Video games are very popular in our society. Many think that only kids and youngsters play video games. But there are a lot of adults who are daily playing video games. And they all like it.
The effects of computer gaming on cognition and brain structure have been studied by researchers around the world. It is a topic that is of interest to many educators, psychologists, parents, and students alike. So, you may wonder how exactly playing on the computer is changing or affecting your brain.
Getting an education in college and learning for exams might be challenging at times. Especially when you have so many essays to write and group projects to work on. You need to take breaks and relax too.
Putting a strain on your brain for a long time can lead to burnout, so breaks can be helpful. Many students want to play video games to relax, but a lot of people say that they are linked to violence and aggression in real life. But do they cause this? Let’s find out!
You can combine Study and Entertainment
As highlighted above, studying comes with both rewards and challenges. You learn a lot and expand your knowledge tremendously. But in order for this to happen, you need to put in a lot of work, time, research, thinking, writing, and so on. You might have to write essays and papers on different topics.
Sometimes, this can become overwhelming and stressful and this is the moment to ask for help. You can buy college papers at affordable prices and delegate some of your tasks. I happened to hire writer in my college days to write paper for me. Knowing that professionals write some of your papers is stress-relieving. You have some time to relax and many students choose to entertain themselves by playing computer games. Which, besides providing the relaxation students need, comes with benefits.
Video Games and Attention
One of the incredible benefits that playing computer games comes with is improved attention. Indeed, those who say video games have an impact on your brain structure and cognition are right. Only these changes are positive. The industry of video games has developed tremendously during the last couple of years. Now there are over 3 billion gamers over the globe and over 30 different types of games. Some of the most popular ones are first-person and shooter games, although students are playing a wide variety of games.
When you play video games, you have a quest. You need to complete a task and, usually, you need tools or a plan. You need to pay attention to your surroundings and use the elements that help you. These are just some of the activities that train your attention. Studies have found that different attention parts are considerably improved when playing video games, such as selective attention.
Of course, these improvements contribute to students’ academic life too. They might have an easier time focusing on a task. Or selecting the most important information in their research.
Visual and Motor Skills
But besides attention, computer gaming has an impact on your visual and motor skills too. Video games provide a different reality. They immerse students in a whole new universe where they can focus their attention on something else than academic tasks. Games are nice ways to relax when an academic mental burden is upon you. Video games are diverse and no matter what game genre you choose to play, it helps you improve your visual and motor skills. You need to pay attention to cues in your environment and act fast. You train your muscles to respond to brain commands and over time you will be faster and faster.
Final Thoughts
Many people present video games as demons, but things are pretty different. It is a common misconception that they lead to high levels of violence and aggression. Instead, they have a bunch of positive effects. They are changing your brain structure and cognition in a good way.
Your attention will improve considerably. The same happens with your visual and motor skills. On top of this, it helps you relax and unwind after a challenging academic task or day. They might be the relief many students need.