Becoming a guitar hero: does it alter multisensory processing skills?

Three groups of novice gamers were trained for 10 hours using the music-genre game Rock Band©: one group played the game normally, another played using visual cues only, and a third simply listened to music. Pre- and post-test eye-tracking data was collected using a focused attention task in which participants quickly shifted their gaze toward a visual target; on some trials a to-be-ignored auditory tone was also presented. Past research has shown the tone to speed-up saccadic response time (SRT). We hypothesized that training on a music-genre video game would boost this intersensory facilitation effect, defined as the difference between SRTs on unimodal only trials minus SRTs on bimodal trials. There was an overall SRT decrease from pre- to post-test, but, more critically, the magnitude of the facilitation effect was not disproportionally enhanced in the full Rock Band© training group, relative to the controls. Future research avenues are considered.Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psycholog

Shoot at first sight! First person shooter players display reduced reaction time and compromised inhibitory control in comparison to other video game players

Studies have shown that regular video game use might improve cognitive and social skills. In contrast, other studies have documented the negative outcomes of excessive gaming vis-à-vis health and socioprofessional spheres. Both positive and negative outcomes of video game use were linked to their structural characteristics (i.e., features that make the game appealing or are inducements for all gamers to keep playing regularly). The current study tested whether active video gamers from main genres (massively multiplayer online role-playing games, online first person shooter, multiplayer online battle arena) differed in a laboratory task that measured inhibitory control. Eighty-one gamers performed the Hybrid-Stop Task, assessing restraint (go/no-go trials) and cancellation (stop-signal trials) processes of a prepotent response. They completed additional self-reported questionnaires measuring demographics, problematic video game use, impulsivity traits, and depressive symptoms. Results showed that when confounding variables were controlled for, participants who favored online first person shooter were characterized by accelerated motor responses yet reduced abilities to cancel a prepotent response. No differences between groups were identified regarding the restraint process. The findings of this pilot study might have clear implications for video gaming research by supporting the critical importance of distinguishing between video game genres when considering their specific potential benefits and detrimental effects

Rehabilitative devices for a top-down approach

In recent years, neurorehabilitation has moved from a "bottom-up" to a "top down" approach. This change has also involved the technological devices developed for motor and cognitive rehabilitation. It implies that during a task or during therapeutic exercises, new "top-down" approaches are being used to stimulate the brain in a more direct way to elicit plasticity-mediated motor re-learning. This is opposed to "Bottom up" approaches, which act at the physical level and attempt to bring about changes at the level of the central neural system. Areas covered: In the present unsystematic review, we present the most promising innovative technological devices that can effectively support rehabilitation based on a top-down approach, according to the most recent neuroscientific and neurocognitive findings. In particular, we explore if and how the use of new technological devices comprising serious exergames, virtual reality, robots, brain computer interfaces, rhythmic music and biofeedback devices might provide a top-down based approach. Expert commentary: Motor and cognitive systems are strongly harnessed in humans and thus cannot be separated in neurorehabilitation. Recently developed technologies in motor-cognitive rehabilitation might have a greater positive effect than conventional therapies

The empirical analysis of non-problematic video gaming and cognitive skills: a systematic review

Videogames have become one of the most popular leisure activities worldwide, including multiple game genres with different characteristics and levels of involvement required. Although a small minority of excessive players suffer detrimental consequences including impairment of several cognitive skills (e.g., inhibition, decision-making), it has also been demonstrated that playing videogames can improve different cognitive skills. Therefore, the current paper systematically reviewed the empirical studies experimentally investigating the positive impact of videogames on cognitive skills. Following a number of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 32 papers were identified as empirically investigating three specific skills: taskswitching (eight studies), attentional control (22 studies), and sub-second time perception (two studies). Results demonstrated that compared to control groups, non-problematic use of videogames can lead to improved task-switching, more effective top-down attentional control and processing speed and increased sub-second time perception. Two studies highlighted the impact of gaming on cognitive skills differs depends upon game genre. The studies reviewed suggest that videogame play can have a positive impact on cognitive processes for players

Brain Drain Or Brain Gain? Cognitive Skill Training With Novice Video Game Players With Casual Video Games

Video game playing (vgp) has become a popular and widespread form of entertainment over the past two decades. This form of media is now popular with children, adolescents, and adults alike. While most early research on the effects of vgp focused on the relation of violence in video games and expressions of aggression, more recent research has begun to explore possible beneficial effects of vgp. Study results have been inconsistent, with some suggesting that vgp may improve various cognitive skills such as spatial skills, attentional skills, executive control, and problem solving. Other studies refute or qualify these findings. Additionally, different types of games have been related to improvements in differing cognitive skills. A lack of consistency in vgp training programs and an abundance of correlational rather than causational studies have made interpretation of vgp training results murky at best. The current study aimed to clarify possible causal relationships between vgp and changes in cognitive skill. Novice game players were trained on two different vgp genres (strategy and action-shooter) and administered pre- and post-test batteries of cognitive skill. Forty-nine female participants played 20 hours of a randomly assigned video-game over the course of ten weeks and completed multiple cognitive skills tests pre- and post-study. Individuals who played the first-person shooter-style game exhibited significant improvements in attention, working memory, visuospatial skills, processing speed, and problem-solving. Individuals playing the strategy style game demonstrated significant improvements in working memory, problem-solving, and visuospatial skills as well. Both groups exhibited a decline in self-reported willingness to engage in social conversation following the training paradigm but no cognitive skill declines were observed. These findings have implications for the utility of commercial video-games as a cognitive skill building tool. They also support the potential efficacy of electronic media as a potentially useful means of addressing cognitive deficits while also remaining highly engaging and motivating for individuals to utilize

Light video game play is associated with enhanced visual processing of RSVP targets

There is mixed evidence that video game players (VGPs) may demonstrate better performance in perceptual and attentional tasks than non-video game players (NVGPs). The rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task is one such case, where observers respond to two successive targets embedded within a stream of serially presented items. We tested light video game players (LVGPs) and NVGPs on this task. LVGPs were better at correct identification of second targets whether or not they were also attempting to respond to the first target. This performance benefit seen for LVGPs suggests enhanced visual processing for briefly presented stimuli even with only very moderate game play. Observers were less accurate at discriminating the orientation of a second target within the stream if it occurred shortly after presentation of the first target, that is to say, they were subject to the ‘attentional blink’ (AB). We find no evidence for any reduction in AB in LVGPs compared to NVGPs

Proposing a Gaming Language Analysis Procedure to Reveal Video Game Ideology through Ludic Linguistics

This study proposes a procedural analysis on the implementation of ludic linguistics to analyze gaming language with wordplays, the core of focus in ludic linguistics, as the point of departure. To formulate the procedural analysis, theories of language play by Crystal ideology of influence and ludonarrative model by Aarseth, wordplay in gaming context by Paul, intended meaning level by Stiles, wordplay transmission by Winter-Froemel, game interface types by Stonehouse and indexical storytelling by Fernández-Vara were applied as the theoretical foundation. To provide a vivid application of the proposed procedural analysis, wordplays appearing on game assets from Konami’s Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater were taken as examples of analysis. The five steps procedure is able to show how wordplays in gaming context are designed as mechanical cues to help gamers complete the games and as narrative cues to help them comprehend the story. Further, this proposed procedure is able to indicate that the mechanical and narrative cues have particular ideology of influence, which affects gamers in reacting and responding to particular problems presented by the games. The result of this study discloses future research on the roles of wordplays in gaming context, signifying the importance of ludic linguistics as a bridge between language studies and game studies. Keywords: Wordplay; Gaming Language; Ludic Linguistics; Game Dtudies; Metal Gear Solid

NeuroGame: neural mechanisms underlying cognitive improvement in video gamers

The video game market represents an influential and profitable industry. But concerns have been raised how video games impact on the human mind. There are reservations that video gaming may be addictive and foster aggressive behaviour. In contrast, a convincing body of research indicates that playing video games may improve cognitive processing. The exact mechanism thereof is not entirely understood. Most research suggests that video games train individuals in learning how to employ attentional control to focus on processing relevant information, while being able to suppress irrelevant information. Thus, video game players acquire the ability of being able to develop strategies to process information more efficiently. However, no algorithmic solution therefore has been provided yet. Thus, it is not clear which and how attentional control functions contribute to these effects. Moreover, neural mechanisms thereof are not well understood. We hypothesized that alterations in alpha power, i.e., modulations in brain oscillatory activity around 10 Hz, represent a promising neural substrate of video gaming effects. This was because, alpha activity represents an established neural correlate of attention processing given that its amplitude modulation corresponds to alterations in information processing. We investigated this by relating differential cognitive processing in video game players to changes in alpha power modulation. Moreover, we tried to imitate this effect using non-invasive brain stimulation. We were successful in achieving the former but not the latter. We provide a reasonable explanation for this. Thus, our results mostly support our hypothesis according to which altered alpha power may account for gaming effects