Many people spend hours playing video games, one of the most recognizable activities of our time. For this reason, it is said that playing games for hours can negatively affect our health. However, studies show that this activity can produce good results when the time to play is set in a real way.
Last month, we shared with you that it was discovered that playing games improves children’s intelligence. Now, another study published on Neuroimage: Reports has shown that gaming has another positive effect.
Playing games improves decision-making skills
Scientists have announced that the hours spent playing games each week in front of the screen can increase brain activity. In addition, games have been shown to increase the cognitive abilities required for decision-making ability. The researchers behind the study think that video games could even be used as a training method to enhance the brain’s rapid decision-making process.
Neuroscientist Mukesh Dhamala of Georgia State University in the USA also said about the research, “The majority of teenagers play more than three hours a week. However, its effects on decision making and the brain are not fully known. Our study also seeks an answer to this question.” It was stated that a total of 47 university students, 28 of whom were gamers and 19 of whom were not, participated in the study and the observations were made using magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) formula.
As a result of the examinations, it was seen that the participants who played the game responded to the test in a more real and faster way. In addition, the scans revealed that these individuals experienced enhanced activity in reasonable parts of their brain. “These results show that playing games improves decision-making skills,” said Tim Jordan, one of the researchers.