Cognitive abilities of action video game and role-playing video game players: Data from a massive open online course.

Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated that regularly playing action video games (AVGPs) is associated with increased cognitive performance. Individuals who play role-playing video games (RPGs) have usually been excluded from these studies. This is because RPGs traditionally contained no action components and were thus not expected to influence cognitive performance. However, modern RPGs increasingly include numerous action-like components. We therefore examined whether current RPG players (RPGPs) perform similar to action video game players (AVGPs) or nonvideo game players (NVGPs) on two cognitive tasks. Self-identified AVGPs (N ϭ 76), NVGPs (N ϭ 77), and RPGPs (N ϭ 23) completed two online cognitive tasks: A useful field of view (UFOV) task and a multiple-object tracking task (MOT). The UFOV task measures the ability to deploy visuospatial attention over a large field of view while dividing one's attention between a central and a peripheral task. The MOT task measures the ability to use attentional control to dynamically refresh information in working memory. RPGPs performed similar to AVGPs and better than NVGPs on both tasks. However, patterns of covariation (e.g., gender and age) presented obstacles to interpretation in some cases. Our study is the first to demonstrate that RPGPs show similar cognitive performance to AVGPs. These findings suggest that regularly playing modern RPGs may enhance visuospatial abilities. However, because the current study was purely cross-sectional, intervention studies will be needed to assess causation. We discuss the implications of this finding, as well as considerations for how gamers are classified going forward. Public Policy Relevance StatementWe investigate whether individuals who play action video games that are mostly first-or third-person shooter games, as well as individuals who play action role-playing games, differ in their cognitive abilities as compared with nonvideo game players. We demonstrate that both action and role-playing gamers outperform nongamers on two attentionally demanding tasks and perform similarly to each other, suggesting that games other than those traditionally placed in the "action" genre may be beneficial for cognitive performance.

Action Real-Time Strategy Gaming Experience Related to Increased Attentional Resources: An Attentional Blink Study

“…that long-term action video gaming experience may improve the performance on accuracy-based tasks like the AB task by increasing the attentional resources and/or enhancing the ability to allocate those resources across time (Dye et al, 2009). By showing that ARSG experience is related to the development of VSA, we found that this proposition also applies to ARSG in this study, which may be due to the fact that ARSG contains ''action'' mechanics (Dale and Green, 2017a,b;Dale et al, 2019).…”

“…In recent years, action real-time strategy gaming (ARSG), which includes both action and strategy elements (Dale and Green, 2017a,b;Dale et al, 2019), is becoming increasingly popular. ARSG requires not only attention and hand-eye coordination but also strategic decision-making abilities based on instant responses and team cooperation, just like traditional team sports (e.g., football, basketball).…”

“…ARSG requires not only attention and hand-eye coordination but also strategic decision-making abilities based on instant responses and team cooperation, just like traditional team sports (e.g., football, basketball). Because ARSG contains action mechanics, it may tax a set of cognitive systems required in action video gaming; therefore ARSG may benefit cognitive development just like action video gaming (Dale and Green, 2017a;Dale et al, 2019). Indeed, fMRI research suggests that, compared with ARSG nonexperts, experts have increased functional connectivity between the attentional and sensorimotor networks (Gong et al, 2015) as well as superior functional integration between salience and central executive networks-two critical networks for VSA (Gong et al, 2016).…”

A new look at the cognitive neuroscience of video game play

“…AVGPs possess better visual search capabilities, [39][40][41] as measured by manual response times or oculomotor abilities, 21,42,43 for example. They also show enhancements relative to NVGP performance in terms of the ability to flexibly distribute attention over space, 6,[44][45][46][47][48] monitor and track objects (i.e., both in foveal and peripheral vision), 6,31,44,46,49,50 and monitor and select information in time. 21,45,[51][52][53] Although researchers initially hypothesized that such differences may be the result of better attentional selection in early sensory processing, a series of electroencephalography studies have instead suggested that these behavioral differences are more likely the result of changes in "attentional control."…”

“…AVGPs possess better visual search capabilities, as measured by manual response times or oculomotor abilities, for example. They also show enhancements relative to NVGP performance in terms of the ability to flexibly distribute attention over space, monitor and track objects (i.e., both in foveal and peripheral vision), and monitor and select information in time . Although researchers initially hypothesized that such differences may be the result of better attentional selection in early sensory processing, a series of electroencephalography studies have instead suggested that these behavioral differences are more likely the result of changes in “attentional control.” Evidence in favor of this latter view includes both cross‐sectional and experimental works showing that action gaming is associated with changes in parietal activity (yoked to attentional control), rather than occipital activity (yoked to early visual processing).…”