Garrett AnthonyThere are many aspects that are affected by playing computer games regularly. These include, for example, creativity and self-awareness skills. Read more about this below.
Games improve brain function. True, only certain game projects. In general, this assumption belongs to Daphne Bavelier, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Education at the University of Geneva and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester. But it concerns only action games, shooters, and real-time strategies. Thanks to them, players improved their reaction speed and their ability to multitask. And the effect was noticeable within two weeks.
But, according to the author of the article, not all games can be called useful. Similarly, psychologist Craig Anderso, author of the book on the effects of games on children and adolescents. However, when examining scientific research related to games, it is important to consider all existing ones, not just one. Especially since the scientists themselves formulate their conclusions on this subject rather cautiously, since many factors and parameters need to be studied for an unambiguous assessment. However, games, according to the researchers, can have a significant impact on the person in terms of his motivation for the development of emotional, social and cognitive.
Games make you kinder. In the United States, after prisoners were allowed to play a game console, the number of crimes in prison decreased. True, criminals were also given more visits and ice cream. In addition, as the researchers found, video games promote empathy in people, and they also help strengthen social ties.
Games allow you to learn about yourself. In fact, a person’s style of gaming is a reflection of him or herself. That’s what Game and Mind Research (GAMR) is all about. Scientists collect information about the players of League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Battlefield 4 and Battlefield: Hardline and study their psychological features and mental abilities. For example, you can tell a lot about a gamer’s learning style by the way he plays: strategy gamers think globally, action gamers actively study something and puzzle gamers learn new things gradually.
Games stimulate creativity. They provide room for creative expression, and some projects even make players more creative. Recent types of projects include sandbox games such as “Minecraft,” simulations and puzzles. Slightly less effective in this regard races and shooters.
Games in the future may become one of the methods of therapy. There is already evidence that games have a positive effect on mental health. In particular, they help to regain interest in life, help to develop social connections and reduce feelings of loneliness. Related to the latter two points are “Minecraft” and “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Medical professionals are also trying to find a way to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with games. Another important direction of video games is the promotion of physical activity with the help of fitness games. According to neuroscientists, these types of games will help people with genetic brain damage.
Games are able to predict the future. In other words, with their help, one can feel like a participant in past or future events. Moreover there are cases, when the developers were able to literally predict the future: for example, in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty they created the world where the powerful people have access to all the personal data. This game came out in 2001, and in 2016 it turned out that the British company Cambridge Analytica has the data of several million users of the social network Facebook.