We continue our article:
Improving Vision
A study conducted in 2012 by Timothy J Wright and Daniel P Blakely showed that people who play video games are able to see more details, especially in their peripheral vision.
This is particularly true for first-person shooter game players, where extracting information from your peripheral vision is crucial to identify enemies or threats.
This ability to see more details in your vision and perceive the environment translates to better performance in daily tasks like driving.
However, it is important to give your eyes a break from screens, preferably a few minutes every hour of use, as extended screen time can cause eye irritation and strain.
Higher Precision and Faster Task Completion
Video games may improve an individual’s ability to perform tasks that require precision faster and with higher accuracy.
A study conducted by James C Rosser and others in 2007 trained young surgeons in abdominal surgery and found that gamers made fewer errors by 37% and completed tasks faster by 27% compared to non-gamers. Their accuracy also improved with increased play time. The study showed that even with modest play time (3 hours weekly), players performed better than non-players.
This study, along with other studies we mentioned, indicates that gamers perform better in tasks that require speed, precision, and hand-eye coordination.
Some Games Enhance Teamwork
Many players engage in games that involve collaborating with teammates to achieve the game’s objective. Some popular games include Team Fortress 2, Roblox, League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike, Rocket League, and others.
In a study by Brigham Young University, teams that played games together for 45 minutes showed up to 20% better performance compared to teams engaged in other forms of team-building exercises.
This suggests that games can be a good way to develop chemistry among team members when used as a team-building exercise. The study also shows that some games have the ability to improve an individual’s ability to collaborate with other team members, a valuable skill in today’s job market.
Increased Physical Activity
Playing games that encourage physical activity can improve your physical health, especially compared to games where you remain sedentary.
Take virtual reality games as an example. The vast majority of these games involve movement or at least standing, which is better for your health than sitting games.
Players also find virtual reality games more immersive and satisfying than traditional games, so it’s just a matter of time before virtual reality games become prevalent in the coming years or decades.
Enhancing Endurance and Perseverance
In many games, players must overcome challenging obstacles and difficult levels to achieve the game’s goals. Sometimes, this requires multiple attempts, analyzing mistakes, and changing strategies. This type of experience enhances patience and perseverance as players learn how to face failure, overcome it, and continue striving for success.
The experience players gain in the game also helps them in real life. They become more prepared to face difficulties and challenges they may encounter, and they have the ability to keep trying and persevering until they reach their goals. This enhances their resilient mindset, a vital skill in achieving success in various fields, whether academic, professional, or personal.
Other Benefits
In addition to the main positive effects of video games, there are other effects mentioned by many players, including:
- Non-English speakers can learn English faster through games.
- Games require perseverance in completing tasks to achieve the game’s goal, which builds your perseverance.
- Players can focus better and for longer periods than non-players.
- Other benefits include improving pattern recognition, strategic thinking, risk-taking, and management.
Conclusion
Playing can be a positive and beneficial experience when done in moderation. To reap the positive effects of video games, it can be beneficial to determine your motivations for playing.
If you play in moderation, for fun and entertainment, you may gain many benefits. However, if you play excessively to escape real-life problems, you may begin to face problems from gaming, and in extreme cases, may develop gaming disorder.
Gaming can have both negative and positive effects on your quality of life, so it is important to be aware of your gaming habits and maintain a balance.
* Gaming disorder is a mental health condition defined by the World Health Organization as a pattern of behavior characterized by excessive engagement in digital or video games, where this behavior is out of control and leads to significant negative effects on the individual’s life.
Symptoms of gaming disorder include:
- Loss of control over gaming: The person becomes unable to control the duration of gaming or regulate the time spent in games.
- Increased priority of gaming: Games become a priority over other activities and commitments in daily life, such as work, study, or social relationships.
- Continued gaming despite negative consequences: The person continues to excessively game even if it leads to health, social, or economic problems.
This condition can have negative impacts on psychological and physical health, such as insomnia, stress, tension, loss of social connections, and lack of physical activity. This disorder requires therapeutic intervention, such as psychological counseling or behavioral therapy, to mitigate its effects on the individual’s life and regain control over daily activities.