7 reasons to play video games
Tell me honestly, would you like to become smarter? There’s nothing wrong with that. Studies show that many people dream of a high level of intelligence. Some for the sake of learning, some trying to comprehend the intricacies of Machiavellianism, others not averse to showing off their impeccable knowledge of string theory to their friends. Whatever your goal, it is possible to improve your intelligence level.
And many people agree that learning should be fun. Take computer games, for example. Scientific data shows that they develop mental abilities and allow you to preserve them until old age.
In other words, computer games make us smarter and more successful. And here’s why:
Losing is the key to success
Ask anyone who has managed to achieve something if they have ever failed. The answer will be an affirmative “Yes!”. Absolutely everyone has failed at least once in their lives. In many ways, this is the key to success.
In many video games, you initially have more than one “life”. This immediately tells you that there is nothing wrong with losing. A lot of the time in the game, you’re going for a goal, but you fail. This makes you more persistent and stubborn. You do not give up and do not lose heart, even if you lose. This is a very important quality for life.
Computer games help to cope with problems better
Evidence shows that role-playing video games are a great workout for the brain. Games such as the incredibly popular Call of Duty improve cognitive abilities more than games specifically designed for this purpose.
Jane McGonigal, a world-renowned video game creator and PhD in engineering, recommends playing video games for 20 minutes three times a week. You will train your brain and have fun.
The fact is that the most popular video games require problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This promotes adaptation and cognitive flexibility, which are very important skills for solving any problem.
Games make your brain work
As sad as it may sound, over time we start to fall behind mentally and physically. Going to the gym or having regular sex will help prevent (or at least slow down) physical losses. But to prevent a mental decline, you need to keep your brain active: solve crossword puzzles, sudoku, play games of wits or video games (if they are not meaningless).
Gamers are better at visual tasks
Scientists agree that gamers are better at many visual tasks than non-gamers. Studies show that gamers concentrate on an object better, are able to hold attention on two objects at the same time, filter out unnecessary information better, switch from one task to another, detect visual changes, and represent objects in three-dimensional space.
Games increase the speed of information processing
The ability to process information quickly in different situations is critical. Motorists have to process a lot of information, which is also changing rapidly. And they often need to make the right decision quickly to avoid an unfortunate incident. But the speed of decision-making often harms the quality, and vice versa. In other words, hasty decisions often lead to mistakes.
Computer games are known for requiring fast processing of sensory information and quick actions. Indecision or delays are often penalized. Therefore, players are highly motivated to reduce reaction time. And several studies have shown that gamers are faster than non-gamers.
Gamers have a good memory
A team of neuroscientists from the University of California found that 3D computer games improve memory.
They compared two groups of people: some played 2D games for half an hour every day for two weeks, and others played the same amount of 3D games. Before and after the experiment, all participants took a memory test. Those who played 2D games did not improve their memory at all, but those who played 3D games improved it by as much as 12%. It may seem like a trifle, but the memory of a person aged 45 to 70 deteriorates by about 12%.
Video games help to solve several tasks simultaneously
Daphne Bevellier, a professor of cognitive science who has conducted more than 20 studies on video games, said: “Action video games are far from meaningless.” Her research shows that gamers improve their attention span, cognitive abilities, visual skills, and ability to solve multiple tasks simultaneously.