The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
greenlab.psych.wisc.edu
The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
1–10 of 87 posts
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#2Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well.
I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016.
The major downside for me was that I felt video games only improve my ability to play video games. I favored online games over single player games, but at the same time, I felt the addiction behind it. I can't play video games "for fun". I want to be good and that costs time. Video games have the downside of giving players easy rewards. I think it does something bad to your brain. Not necessarily altering it forever, but at least turning one into a little dopamine junkie.
In 2016, I spend about 40 times 3 hours in a private art school. I improved my drawing and painting skills a lot in merely 120 hours. That was a much better investment of my time than video games and I wonder if the forced concentration of looking at objects and colors for 3 hours straight had comparable improvements of cognitive abilities.
Anyways, what I want to say is this: If you feel that you're wasting too much time on video games, despite what research tries to spin positively about it, try to quit them and see what happens.
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#3Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well. I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016. The major downsi…
Quitting games was probably the best thing that ever happened to me (without exaggeration) - my only regret is not having done it sooner.
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#4Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well. I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016. The major downsi…
Maybe you are paying the wrong kind of games?
I think online competitive games, like esports, only make you better at playing games, but other single player games are comparable artforms and only nominally "pointless wastes if time".
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#5Summary:
... we need more research... existing studies have flaws... guidelines for kids aren't even based on research... what gov't agency should regulate games? ... some agency should regulate brain-training games.
Here's the gem:
When it comes to surgeons, "cross-sectional research shows action video game experience is a better predictor of positive surgical outcomes than years of training or number of surgeries performed."
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#6Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well. I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016. The major downsi…
Maybe you are paying the wrong kind of games? I think online competitive games, like esports, only make you better at playing games, but other single player games are comparable artforms and only nominally "pointless wastes if time".
I had a few hours of single player games. The advantage is that they're over and get boring after a while. At least in story mode. I played Super Mario on iOS. It's a neat game and indeed, it got boring after I got all green coins and all characters. Games getting boring is a good thing!
But the real good ones keep you engaged forever. That's the problem ;)
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#7Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well. I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016. The major downsi…
I'm in the process of quitting right now. I've taken up violin and weight-lifting, after being inconsistent for some years. Glad to see someone of the same mindset!
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe you are paying the wrong kind of games? I think online competitive games, like esports, only make you better at playing games, but other single player games are comparable artforms and only nominally "pointless wastes if time".
I had a few hours of single player games. The advantage is that they're over and get boring after a while. At least in story mode. I played Super Mario on iOS. It's a neat game and indeed, it got boring after I got all green coins and all characters. Games getting boring is a good thing! But the real good ones keep you engaged forever. That's the problem ;)
Good ones for you or the publisher?
Good games in single player mode are like good movie or tv show: no matter how good you might probably watch it once a year, and maybe inspire you to do other things. E.g. Tomb Raider (the 2013 version) was such a great game that inspired me to travel more.
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#9There are genres of video games much more deserving of strict regulation than "brain-training" games which may or may not be backed by science.
Way too many mobile games I've played function like casinos. Their goal is to make players spend as much money as possible and the game design reinforces such behavior and also keeps the player coming back like an addict attempting to avoid the negative symptoms of withdrawal.
When it comes to the safety of players, I think these money sinks are a much bigger concern than games that may or may not enhance cognitive abilities.
Re: The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (2015) [pdf]
#10Having only read the abstract and key points: The question is if video games have a better positive impact on cognitive abilities than other things you could do in the meantime that may also improve other abilities as well. I write this because I quit video games almost entirely a year ago. I played probably 500-700 hours of video games in 2015. I played occasionally simple games on my phone in 2016. The major downsi…
If you cannot play games just for fun, then I definitely see how it can feel like a stressful affair and an unhealthy addiction. And if that's your relationship to games, then not playing them does sound like a very reasonable choice.
On the other end of the spectrum, I myself see video games as my big passion and it's a large part of what I do to unwind and have fun. I would estimate that I typically play 10-20 hours of video games a week in my spare time.
In fact, I'm passionate enough about games that I decided from a young age that I wanted to dedicate myself full time to game development and, consequently, that is what I do for a living as a Software Engineer at Ghost Games. So, that is another 40 hours a week that I spend on games.
But I do play games simply to have fun and there is the occasional week when I simply don't feel like it. And then I fill my spare time with other activities I enjoy.