Action Video Games Improve Cognitive and Perception Skills According to Data Obtained From Over 100 Studies

Video games have long been associated as a wrong influence on children. Many parents have long shunned video games from their household, as they believe it could have negative effects over their children.

However, over the years, several scientific studies have disputed the claims of parents, who believe video games to be harmful for young adults. A new meta-study featuring results and analysis from 104 cases suggests that video games help in improving brain functionality.

The meta-study titled “Effects of Action Video Game Play on Cognitive Skills: A Meta-Analysis” (via Great Adventures Review) claims that action video game players showcased improved cognitive skills compared to people who indulge in gaming. It states that the cognitive skills trained by playing an action video game “transfer to improvements in performing the skills outside the game context.”

The studies use video games from the action genre, as they “place heavy load on certain perceptual, attentional, and cognitive skills in a way that is not true of most other video games genres.” This includes the popular first and third person shooter games from franchises like Call of Duty, Halo, Battlefield, Overwatch, and more.

The meta-study focused on various types of cognitive abilities. This includes perception, multitasking, inhibition, visual space cognition, problem-solving, motor control, and more.

As mentioned in the meta-study, the analysis gives further evidence on the connection between action video games and human cognition skills, with the latter gaining improvement through skills learned in the game.