My nephew's son (Grand-nephew?) has been playing video games since he was born. He's 8. I was there and a piece of glass full of water and a plant fell off of the shelf behind him while he was eating at the dinner table and he turned around and caught it. None of the water spilled.
His main hobby is video games. He doesn't play sports and doesn't really do anything other than play video games that would improve his performance.
It would be reasonable to say "Well, that was a lucky event. It won't happen again.", except it does happen. My nephew doesn't notice it, because he also plays video game a lot and also has weirdly fast reflexes.
I have been getting into them out of pure boredome (Retirement isn't nearly as fun as it sounds sometimes). No, they haven't improved my reflexes. I still couldn't catch a basketball if it were standing still.
Do Video Games Improve Perception and Cognition?
SodaHead Gaming
2011/09/26 05:54:43
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In a recent Supreme Court case over California’s game restriction law, psychologists did not agree on the negative impacts of gaming.
As it happens, they don’t agree on the positive ones, either.
Three researchers from Florida State University and the University of Illinois–Champaign have criticized the bulk of studies showing video games can actually improve perception and cognition in players.
The researchers took up an interest in the issue because the benefits of training in specific tasks have generally been confined to those tasks, instead of across the board.
Because multiple publications and researchers have come to the conclusion that the benefits of gaming do carry over to broader tasks, the trio of researchers -- whose findings will be published in this month’s “Frontiers in Psychology” -- sought to examine the methodical rigor of the actual papers in question.
“Although provocative, the conclusion that game training produces unusually broad transfer is weakened by methodical shortcomings common to most (if not all) of the published studies documenting gaming effect,” the researchers surmised.
One of the more glaring concerns was how the researchers found their test subjects. The paper suggests that if scientists told gamers what they were studying for, the subjects may expect to perform better or have a reason to try harder -- both of which create a placebo effect.
Of the 21 papers documenting differences in test performance, 19 of them either overtly told the recruited subjects the purpose of the study or did not specify how the test subjects were recruited.
Another interesting aspect of the new study shows it’s possible that people with a natural talent in cognitive and perceptive areas might be drawn to video games in the first place.
The study also found that frequent gaming encourages players to utilize different strategies, like looking everywhere on a level for hidden treasure. This change might not make players more perceptive, but simply changes their behaviors in ways that boost test performance.
Well gamers, what side of the controller are you on? Do games help your cognitive and perceptive abilities, or do they simply change behavior through repetitious exercises?
As it happens, they don’t agree on the positive ones, either.
Three researchers from Florida State University and the University of Illinois–Champaign have criticized the bulk of studies showing video games can actually improve perception and cognition in players.
The researchers took up an interest in the issue because the benefits of training in specific tasks have generally been confined to those tasks, instead of across the board.
Because multiple publications and researchers have come to the conclusion that the benefits of gaming do carry over to broader tasks, the trio of researchers -- whose findings will be published in this month’s “Frontiers in Psychology” -- sought to examine the methodical rigor of the actual papers in question.
“Although provocative, the conclusion that game training produces unusually broad transfer is weakened by methodical shortcomings common to most (if not all) of the published studies documenting gaming effect,” the researchers surmised.
One of the more glaring concerns was how the researchers found their test subjects. The paper suggests that if scientists told gamers what they were studying for, the subjects may expect to perform better or have a reason to try harder -- both of which create a placebo effect.
Of the 21 papers documenting differences in test performance, 19 of them either overtly told the recruited subjects the purpose of the study or did not specify how the test subjects were recruited.
Another interesting aspect of the new study shows it’s possible that people with a natural talent in cognitive and perceptive areas might be drawn to video games in the first place.
The study also found that frequent gaming encourages players to utilize different strategies, like looking everywhere on a level for hidden treasure. This change might not make players more perceptive, but simply changes their behaviors in ways that boost test performance.
Well gamers, what side of the controller are you on? Do games help your cognitive and perceptive abilities, or do they simply change behavior through repetitious exercises?
Top Opinion
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Time Traveler 2011/09/26 22:24:29
I'm not really convinced on the whole task specific learning thing either. The human brain is an amazing construct, and its ability to co-opt pre-existing function for a new purpose has been well established. We would not possess language otherwise. I don't see how the particular case of video games would be any different. It sounds to me as though they are approaching any skills gained through playing video games as conditioning rather than learning. I can't imagine why anyone would do that if they didn't have a personal axe to grind.
Ratchet and Clank, Sonic the Hedgehog (mostly Archie Sonic) Dragon Ball Z, Naruto and Castlevania all inspired me to make a series that combines aspects of all five universes and taking place in all five at certain times. Some games like Gradius, Judge Dredd, may add to the universe. I've made two handwritten novellas because of games and stories I've read or watched.
how to drive (Crazy Taxi)
and how to woo women (Leisure Suit Larry)
Well maybe it improves your reflexes on hitting the F4 key or moving you mouse faster. Maybe a gamer doesn't have to look at the keyboard for the WASD keys.
Sill is a buncha malarkey.
That type of bad? Or do you need more?
Everything in moderation. Just like I would tell my mom in high school. Before I went weight lifting. The beer I drink has protein in it. It helps bulking me up. Yeah right.
Obviously, you're on the verge of your heart exploding because you take so many workout-enhancement drugs.
Not really, but does that make my point? I've never peed in a bottle. I play for sometimes twenty-four hours straight when I have no obligations, and when I have to go potty, I do it in the potty. I happen to suck down orange juice, not red bulls.
Yes... most of these guys in the games sit at their computers for hours on end staring at. Why because I asked them. One dude told me he hadn't left the chair in 8 hours and pees in a milk carton. I told him to take a break and be glad I wasn't his dad because I woulda knocked some sense into him.
Do you not understand what you're doing?
I don't rely on yours or anyone's experience but my own. I myself like to play video games. I know there are exceptions. Obviously you are arguing something that doesn't have anything to do with the original point of the post.
I'm sorry you have to deal with that demographic of gamers.
Let's see...
Don't sit motionless for hours straight. Other practices of mine have made me aware of the need to move every thirty minutes.
Never peed in a bottle; that would be yucky.
Red Bull < Orange juice.
Game with friends IRL.
Never rage; that's for twelve-year-olds or forty-year olds.
Nobody I know does any of those things, in fact. it's interesting that you won't even consider that you meet scary people because you socialize in the wrong places.
Online gamers (90%) of messed up in the head. Those that play for long hours.
Edit: Am not, except in speech when cursing. (Attempt to sneak past profanity filters.)
o.O