The Power of Play: Exploring the Psychology and Benefits of Video Games

The negative effects of video games are frequently mentioned in the media. But most of the time, this is just sensationalism based on unsubstantiated claims. Thus, and because of their fame, there’s a developing revenue in researching the mental advantages of computer games.

• Computer games are one of the principal diversion choices for a huge region of the planet populace. Additionally, there are a significant number of casual gamers as a result of technological advancements and increased connectivity. 70% of people use their mobile phones to play games, compared to 30% on tablets.
• The majority of young adults between the ages of 30 and 40 enjoy these kinds of games. However, most people first encounter them as children. In fact, there are numerous applications with a gamification component that are not only educational but also entertaining.
• One of the most studied cognitive processes is this one. During games, the involvement of attentional networks is required to initiate the remaining processes. Along these lines, a few examinations uncover that computer games further develop consideration limit overall. More specifically, improved selective, divided, and sustained attention is the reason for continuous play.
• For instance, some people noticed that non-gamers activate the selective attention system more frequently than gamers do. This indicates that video game players use fewer resources to complete the same task, or that perhaps their resources are more effective.
• In a similar vein, playing video games increases activation of the midline theta rhythm. Focused attention is directly linked to the brain’s electromagnetic frequency. As a result, playing video games encourages greater concentration, which appears to improve with practice.
• It’s also interesting to note the distinctions made based on the genre of video game. For instance, it appears that action video games are better at teaching selective attention than strategy or puzzle games. This is on the grounds that they require a quicker and more exact speed.
• Skills in perception, recognition, and manipulation of visual stimuli, as well as coordination and space navigation, are referred to as visuospatial skills. Considering that computer games are visual, intelligent undertakings, one could anticipate that they should significantly affect these abilities.
• On the other hand, some studies showed that veterans of the sport and athletes who had been training for a specific amount of time had larger right hippo campuses. Visuospatial abilities are governed by this brain region. In a similar vein, people who play logic or puzzle games show increased activation of spatial memory-related areas.

During a game, it’s common to find yourself in a situation where you have to make a decision. In order to move forward in an adventure at any given time, for instance, one strategy must be interrupted and a new one must be chosen quickly. Cognitive control, which includes working memory, inhibition, and task switching, is used to monitor these circumstances.

Accordingly, because of computer game preparation, there are noticeable changes in the actuation of regions connected with mental control, like the prefrontal cortex, parietal regions, and the basal ganglia.

However, activation is influenced by age, skill, level of interest, and the difficulty of the game. These changes appear to last for a long time. They are maintained, according to studies, even when they are lying down. To put it another way, even when someone isn’t playing a video game.

It’s interesting to note that the activated areas and cognitive processes vary depending on the type of game. Strategy video games, for instance, appear to increase one’s ability to memorize information.

Additionally, there is a connection between 2D action games and enhanced reasoning and problem-solving skills. As a result, brain training or puzzle games improve working memory.