Does Playing Video Games Actually Make You Smarter?

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of gaming is probably entertainment, and you might not think of it as a tool or exercise that you can use to improve both your short and long-term abilities. The truth is, that it might not be a convenient side effect of gaming but the whole reason why we are drawn to playing them in the first place in an entire perception of what we think video games are, could be something completely different but if you want to use video games to improve your intelligence, they are a few things you need to know first. Because understanding what's going on could be the key to maximizing the positive effects of gaming instead of the negative effects.

It is said that video games can make you smarter, the first question that we have to answer is, is it true that video games can enhance your intelligence? A study was conducted by the international journal of environmental research and public health the title was “the transient and long-term improvement in cognitive processes following video games”. They took people who play a ton of video games, in another bunch of people who rarely play video games and put them through a wide range of tests. The test result of the study showed a temporary involvement in the short term and a strong enhancement in long term.

But the challenging thing about studies like this for intelligence, in general, is that there are limitations, you give an idea of what happened but don’t prove or disapprove. This test was conducted to see and understand what's going on in your brain while you’re playing video games. Back when we will kid, when we were growing up, we could turn everything into it starting with just running around, going down slides at the playground, and testing the limits of experiencing the world with our senses, until we begin turning everything into wild fantasy. This theory suggests that intelligence changes not just by simply acquiring new knowledge, but by how your direct personal experience constructs your mental model of the world.

Playing allows you to create a multitude of stimulations for similar things that you might encounter later in your life. Making life’s progress is like playing a series of games. There are physical rules that you can't change, legal rules and social rules that you have to abide by and then your success is determined by how skilfully you can navigate each game throughout different stages of your life without breaking the rules.

Most people stop the practice of playing once they reach adulthood. But gamers have done the exact opposite. They took the fundamentals of playing and use technology to evolve it into countless worlds of complex stimulation. Then they can play them over and over again to make improvements by testing the result of implementing different strategies and improving the mental skill sets they need to be more successful in the game.

For example, in Trios in Apex Legends, what you have to do here is jump into a lobby with three of your buddies, the first thing you are going to do is discuss which character you are going to choose. Now that might seem simple enough, but let's use it as an example for breaking things down a few layers. The character in the game has different strengths and weaknesses.

Essentially what you are playing with your teammates is determining what role and dynamic you are going to fill throughout the match. Where do you think about it consciously or not, the array of character selections creates the first set of structures that detects the strategy you will be testing for that round. Now, this strategy creation is a collaborative process that continues with your teammates until the moment you choose your landing location in the arena.

The focus of the game begins to shift. As the match progresses the variables begin to change. Other players change the position on the map, you either find or don't find different equipment in locations and you constantly have to adapt to the changing variables communicate real-life changes with your team, maintain situational awareness and adjust your strategy accordingly all have to maintain focus and react faster than your opponents. In real life, you might encounter a situation with this level of collaborative complexity maybe a handful throughout an entire year.

Video games give you an environment where you can experiment with testing your problem-solving abilities, and creativity to try new things even if you know they likely won't work, just observe the result and then learn something from it. It gives you the ability to repeat the process. Playing video games with your friends can also increase your trust, loyalty and friendship.

Written by: Nylisha Cruz