Your Brain on Video Games

Image courtesy of Intel

If you were to ask any random person what they think about the impact of video games on a person, the answer most would give would likely be about how bad they are for your brain, vision, attention span, attitude, and general well-being. While that has most definitely been the major opinion on video games for as long as they have been on the market, cognitive neuroscientist Daphne Bavelier begs to differ.

In her talk on TED.com, Bavelier states that in reasonable doses, playing action-oriented video games can produce some very positive cognitive changes. For example, Bavelier and her colleagues performed a test that measured the brain's ability to recognize three-dimensional shapes from different perspectives. Bavelier and her team had non gamers take the test and then retake it after playing action games in small bursts over a period of two weeks. After playing video games, test subjects' testing performance improved, and stayed improved for five months afterwards. So what does this all mean? It means that playing video games in appropriate doses can actually improve memory, recognition, problem solving, and reaction time. It also means that if used correctly, video games could also be used for education or rehabilitation.

One of the first things video game detractors are quick to assume is that prolonged play can cause bad vision. According to Bavelier, those who play video games for 10 to 15 hours a week have vision exceedingly better than those who do not. Gamers tend to be able to observe small details in cluttered spaces, meaning that they have greater focus and can make things out clearer than others (like reading the small print on a medicine bottle for example).

Bavelier compared the use of video games to the consumption of wine. Used in moderation, video games, like wine, can have very positive effects on the body. In the same way that there are molecules in red wine that help increase life expectancy, there are numerous aspects in video games that help increase brain elasticity, learning, attention, and visual comprehension. Personally, as much as I love playing video games, I cannot play them for more than one hour at a time. I try to balance my time playing games with my other responsibilities and activities; I have always had a difficult time staying in one place for a long period of time, regardless of the situation.

For a life-long gamer like myself, it is very refreshing to hear Daphne's perspective on the effects of video games on a person. Her research reaffirmed my own personal feelings towards video games, in that I always felt they were no more dangerous than candy or television. I personally believe my experience with driving/racing games helped me be a better driver in real life; I had been playing racing games long before I got my license, and I feel I had better response time and vision as a result of playing them for so long.

At the same time, this does not mean people should just sit around and play video games all day long. Moderation is key; marathoning games can have some very dire consequences. Sitting in one spot for long periods of time or blinking less can have damaging effects on your body. In appropriate doses, however, video games are not nearly as toxic as some would lead you to believe; in fact, they might just make you smarter.

To listen to Daphne Bavelier's entire presentation - Your Brain on Video Games - click here.