Can Video Games Make You Smarter? Scientific Proofs.

In recent years, video games have become increasingly popular among people of all ages, with millions of downloads and sales every year. As their popularity has grown, so has the debate surrounding the impact of video games on cognitive and intellectual functioning. While many people claim that video games have negative impacts on intelligence and brain development, there is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests otherwise.

Several studies have been conducted over the past decade to investigate the link between video games and intelligence. One of the most interesting studies was conducted in 2013 by a team of researchers at the University of Geneva. The study focused on 56 participants who were randomly assigned to play either a first-person shooter game or a Pac-Man game for a total of 10 hours over a period of 2 weeks.

The researchers found that the participants who played the first-person shooter game performed significantly better on various cognitive tasks than those who played the Pac-Man game. These tasks included spatial awareness, visual attention, and working memory. The study concluded that playing first-person shooter games can improve cognitive skills, specifically those related to visual attention and spatial navigation.

Another study conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University found that playing simulated driving games can improve participants’ ability to process and react to real-life driving scenarios. The study involved 40 participants who were randomly assigned to play either a driving game or a puzzle game for a total of 20 hours over a period of 6 weeks. The participants who played the driving game showed significant improvements in their ability to react to driving scenarios, compared to those who played the puzzle game.

Additionally, in a study published in 2018 in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, researchers found that playing video games can improve the ability to make quick, accurate decisions based on incomplete information. The researchers found that playing video games for just 30 minutes a day over a period of 2 months can result in noticeable improvements in cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, and decision-making.

Overall, these studies provide convincing evidence that playing video games can have positive effects on cognitive and intellectual abilities. While video games are often criticized for being addictive and leading to procrastination, it is important to acknowledge the potential upsides of playing them. While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between video games and cognitive development, the available evidence supports the idea that video games can make you smarter. So the next time someone tells you to put down the controller and do something more productive, you can confidently tell them that you are improving your cognitive abilities by playing video games!