The Effect of Video
Games on Early
Cognitive Development
In 2004, an estimated 60% of Americans (145 million
people) played video games regularly.
The average gamer is 29 years old.
In 2014, 91% of children between the ages of 2 and
17 regularly played video games.
Among teenagers, 99% of boys and 94% of girls are
gamers.
An extensive neurological study revealed that children’s
brains receive the same amount of stimulus from video
games as they do from traditional play.
Playtime is critical for a
child’s development.
61 fifth graders were tested on their spatial reasoning
skills, of the group, the children who had been exposed
to a fast paced video game were more efficient at
pattern and motion identification.
Gamer children outshine their non gamer peers in:
• Visual tracking
• Environmental awareness
• Processing visual cues
• Multitasking
• Mental flexibility
• Memory
• Spatial reasoning
• Quick decision making
While gaming, brain release excessive amounts of dopamine,
a neurotransmitter known to stimulate happiness and
addiction. Gamers experience dopamine levels equivalent to
those released after amphetamine injections.
A study on rats suggests that high dopamine levels can
increase the brain’s potential for learning, especially in young
children.
Video games have been proven to be beneficial to the brain
development of elementary school aged children.
However, children who spent more than half of their free time
playing video games experienced lower prosocial behavior and
life satisfaction.
In moderation, video games give children a unique
opportunity to become more efficient and quick
learners.
Sources:
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201502/cognitive-benefits-playing-video-games
Green, C., & Bavelier, D. (2004). The Cognitive Science of Video Games. Digital Media: Transformations in Human Connection, 32-32.
Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://psych.wisc.edu/CSGreen/csg_CNofVGP.pdf
Subrahmanyam, K., & Greenfield, P. (2002). Effect Of Video Game Practice On Spatial Skills In Girls And Boys. Journal of Applied
Developmental Psychology, 13-32. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0193397394900043
Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American Psychologist, 66-78. Retrieved April 17,
2015, from https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-a0034857.pdf
Shapiro, J. (2014, August 27). A Surprising New Study On How Video Games Impact Children. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/2014/08/27/a-surprising-new-study-on-how-video-games-impact-children/