on the ’64).
Finally, there are more and more computer based games being produced that are specifically targeted to either helping children learn (games that incorporate math, language, science, to make the learning experience fun) or targeted to improve cognition in Alzheimer’s patients. In the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, a program called Smartbrain provides stimulation to cognitive facilities including attention and memory among individuals with Alzheimer’s, enhancing those areas of memory, which is great news!
What are your thoughts on video games and do you think they can significantly alter brain patterns?
References:
Video Games Stimulate Visual Brain Function. (2010). Review of Optometry, 147(10), 8.
Dye, M. G., Green, C., & Bavelier, D. (2009). Increasing Speed of Processing With Action Video Games. Current Directions In Psychological Science (Wiley-Blackwell), 18(6), 321-326. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01660.x
Balcells, J., et al. "A randomised pilot study to assess the efficacy of an interactive, multimedia tool of cognitive stimulation in Alzheimer's disease." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 77.10 (2006): 1116+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
There are video games for all ages, for all type of consumers that like from educational games to very violent video games. In a study done by Din and Calao in children and young adults, it showed that individuals playing games that contain violence had a tendency to behave more aggressively.
ReplyDeleteHowever; the data are inconclusive about the cause and effect nature of this association. It is important to mention that simply because participants reported more aggressive thoughts does not indicate that they tend to behave in a violent manner. Other negative effects of video games may include taking time away from a child's studies or homework and decreased social skills. On the other hand video game playing, have also some educational benefits. It was found that participants improve reading and spelling skills, as well as an increased in spatial and critical analyzing skills.
In my opinion, video game players should take advantage of the positive effects of video game playing and they should avoid an addictive behavior. Once playing video games becomes addictive, and then it is when video games represent a problem in all different dimension of the person’s life. Addictive behaviors include failure to stop to playing video games, difficulties in work or school, telling lies to loved ones, decreased attention to personal hygiene, decreased attention to family and friends, and disturbances in the sleep cycle and withdrawal. My best advice is nothing in excess, all with measure and you will be happy.
References
Din, F.S., & Calao, J. (2001). The effects of playing educational video games on kindergarten achievement. Child Study Journal, 31(2), 95 - 102. Available online at infotrak
I agree with Nydia in that a level of moderation in video gaming is key in keeping a balanced lifestyle. Having two brothers, I have witnessed the effects of video games on their lives and I have seen both pro's and con's in their excess playing. My eldest brother, captain of his high school soccer team and straight A student, plays FIFA in his free time and I believe that the hours he spends playing on the virtual field has a positive effect on his abilities as an athlete. A study conducted this year by Andrew and Deidre Schimmelhorn, two curious gamers, tested this sports game and its effects on the brain by taking 100 participants and subjecting them to hours of play in a FIFA tournament, measuring their blood flow in relation to brain activity by the use of an fMRI machine. The results showed an increase of activity in the insular cortex, which is where language, explicit and working memory, reasoning, pain and compassion lie. This study demonstrated a direct link between emotions and gaming, which may be why people become drawn to a game over many hours of play. I now wonder if my brother’s talent as an athlete and love for soccer can be contributed to his FIFA gaming. Wouldn’t he love to hear that!
ReplyDeleteBen Enrlich. October 3, 2011 Neuroscience of FIFA. http://thebeautifulbrain.com/2011/10/the-neuroscience-of-fifa/