Recent research has found that action games like Call of Duty and Halo can enhance visual attention, the ability that helps us focus on relevant visual information. The mental mechanism allows people to select pertinent visual information and ignore irrelevant information. The research was reviewed in WIREs Cognitive Science by a group led by Dr. Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester. It suggests that action titles can be used to augment military training, educational tools, and correct visual deficits.
“Visual attention is crucial to preventing sensory overload, since the brain is constantly faced with an overwhelming amount of visual information,” explained Bjorn Hubert-Wallander, the paper’s lead author. “It’s an ability that is especially emphasized during visually demanding activities such as driving a car or searching for a friend’s face in a crowd, so it is not surprising that scientists have long been interested in ways to modify, extend, and enhance the different facets of visual attention.”
The study cites that 68 percent of American households play video games in some form. Hubert-Wallander, Shawn Green, and Bavelier reviewed numerous studies by their group and others where gamers and non-gamers had to perform visually demanding tasks. It was found that gamers consistently outperformed non-gamers in these tasks.
The review found that not all titles provide the same benefits. Fast-paced action games require rapid responses to visual stimuli and a divided attention seemed to be the only titles that affected attention.
“Just as drivers have to focus on the road, other cars, and potential obstacles while ignoring other information, modern action games place heavy attentional demands on players,” said Hubert-Wallander. “These games require players to aim and shoot accurately in the center of the screen while continuously tracking other enemies and fast moving objects.”
Studies also show improvements in the visual attention of non-gamers after playing action games. This finding may have implications for clinical rehabilitation programs for conditions like amblyopia, educational methods and military training.
“At the core of these action video game-induced improvements appears to be a remarkable enhancement in the ability to flexibly and precisely control attention, a finding that could have a variety of real-world applications,” concluded Shawn Green, one of the co-authors. “For example, those in professions that demand 'super-normal' visual attention, such as fighter pilots, would benefit enormously from enhanced visual attention, as their performance and lives depend on their ability to react quickly and accurately to primarily visual information."
2 Comments
November 16, 2010
I have observed this phenomenon in my child. He is a highly sensitive child who use to have major sensory issues which made it very difficult for him to focus. We got a wii and very quickly started to notice changes in his ability to focus. Games have helped him learn how to focus his mind within a stream of sensory input. He still takes in much more in but has not developed a means to filter. He has taken this ability back into his life and now has also learned to approach his sensitivities that way as well. So, when something is too intense, he focuses on something else.... It is a pity schools have not been able ti incorporate gaming in the classroom, I can imagine how many students labeled as ADHD could improve their ability to cope if their visual and auditive sensitivities were addressed.... It is clear that interactive media is a sensory and social learning tool......
November 16, 2010
Alx Bal sounds like a very smart person with multiple PHD's. Also curious if a different genera of games would effect other aspects of development. For example RPG's for task orientation, logistics, etc. or a game like Civilization for resource management and strategy. I'll have to watch and see.