Effects Of Video Games Research Articles

Влияние видеоигр на эмоциональное состояние игроков: обзор современных исследований

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article presents a theoretical review of modern research dedicated to the problem of the influence of video games on the emotional state of players. Despite the large number of works in this area, their results are quite contradictory, therefore, an analysis of meta-analytical data is necessary, as well as a detailed consideration of various factors influencing the effect. It has been shown that there is evidence for negative effects of video games on various indicators of emotional state, evidence for positive effects and evidence for the absence of effects. The effect depends on various additional factors — individual personality traits of the player, the genre of the game, the amount of time spent playing video games, and many others. It is revealed that in some cases, contradictions in the results of empirical studies are explained by the influence of these factors, in particular, the genre of the game has a significant impact, as well as the presence of video game addiction. We also reviewed meta-analytical works that confirmed the positive effect of educational video games on the development of emotional self-regulation skills, therapy for symptoms of autism and depression. Formulating reliable clear conclusions about the presence and magnitude of the effect of entertainment genres of games is still difficult due to the lack of modern meta-analyses.</p>

A Plague(d) Tale: Are violent video games effective in reducing stress levels?

Stress relief is often cited as the main motive for playing video games. However, the effectiveness of video games in coping with stress, especially when comparing violent and non-violent genres, remains uncertain. In the present lab experiment with N = 82 participants, we assessed acute stress reduction after playing a violent vs. non-violent video game that followed stress induction using the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test. We hypothesized that playing video games causes physiological (i.e., an increase in heart rate variability and a decrease in cortisol) and self-reported effects of stress relief, and a reduction in aggression levels, leading to restoration. Aggressive behavior was measured as self-reports and seconds in the Cold Pressor Test allocated to the next participant. In line with previous studies, participants playing a violent passage of a game reported feeling more stressed and aggressive, while those playing a non-violent passage of the same game felt less stressed and more relaxed. In contrast, however, we found an increase in heart rate variability as well as a decrease in heart rate and cortisol regardless of playing group, which indicates relaxation. This dissociation between self-reported and physiological stress results indicates that the own state of arousal is incorrectly assessed. This may be due to a different cognitive assessment of the characteristics of the respective game groups, as the violent game sequence was judged to be more difficult and challenging. However, the observed physiological relaxation effect might also suggest the potential of video game engagement for stress interventions.

The Effect of a Video‐Based Game Exercise Program on Motor Skills, Proprioception, and Cognitive Functions in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) exhibit various problems, such as attention, learning, and physical–motor difficulties. The study is aimed at investigating the effects of video game–based therapy programs on cognitive and physical functions in individuals with ID.Methods: The study, conducted through a three‐arm randomized trial, involved 45 adults aged 18–30 with mild to moderate ID. Participants were divided into three groups: Group 1 received home‐based video game–based therapy, supervised video game–based therapy, and occupational therapy–based activity training. Group 2 received video game–based therapy supervised by a therapist and an occupational therapy–based activity training program. Group 3 received occupational therapy–based activity training only. MOXO d‐CPT was used to evaluate attention; sit‐to‐stand test, joint position sense, and nine‐hole peg test were used to assess physical–motor functionality.Results: Results showed significant improvements in attention, functional performance, proprioception, and fine motor skills in all groups (p < 0.05). Group 1 was superior to Group 3 in nondominant JPS‐flexion, sit‐to‐stand test, and nondominant JPS‐abduction parameters (p < 0.017). When comparing Group 1 and Group 2, Group 1 was found to be more effective in the sit‐to‐stand test parameter compared to Group 2 (p < 0.017), while the other parameters of the two groups were similar to each other (p > 0.017). There were no significant differences between groups for different outcome measures (p > 0.017).Conclusion: The study suggests that video‐based game exercises combined with occupational therapy interventions can effectively enhance cognitive functions, functional performance, proprioception, and fine motor skills in adults with ID.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06097819

NGHIÊN CỨU SỰ ẢNH HƯỞNG CỦA TRÒ CHƠI ĐIỆN TỬ ĐẾN HÀNH VI CỦA TRẺ VỊ THÀNH NIÊN DÙNG KẾT HỢP VỚI KĨ THUẬT DATA MINING

The paper investigates and analyzes data regarding the effects of video games on adolescents’ learning, skill development, and social interaction to understand the current situation and propose corresponding solutions for this age group. It examines four factors (learning, social interaction, skill development, and personal behavior) by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action to clarify their relationship with video gaming. Additionally, the survey data is analyzed using data mining techniques (data visualization) to analyze the survey results more deeply. The findings indicate that the investigated factors are closely correlated, with the impact on learning being considered the most significant influence.

“Fall guys”: влияние видеоигры на конвергентные и дивергентные способности

<p>The study aims to estimate the impact of the video game "Fall Guys" on the convergent and divergent cognitive processes of players with different levels of gaming experience. Convergent processes assessed included short-term memory, selective attention, and mental inhibition. The indicator of divergent processes was verbal fluency. Among 203 surveyed students from the first year of psychology faculties, 147 later participated in the experimental study where 74 participants completed cognitive tests before and after playing the video game, while 73 participants completed tests before and after reading popular science texts printed on a paper blank. The gaming condition involved the popular arcade game "Fall Guys." The battery of cognitive tests included a short-term memory assessment, the Eriksen Flanker Task, the SART task, a short version of J. Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, the Guilford Unusual Uses Test, and the Deary-Liewald Task. A total of four sessions were completed based on the number of cognitive indicators. Participants with regular gaming experience showed higher scores in fluid intelligence, reaction speed, verbal fluency, and abilities related to selective attention and mental inhibition compared to non-players. However, short-term video game experience (compared to reading popular science texts) led to a decline in selective attention and mental inhibition but positively affected verbal creativity scores. Therefore, no positive short-term effect of video gaming on convergent processes was identified, though it was observed for verbal fluency scores. The significant differences in cognitive indicators between gamers and non-gamers allow for the discussion of these results in terms of the potential long-term effects of video games on both convergent and divergent processes.</p>

Effects of Active Video Games Combined with Conventional Physical Therapy on Perceived Functionality in Older Adults with Knee or Hip Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) leads to functional decline in older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of active video games (AVGs) as a complement to conventional physical therapy (CPT) in improving functional disability. Methods: Sixty participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG, n = 30, 68.7 ± 5.4 years), which received CPT combined with AVGs, or to a control group (CG, n = 30, 69.0 ± 5.5 years), which received CPT alone. Sessions were performed three times a week for ten weeks. Functional disability was assessed using the WOMAC index before, during, and after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included the Global Rating of Change (GRoC), the Minimal Clinically Important Difference, and patient trajectories through functional disability strata. Results: The EG showed progressive improvements in all WOMAC scores, with moderate to large increases by the end of the intervention, while the CG only showed significant changes in the later stages. The EG demonstrated greater improvements in WOMAC pain and the GroC scale (p < 0.05), maintaining most of the gains at follow-up, whereas the CG showed regression. Additionally, the EG had a higher proportion of responders, particularly for pain, while the CG had a predominance of non-responders and adverse responders. In the EG, 70% improved their functional disability stratification compared to 50% in the CG. Conclusion: Integration of AVGs with CPT further improves perceived functional disability in older adults with OA. Future research should explore these findings further.

Effects of central vs. peripheral attentional-oculomotor exercise on lexical processing.

Past research from our lab has suggested visual demands in video games serve to exercise attentional-oculomotor (A-O) processing in a manner beneficial to reading. However, testing the effect of video games on reading typically requires long timeframes (e.g., multiweek training or years of accumulated video game experience). The current study manipulated within-experiment peripheral and central demands to evaluate the effects of A-O exercise on task performance. Our study included two tasks: an orthographic lexical decision task (OLDT), designed to optimise orthographic lexical processing, and a novel graphic-based health bar decision task (HBDT). In Experiment 1, the stimuli were presented centrally in one block and peripherally in another block to manipulate A-O exercise. We observed greater improvements in the peripheral-first than the central-first group, particularly for the OLDT. In Experiments 2 and 3, we focused on the OLDT, with the HBDT serving as the A-O exercise task, and observed improvements in both centrally and peripherally trained participants. We additionally observed, through analyses of word and bigram frequency, a double dissociation, whereby increased target word frequency was associated with faster target reaction times and improved error rates, whereas increased foil bigram frequency was associated with slower foil reaction times and worse error rates. Taken together, the experiments demonstrate a mechanism beyond simple task learning that drives reading improvements, and A-O exercise, even if movements are small, appears to play a role in the improvements observed. We suggest future research should further develop this paradigm and examine its utility for reading remediation in dyslexia.

Active Video Games Using Virtual Reality Influence Cognitive Performance in Sedentary Female University Students: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that is proving to be effective in encouraging physical activity (PA) and improving health. Although regular PA has many advantages, physical inactivity continues to be a significant global health concern. Using an ActivPAL for PA assessment, this study examines the effects of an active video game (AVG) using VR on cognitive function among female university students. We randomly divided 44 sedentary female university students (mean age 21.3 years, SD 1.12 years) into two groups, the control group and VR group. During the study period, the VR group was required to play the Beat Saber VR game for 20 min, while the control group was required to remain quiet. Their cognitive performance was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-Arabic version pre- and post-test, and the PA level and intensity were tracked using the ActivPAL. There was a significant difference between the MoCA total score pre-test (mean = 22.3, SD = 2.25) and the MoCA total score post-test (mean = 23.4, SD = 2.48), t (23) = 1.87, p = 0.03. The VR game significantly influenced the naming, abstraction, and orientation components of the MoCA scale (all p ≤ 0.05). The intensity of PA generated by the VR game was equivalent to moderate-to-vigorous PA, with a mean of 4.98 metabolic equivalents of task (MET) (SD = 1.20). The VR game improved the cognitive ability compared to the control group, suggesting that VR games have a positive impact on cognitive function. Physically inactive female university students have been found to benefit from VR games in terms of their cognitive function.

Not All Games Play the Same: Specifying How Components of Video Games May be Associated With Creativity

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the impacts of digital media such as video games is critical for scholarship during the digital transformation. While the literature on the effects of video games continues to grow, there is little work on positive effects, including creativity, either as an outcome from or process within games. Video games are a media type that often requires creative problem‐solving and multiple idea generation. Importantly, adequately theorizing, measuring, and assessing creativity as both an action within video games and a possible outcome of engaging with video games necessitates a detailed understanding of what video games are. Here we propose and outline a taxonomy of the various components within video games that could impact different aspects of creativity interventions and creative processes. We then break down those components, including genre, graphics, mechanics, instructions, incentive systems, and multiplayer functionality. We apply this taxonomy briefly in several games, and Minecraft and Baldur's Gate 3 are used in more depth to show how researchers can apply our proposed framework. Knowing which video game components affect which creativity outcomes can clarify our understanding of creativity and the creative process in a digital world, and identify how gameplay itself can be a creative artifact.

Effects of video game playing on sprint performance : A study using a racing game

Effects of video game playing on sprint performance : A study using a racing game

Short-Form Video Applications Usage and Functionally Dependent Adults' Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on a National Survey.

This study constructed a theoretical model based on the social compensation theory and used it to investigate the effects of short-form video applications usage on depressive symptoms among functionally dependent adults. An empirical analysis was conducted based on a national sample of 8752 adults aged 45+ from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) wave 2020. This study examined the effects of short-form video applications usage on depressive symptoms in functionally dependent adults by constructing linear regression models. Further, the mediating effect of interpersonal relationship, and the moderating effect of video games were then sequentially analyzed with the help of macro PROCESS4.0 tool. Results showed that: (1) short-form video applications usage significantly reduced the level of depressive symptoms among functionally dependent adults; (2) interpersonal relationship exerted a mediating effect of 10.36% in the process of short-form video applications usage reducing the level of depressive symptoms among functionally dependent adults; (3) video games attenuated the healing effect of short-form video applications usage on the level of depressive symptoms in functionally dependent adults, but not significantly in the functionally dependent adults aged 60+. New electronic media, represented by short-form video applications, have the potential to intervene in the mental health of functionally dependent adults. Social policymakers should consider adopting relevant e-healing measures to enhance the well-being of vulnerable groups.

The effects of prosocial video games on empathy and prosocial behavior in athletes: evidence from cross-sectional survey and experimental studies

ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of prosocial video games (PVG) on the empathy and prosocial behavior of athletes, as well as comparing the intervention effects with non-athletes. In Study 1, questionnaires were used to assess video game exposure, empathy levels, and prosocial-related indicators among both athletes and non-athletes. Study 2 employed a mixed design with a 2 (prosocial/neutral video game group) × 2 (pre/post-test) factorial design, with participants engaging in a 30-min daily video game intervention over a 14-day period. The results showed that in Study 1, PVG exposure in both groups exhibited a positive correlation with levels of positive empathy, and PVG exposure was also found to predict certain prosocial indicators. In Study 2, compared to the neutral video game group, athletes in the PVG group demonstrated an improvement in positive empathy levels as well as sports prosocial behavior towards opponents following the intervention; the PVG non-athlete group showed higher levels of empathy. Overall, prosocial video games can improve athletes’ positive empathy and sports prosocial behavior, and similar effects are also observed in non-athletes. These findings suggest that increasing PVG exposure is a promising way to promote prosocial behavior in athletes and can be used in their daily routines and training settings.

The Effect of Video Game on Behavior of Adolescents

The Effect of Video Game on Behavior of Adolescents

Examining Working Memory Training for Healthy Adults-A Second-Order Meta-Analysis.

Enhancing working memory performance in cognitively and physically healthy individuals is a popular area of research. The results from a large number of studies have now been summarized in multiple meta-analyses. In these reviews, various training methods have been examined, including mindfulness training, adaptive working memory training, physical activity training, and video game training, to examine whether working memory capacity can be improved. This report aggregated the results of these meta-analyses using second-order meta-analytic approaches to ascertain the extent to which working memory functioning can be enhanced in healthy adults. A total of six meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials that compared working memory interventions to a control group were included in the analyses. These studies were identified after systematically searching three electronic databases: APA PsycInfo, ERIC and Medline. Collectively, the meta-analyses investigated the effects of cognitive programs, mindfulness, video games and physical activity on working memory. Only meta-analyses undertaken with healthy adults aged between 18 and 55 years were included in the report. The results revealed an average improvement in working memory across the included studies compared to the control groups. The findings indicated a small yet significant enhancement in working memory, with a standardized mean difference of 0.335 (95% CI [0.223; 0.447], p < .001). Further analysis tests for superiority effects between the different working memory training programs revealed no significant differences between intervention effect sizes. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the working memory capacity of healthy adults can be improved through training. However, the effect size is small, so the utility of this type of training in real-life improvements in cognition may be minimal. The evidence does not indicate that one type of working memory training is superior to another.

The Effect of Video Games on Laparoscopic Skills: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial and Quality Improvement Project

The Effect of Video Games on Laparoscopic Skills: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial and Quality Improvement Project

Face Recognition-Driven Video Game for Dysphagia Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility and effectiveness of face recognition-driven video game (FR-VG) swallowing training for stroke patients with dysphagia. DesignA single-blind pilot randomized controlled trial. SettingA rehabilitation center. ParticipantsStroke patients with dysphagia (N=26). InterventionsParticipants in the intervention group were trained using FR-VG, while the control group used the conventional method (ie, lip exercise, tongue exercise, and lower jaw exercise). The training was conducted 5 days a week over 4 weeks. Outcome measuresThe swallowing function and swallowing-related quality of life between the 2 groups were observed before and after the intervention. The acceptance of FR-VG in the intervention group and the adherence of the patients in the 2 groups after the intervention were analyzed. ResultsA total of 26 stroke patients with dysphagia were included. The results showed that after the intervention, both groups exhibited significant improvements in swallowing function and swallowing-related quality of life compared to the pre-intervention (P<.05). Patients in the intervention group demonstrated better swallowing function than the control group on the Gugging Swallowing Screen (P=.015) and Functional Oral Intake Scale (P=.004). The intervention group had a high acceptance of the FR-VG training and had significantly better adherence compared to the control group (P=.032). ConclusionsFR-VG rehabilitation training can help improve swallowing function, swallowing-related quality of life, and training adherence in stroke patients with dysphagia. Patients have a high acceptance of FR-VG rehabilitation training, which can be used as an adjunctive method to conventional rehabilitation.

The effect of prosocial video games on individual altruism: the role of avatar appearance and gender

The effect of prosocial video games on individual altruism: the role of avatar appearance and gender

Self-reported and physiological stress indicators and the moderating role of the Dark Tetrad in violent and non-violent gaming

Playing non-violent video games has been shown to reduce perceived levels of stress (Pallavicini et al., 2021). Does this effect also apply to violent game content? As findings suggest a particular preference for such games among people with certain personality traits, such as the Dark Tetrad (i.e., Machiavellianism, everyday sadism, subclinical psychopathy, and narcissism; e.g., Bonfá-Araujo et al., 2022; Greitemeyer, 2015; Greitemeyer & Sagioglou, 2017) do these traits influence the stress they feel? In the present lab experiment, potential stress-reducing effects of violent and non-violent video games were compared to a control condition (solving a jigsaw puzzle). Cortisol levels, heart rate variability (HRV), and self-reported stress levels were assessed before, during, and after gameplay. Irrespective of game condition, playing video game passages decreased cortisol levels, a typical indicator of stress. In addition, playing violent games led to a significant decrease in certain HRV indicators (i.e., ratio of low frequency power to high-frequency power), thus providing additional support for stress relief. In contrast, trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle did not result in stress reduction. Most results involving the Dark Tetrad traits showed null findings. However, participants with greater Dark Tetrad expressions experienced more relaxation after violent gameplay while showing greater stress reaction after trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle. The present results indicate that playing violent or non-violent video games can lead to physiological relaxation—an important finding for future research on the potential of video games for stress relief interventions.

Guiding Teenagers to Use Video Games Properly

With the increasing popularity of video games, some problems have arisen. For some people, video games can be said to be “destructive”, causing irreparable harm; For others, however, teenagers’ use of video games has produced some positive results. The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of video games on young people and how the community should guide young people to use video games to achieve positive effects and avoid negative effects. Through the analysis of literature and cases, this paper analyzes the positive and negative effects of electronic games on teenagers from the perspectives of society, psychology, and science, and studies the feasible ways for parents, schools, governments, and other groups to correctly guide teenagers to use electronic games. It is found that electronic games can have different effects on teenagers, both positive and negative, depending on the situation. Overall, the study reported more negative effects than positive ones. Among them, the negative aspects include addiction, affecting academic performance, causing psychological disorders, leading to suicide, affecting family relations, leading to social problems, leading to negative emotions, etc. The positive effects include cultivating prosocial behavior and satisfying psychological needs that are difficult to achieve in real life. To properly guide teenagers to use electronic games, all sectors of society, including parents, schools, and governments, can take some actions to achieve the goal.

Inside the gamer's mind: How violent video games and emotional dysregulation affect EEG interbrain synchronization

BackgroundExposure to violent video games influences players’ cortical activations. In addition, intra-individual variables like emotional regulation play an important role in the consequences of such exposures. However, most research has studied these relationships at the intra-individual level. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of violent video games on the interbrain synchronization (IBS) of dyads in which one member played video games, and evaluated IBS differences between high and low-emotionally dysregulated groups. MethodsEighteen participants (M = 24.1 ± 2.1) were enrolled in this study. Participants gazed into another person's eyes before playing (“First Direct Gaze”), after playing a violent video game (“Post-VV”), and after playing a nonviolent video game (“Post-NVV”) during an electroencephalographic hyperscanning acquisition. Afterward, each participant completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. ResultsA cluster-based analysis revealed an increased theta IBS Post-VV compared to Post-NVV. A median split was used to define the high emotionally dysregulated (“HED”) and low emotionally dysregulated (“LED”) groups. Results showed a decreased alpha IBS in the First Direct Gaze, Post-VV, and Post-NVV in the HED group compared to the LED group. ConclusionsExposure to violent video games was associated with higher theta IBS, suggesting a greater social attunement, potentially due to a higher perceived dominance and control or due to an effort of managing the emotional activations elicited. In addition, difficulties in emotional regulation could elicit specific alpha activities regardless of exposure to a video game, leading to a lower tendency to attune with another person on this band.Results from this study should not be generalized to infer that playing any type of video game causes harm to people's brains.