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Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

nida.nih.gov

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Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#31

Post by rednerrus »

etiam wrote: post #8

Careful now. Self-assortment into those who don't play at all and those who play at least three hours per day? There's good reasons to think those weren't otherwise equivalent populations in the first place. I'm buying "associated" but any sort of claims about effects from the games are going to have to come from elsewhere.

Would you assume the same thing about playing a musical instrument or playing a sport? What is playing video games except practicing cognitive performance? It works spatial reasoning, logic, dexterity, problem solving, reactions, etc.

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#32

Post by jjice »

Complete anecdote, but my dad and I would play games like Zelda growing up (fond memories). Not sure if that's why I like puzzles now, but it definitely fits with the problem solving involved in software engineering. Or the two are completely unrelated.

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#33

Post by etiam »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #12

Huh, my immediate assumption was income played a huge role but the video game cohort had poorer parents. The gender difference is huge though, the nongaming cohort had 288 males and 840 females while the gaming cohort had 372 males and 307 females. Also, I'm a bit confused why they just dumped anyone with between one and three hours of videogame playing a day.

Discarding all the moderate users seems like a design flaw. A possible effect on cognition is a fairly natural question for regression.

Maybe you saw it in the text but, "This threshold was selected as it exceeds the American Academy of Pediatrics screen time guidelines, which recommend that videogaming time be limited to one to two hours per day for older children."

The thought process I can sort of imagine is that the tests are fairly costly and the hypothesis they're testing is that more play than the official recommended limit should decidedly give detectable impairments to cognition. (Seems they could have rejected that, if they'd had comparable groups in the first place. Now I'm not sure what it says)

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#34

Post by etiam »

rednerrus wrote: post #31
etiam wrote: post #8

Careful now. Self-assortment into those who don't play at all and those who play at least three hours per day? There's good reasons to think those weren't otherwise equivalent populations in the first place. I'm buying "associated" but any sort of claims about effects from the games are going to have to come from elsewhere.

Would you assume the same thing about playing a musical instrument or playing a sport? What is playing video games except practicing cognitive performance? It works spatial reasoning, logic, dexterity, problem solving, reactions, etc.

How is the alternative not?

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#35

Post by andrewmutz »

darkteflon wrote: post #14

My son started playing games (with me) at 4 yo (partly because we were all locked indoors for months on end). Anecdotally - and providing you use some discretion as to choice of game - I’ve found it absolutely fascinating to watch both the pace of development of problem-solving skills, and some of the frankly astounding leaps of logic and intuition young kids are capable of. I vividly remember one rock-moving puzzle…

What games do you recommend for kids of that age?

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#36

Post by Gigachad »

DelightOne wrote: post #6
SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Assuming it doesn't become overwhelming I don't see the issue with that, same as any other stress relief.

Its too addicting.

I feel like I have the opposites of an addictive personality. I enjoy playing games but I struggle to stay interested in any game for more than 10 hours and then I need a few months to reset and play it again. The only thing I have become addicted to is Hacker News and reddit. Arguably worse for you than games, for reddit at least.

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#37

Post by m463 »

rednerrus wrote: post #31
etiam wrote: post #8

Careful now. Self-assortment into those who don't play at all and those who play at least three hours per day? There's good reasons to think those weren't otherwise equivalent populations in the first place. I'm buying "associated" but any sort of claims about effects from the games are going to have to come from elsewhere.

Would you assume the same thing about playing a musical instrument or playing a sport? What is playing video games except practicing cognitive performance? It works spatial reasoning, logic, dexterity, problem solving, reactions, etc.

could be kids who have access to a console and have several hours a day free might be in a different socioeconomic environment?

but with cheap phone games, maybe not. hmmm...

Re: Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children

#40

Post by danielmarkbruce »

andrewmutz wrote: post #35
darkteflon wrote: post #14

My son started playing games (with me) at 4 yo (partly because we were all locked indoors for months on end). Anecdotally - and providing you use some discretion as to choice of game - I’ve found it absolutely fascinating to watch both the pace of development of problem-solving skills, and some of the frankly astounding leaps of logic and intuition young kids are capable of. I vividly remember one rock-moving puzzle…

What games do you recommend for kids of that age?

As mentioned, Zelda Breath of the Wild is a great game for kids, even as young as 4-5. My kid is 6 and had an amazing time with it, as did I.
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