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Pac Man Nostalgia Helps Enhance Memory?

Posted by simoniker on from the but-don't-imagine-you're-a-ghost dept.

Thanks to icWales, who have a brief report revealing claims that playing classic videogames can help enhance your memory. The report reveals: "Researchers found that playing video games such as Pac Man and Space Invaders induced a 'positive emotional state' connected to a past happy memory. That in turn increased the players' focus, attention and memory." Apparently, the more oldschool the game, the better the results, since the unattributed, rather bizarre survey claims: "Games from the 1980s triggered the biggest improvement in memory, followed by games from the 1990s."

3 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Happy employees are unproductive employees by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Happiness _does_ equate to productivity. At least for me. Sure free soda pop and doughnuts are nice. Sure a foozball table is nice. But those are just little perqs. What really makes me happy is challenging and interesting work that allows me to use my creativity and allows me to make a difference in the product I am working on. In that environment, I am extremely productive, working both smarter and harder.

    The former might give a little morale boost, but without the latter, it's worthless. And anyone for whom it makes a significant difference probably doesn't have that much to offer anyway.

    --
    You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
  2. but but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What if it's a REALLY CRAPPY game that used to REALLY PISS ME OFF? Will I get amnesia?

  3. It doesn't really surprise me... by Dutchmaan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ..that games from the 80's would be more of a mental trigger. They were much more simple, repetative, and pattern oriented. ..and most like playing those games would establish more specific and stronger base neural pathways than games of today.

    Games today would easily develop more complex and motion, space, and coordination oriented skills.

    I'd be interested to see what parts of the brain that different games stimulate.