3 Surprising Benefits Of Video Games
- by XpatAthens
- Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Parents all over the world have always been concerned, and now more than ever, about whether and to what extent video games can harm children. We have often blamed video games for promoting violence, making children antisocial, interfering with their school life, and negatively impacting their brain development. Sure, excessive gaming can make all of the above happen. But what if video games can actually make children smarter?
As with everything in life, playing video games should be done in moderation so that children can enjoy the benefits of this activity. It is also very important for parents to help their children choose video games with an educational value that can help them develop specific skills and games appropriate for their age and cognitive level.
Video games can improve memory
With 3D graphics and immersive sound, video games are extremely rich in stimuli. Navigating the virtual world of video games is more or less like navigating the real world. So, when a child explores the environment in a particular video game, it is like exploring the environment around them, practicing various skills, one of which is memory.
More specifically, as children navigate the virtual world of a video game, they exercise the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for converting short-term memory into long-term memory and controlling spatial memory.
Video games help children develop problem-solving skills
Strategy video games and role-playing games usually require players to solve complex problems. This virtual problem-solving can be good practice for real-life problems. In fact, according to a 2013 study by the American Psychological Society, teens who played strategy video games had better problem-solving skills and better grades.’
Almost all video games involve solving problems, from completing a simple puzzle to finding the fastest escape route. Finding a solution to these problems may require both memorization and analysis, as well as creativity. Problems in video games are often very open without giving many instructions on how to approach the solution, which means that players have to experiment with trial and error. This way children can learn how it takes resilience, perseverance, and constant effort to achieve something in life.
Video games help children develop decision-making skills
Action video games require children to be constantly alert and make decisions. A 2010 study by the University of Rochester found that gamers who loved action games were able to make accurate choices faster than non-gamers or those who played slow-paced video games.
Video games can also improve decision-making as it relates to long-term planning. When children play strategy games, they have to plan ahead and make decisions that will benefit them down the road. These games train their brains to recognize potential outcomes and implications of their choices. When a person practices these skills in a virtual world, they will be able to better apply them in the real world.