Psychophysiological, but Not Behavioral, Indicator of Working Memory Capacity Predicts Video Game Proficiency.

Natalia Jakubowska,Paweł Dobrowolski,Alicja Anna Binkowska,Aneta Brzezicka,Ibrahim V Arslan,Monika Myśliwiec

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2021.763821

Abstract

Visual working memory (VWM) is the ability to actively maintain visual information over short periods of time and is strongly related to global fluid intelligence and overall cognitive ability. In our study, we used two indices of visual working memory capacity: the behavioral estimate of capacity (K) and contralateral delay activity (CDA) in order to check whether training in a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) video game StarCraft II can influence the VWM capacity measured by the change detection task. We also asked a question whether individual differences in behavioral and psychophysiological indices of VWM can predict the effectiveness of video game training. Sixty-two participants (non-players) were recruited to the experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to either experimental (Variable environment), active control (Fixed environment), and passive control groups. Experimental and active control groups differed in the type of training received. Training consisted of 30 h of playing the StarCraft II game. Participants took part in two EEG sessions (pre- and post-training) during which they performed the VWM task. Our results showed that working memory capacity (K calculated according to Pashler’s formula) increases after training in both experimental groups, but not in a control group. We have also found a correlation between average visual working memory capacity (calculated as K) and mean CDA amplitude no matter which group we are looking at. And, last but not least, we have found that we can predict the amount of improvement in the RTS video game by looking at the psychophysiological indices (CDA amplitude) recorded at baseline (before training), but only in the experimental group. We think that the strength of the psychophysiological indicator of VWM capacity might be a marker of the future success in video game acquisition.

Highlights

Visual working memory (VWM) allows us to maintain visual information over short periods of time for manipulation or later access (Baddeley, 2003; D’Esposito and Postle, 2015)
Studies on VWM have relied on a well-established paradigm that measures VWM capacity—the change detection task (Luck and Vogel, 1997, 2013), where participant maintains a visual image in memory over a short delay interval and answers if any item in a later probe image have changed compared to the sample image
The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of Real-Time Strategy (RTS) video game StarCraft II training on VWM capacity by comparing training groups’ and control group’s behavioral (k estimate of WM capacity) and ERP data in a change detection task

Summary

Introduction

Visual working memory (VWM) allows us to maintain visual information over short periods of time for manipulation or later access (Baddeley, 2003; D’Esposito and Postle, 2015). Studies on VWM have relied on a well-established paradigm that measures VWM capacity—the change detection task (Luck and Vogel, 1997, 2013), where participant maintains a visual image in memory over a short delay interval and answers if any item (or items) in a later probe image have changed compared to the sample image. In neurophysiological studies of lateralized VWM, stimuli are presented peripherally, and the subject’s task is to attend and maintain in VWM only the items presented in a cued visual hemifield This generates a lateralized representation, which is larger contralateral compared to ipsilateral of the memorized hemifield, in posterior cortical areas over the retention period that results in a contralateral delay activity (CDA). We used video games as a specific kind of cognitive training having the potential for VWM improvement

Objectives

Methods

Results