As an adult, even more so as a parent, you may want to sit down for what I am about to discuss.
“Action Video Games improves Perception, Attention, Cognition, …and Vision!”
What…? A subject that has created so many heated debates, just saying what appears to be self-contradictory words, “The benefits of Action Video Games,” makes us feel a bit uneasy.
….Oh my?
But that is exactly what Cognitive Research -Professor at the University of Geneva Studies Cognitive Neuroscience Daphne Bavelier stated. She even went on to say it will make you SMARTER, BETTER, FASTER, and STRONGER.
When you realize the average Action Video Gamer is 33 and todays neuroscientist are using action video games to help the elderly improve their reaction and improve their peripheral vision.
Contrary to what you maybe thinking, playing Action Video Games actually improves your vision, positively affects your decision making, increasing your ability to be a multi-media-tasker.
- Contrast sensitivity – “…even those with normal visual acuity could improve their ability to detect contrast and make sense of visual clutter by playing action video games.”
- Visual Acuity – According to Jay Pratt, professor at the University of Toronto stated, “Video gamers pick up very subtle, statistical irregularities in environments”
- Improve reaction time – Able to “detect new information coming at them faster,” therefore becoming more efficient – more effective.
True Success as an athlete or in business we all need to increase our ‘multi-media-tasker ability.’ Our ability to …focus on relevant visual information,” as Rick Nauert, PHD stated, thereby increasing our knowledge and understanding by focusing on what it takes to improve, what it takes to be better than the next company or individual, what it takes to win!
Former first round pick by the Los Angeles Dodger and businessman Shawn Green said, “… those in professions that demand ‘super-normal’ visual attention, … would benefit enormously from enhanced visual attention….[to keep ahead of the competition!]” Icing on the cake, Ms. Bavelier’s studies even proved, “intense retraining of the … eye in the context of high action video games can improve acuity regardless of age.”
So as Steve Jobs said, “…[mistakes]…admit them quickly, and get on with improving…”
Until next blog you might be asking yourself, “how many hours should we play?” Perhaps the best answer is an old adage my grandmother told me, or was it the Greek poet Hesiod (c700 bc), “observe due measure; moderation is best in all things.”
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So, I will see you on line…,
Al McCormick
