Higher working memory capacity and distraction-resistance associated with strategy (not action) game playing in younger adults, but puzzle game playing in older adults

TY - JOUR

T1 - Higher working memory capacity and distraction-resistance associated with strategy (not action) game playing in younger adults, but puzzle game playing in older adults

AU - Cutting, Joe

AU - Copeland, Bethany

AU - McNab, Fiona

N1 - © 2023 The Authors.

PY - 2023/8/13

Y1 - 2023/8/13

N2 - Superior attention and Working Memory (WM) have been reported for habitual action video gamers compared to other gamers or non-players. With an online experiment we measured visuo-spatial WM capacity and ability to ignore distraction, and participants listed the video games they played. Categorising the 209 young adult participants (18–30 years) according to the game type they predominantly played revealed superior WM capacity for strategy and action gamers compared to non-players. However, re-categorising the games according to their constituent game types revealed superior WM capacity and distraction resistance associated with strategy but not action game components. In contrast to younger adults, data from 181 older adults (60–81 years) showed superior WM capacity and distractor-resistance for puzzle gamers, which was equivalent to that of younger adults. The results highlight the need to consider component game types in games research and inform the design of age-appropriate cognitive interventions.

AB - Superior attention and Working Memory (WM) have been reported for habitual action video gamers compared to other gamers or non-players. With an online experiment we measured visuo-spatial WM capacity and ability to ignore distraction, and participants listed the video games they played. Categorising the 209 young adult participants (18–30 years) according to the game type they predominantly played revealed superior WM capacity for strategy and action gamers compared to non-players. However, re-categorising the games according to their constituent game types revealed superior WM capacity and distraction resistance associated with strategy but not action game components. In contrast to younger adults, data from 181 older adults (60–81 years) showed superior WM capacity and distractor-resistance for puzzle gamers, which was equivalent to that of younger adults. The results highlight the need to consider component game types in games research and inform the design of age-appropriate cognitive interventions.

KW - Gaming

KW - Working memory

KW - Attention

KW - Ageing

KW - Video games

U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19098

DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19098

M3 - Article

SN - 2405-8440

VL - 9

JO - Heliyon

JF - Heliyon

IS - 8

M1 - E19098

ER -