Video games are more popular than ever.
Games like Fortnight have gone completely mainstream, and now almost everybody considers
themselves a gamer.
In the past, video games have been looked down; they have been accused of causing habits
of violence or addictive behaviors.
But what about the benefits of playing video games?
Here are some reasons you might want to game hard in 2019.
One; video games are linked with emotional stability.
Here at Psych2Go, we're all about helping and educating others on everything related
to psychology, and emotional stability is a huge part of that.
A 2012 study suggested that immersive games in particular, appear to be the most beneficial,
because they allowed gamers to try out different versions of themselves.
Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 are so immersive that people can go anywhere and do anything.
We're allowed to explore our own personalities and see what fits best with our ideal selves.
And according to research, this helps a lot with emotional stability.
Three; video games improved Visumotor coordination.
You might have heard previously that video games improve hand-eye coordination, it's
true.
In fact, a recent study found that video games improve all Visumotor coordination which is
when vision and movement work together to produce actions.
For example, in First-Person Shooters, gamers must aim quickly and accurately at small targets.
In driving games, we make small steering adjustments at high speeds.
When we boost our Visumotor coordination, we get better at all kinds of tasks; including
walking, driving, sports and even basic tasks, like getting dressed in the morning.
Four; playing certain video games boost social skills.
We all know that in 2019, some of the best video games are the ones we can play online
with our friends.
But until recently, no one really considered the benefits of these games.
In 2014, a very interesting study was published on the subject, which proposed that immersive
social video games help gamers develop pro-social skills.
In these games, you have to figure out who you can trust, who to make friends with and
how to lead a group.
And yes, those skills can definitely be transferred from the game world in to the real world.
Five, videogames are linked with better vision.
We've been told that staring at a screen all day is bad for our eyes, but what if videogames
actually improves our vision?
There have been quite a few studies on this.
Games can boost visual contrast sensitivity, which is basically the ability to distinguish
between different shades of gray.
One study even found that videogame treatments can cure a lazy eye, which is also known as
amblyopia.
That being said, don't stare at a screen all day playing video games with the excuse of
trying to improve your eyesight.
Six; video games might help with dementia.
Almost everyone's a little fearful of getting old, and one big reason is dementia.
Once again, it's video games to the rescue.
A 2016 study found that playing video games helped older patients restore their cognitive
functions.
This included benefits like improving walking abilities, better moods and better social
interactions with friends and family.
Seven; video games can help teens blow off steam.
Being a teen isn't easy and most of us remember having a lot of pent up emotions during this
time.
If anybody needs to blow off some steam, it's your average teenager.
And according to a 2007 study, video games are a great way to do that.
The study found that teens were relieving a lot of stress by playing video games.
So instead of causing aggression, video games might actually be helping teens vent by getting
aggressive in the game world instead of the real world.
To summarize this video, what's your favorite video game?
Comment below.
Share this video with a friend of yours who plays.
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