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Cognitive Benefits of Gaming

Posted by Zonk on from the play-and-learn-kid dept.

Next Generation reports on an upcoming study to be conducted by PopCap games and the Games for Health Project. The two groups will be collaborating to discover what effect, if any, gaming has on keeping minds sharp. From the article: "The results of the study, which should be available in Spring of this year, are expected to reveal the role that digital games play in keeping minds sharp, especially those of the aging. The study will not focus on the benefits of any specific game, as the overall goal is to summarize past and present research. Expert opinions or public opinion may be gathered as well."

4 of 12 comments (clear)

  1. Well, duh... by mjhacker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Any game, no matter what genre or style, which forces the gamer to think and act quickly is going to increase one's ability to think quicker, if not actually make the gamer more intelligent. In strategy games, they force a problem on you, and you must take a course of action to solve it. An excellent example is Chess. I doubt there are many out there that will tell you that Chess will make you dumber if you play it.

  2. Research? by bateleur · · Score: 3, Informative

    From the article:
    "We know good games activate minds [...] The goal of this effort is to establish a baseline of knowledge - you'd think it exists but it really doesn't."

    So if I understand correctly they already know the results of their research, they just want the data to back their conclusion? Mmm... research! No wonder PopCap want to get involved.

  3. Re:Getting the results they want by xplenumx · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Any experiment has something you are seeking to prove. Of course, you can fail to prove it.

    This is absolutely incorrect, and the type of thinking that the parent was concerned about. An experiment simply tests a hypothesis - a scientist should never be seeking to 'prove or disprove' a hypothesis.

  4. This study is aimed at the healthcare industry by NateE · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Quotes from the news release:
    The jointly funded effort will result in a publicly available knowledge-base summarizing both the research and market development activities associated with the possible use of digital games for maintaining healthy minds.
    With an increasingly aging population in many developed countries the field of cognitive exercise is growing. Advocates of cognitive exercise say it is equally important for people to exercise their minds as well as their bodies. In Japan, a series of popular brain exercise games for Nintendo's DS platform have been major commercial successes.
    So this study is to help healthcare professionals justify hooking up old people with a PC or perhaps handhelds to play casual games.