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Video Games: Not Just for Teenagers Anymore
February 2014
By Ariana Rollins
When you think of video games, whom do you think of playing them? Thinking of children and teenagers would make sense, as most people who play video games are in their twenties or younger. Consequently, most studies on video games are about the effect of violence in video games on children. However, more and more studies are being done to show the benefits of video games for adults.
Using video games for health purposes isn’t new; scientists have been working on games that help with certain mental illnesses for a while. For example, games have been developed to assist patients with ADHD, early stages of dementia, and brain injuries caused by strokes, chemotherapy, or accidents. However, as a result of advancements in neuroplasticity, researchers have started working on games that help healthy people improve their brain power. Examples of such games include those by Lumosity, Posit Science, and Dakim, all of which claim to improve the way your brain works.
Naturally, each type of game offers different benefits. One game created by researchers, called NeuroRacer, combines a racing game with a memory game to help improve concentration, short-term memory, and multi-tasking skills.
When you think of video games, whom do you think of playing them? Thinking of children and teenagers would make sense, as most people who play video games are in their twenties or younger. Consequently, most studies on video games are about the effect of violence in video games on children. However, more and more studies are being done to show the benefits of video games for adults.
Using video games for health purposes isn’t new; scientists have been working on games that help with certain mental illnesses for a while. For example, games have been developed to assist patients with ADHD, early stages of dementia, and brain injuries caused by strokes, chemotherapy, or accidents. However, as a result of advancements in neuroplasticity, researchers have started working on games that help healthy people improve their brain power. Examples of such games include those by Lumosity, Posit Science, and Dakim, all of which claim to improve the way your brain works.
Naturally, each type of game offers different benefits. One game created by researchers, called NeuroRacer, combines a racing game with a memory game to help improve concentration, short-term memory, and multi-tasking skills.
The army even uses specific games to help train their soldiers to multitask and hone their reflexes. Even though the type of video games vary, scientists at UC San Francisco agree on a certain set of values that a beneficial game should have. Such a game needs to be deeply engaging, pulling the player in and holding their interest, and have some sort of entertainment value or reward system to keep from seeming monotonous or pointless. The video game also has to work on more than one skill at the same time.
The book, The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, by Alvaro Fernandez and Elkhonon Goldberg, gives seven suggestions on how consumers should evaluate brain-training video games. These suggestions include figuring out whether the program is backed by a scientific advisory board, if it comes with guidance on how to get the most out of the program, how challenging it is, and whether it has what the person is looking for in a game.
Although the research-backed games developed with the brain-training in mind will offer a greater benefit, games developed with gaming in mind can still be useful. For example, a UK study has shown that action-based video games speed up decision making skills, with players making choices without losing accuracy 25% faster than non-players. Real-time strategy-based games have been shown to improve quick-thinking skills, as well as help teach players, at least subconsciously, to learn from their mistakes.
With 20% of those who play video games at home above the age of 50, video games are no longer just teenage pastimes. As more games based on brain-training go on the market, there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t at least test out one of the many options available to consumers. Even if you’re playing a game that imitates go-kart racing, you’re still improving your hand-eye coordination and perception, so it’s worth a try, no matter what age you are. Who knows, you might just find you have more in common with your teenager than you thought.
The book, The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, by Alvaro Fernandez and Elkhonon Goldberg, gives seven suggestions on how consumers should evaluate brain-training video games. These suggestions include figuring out whether the program is backed by a scientific advisory board, if it comes with guidance on how to get the most out of the program, how challenging it is, and whether it has what the person is looking for in a game.
Although the research-backed games developed with the brain-training in mind will offer a greater benefit, games developed with gaming in mind can still be useful. For example, a UK study has shown that action-based video games speed up decision making skills, with players making choices without losing accuracy 25% faster than non-players. Real-time strategy-based games have been shown to improve quick-thinking skills, as well as help teach players, at least subconsciously, to learn from their mistakes.
With 20% of those who play video games at home above the age of 50, video games are no longer just teenage pastimes. As more games based on brain-training go on the market, there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t at least test out one of the many options available to consumers. Even if you’re playing a game that imitates go-kart racing, you’re still improving your hand-eye coordination and perception, so it’s worth a try, no matter what age you are. Who knows, you might just find you have more in common with your teenager than you thought.
