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Starosta J, Kiszka P, Szyszka PD, Starzec S, Strojny P. The tangled ways to classify games: A systematic review of how games are classified in psychological research. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299819. [PMID: 38913664 PMCID: PMC11195997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the face of the rapid evolution of the gaming market and the puzzling overlap of genres, consistency in classification seems elusive. The purpose of the present review was to explore the classification of video game genres in the context of psychological research. The aim was to address the challenges associated with creating consistent and meaningful classifications of video game genres, considering the rapid evolution of the gaming market and recent tendency to create games that could be classified into multiple genres. We performed a search in four databases according to the PRISMA guidelines and reviewed 96 full-text papers (N = 49 909). Through our findings, we reveal how researchers strive to classify genres and the numerous complications that arise from this pursuit. In the face of these challenges, we propose alternative ways of classifying genres. Our first proposal is a new classification of video game genres based on our literature review. In our second proposal, we advocate a more detailed understanding by focusing on specific gaming mechanics, and thus we introduce the innovative concept of utilizing community-based tags, such as Steam tags, as an alternative to genres in psychological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanta Starosta
- Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Patrycja Kiszka
- Doctoral School in the Social Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Daria Szyszka
- Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sylwia Starzec
- Doctoral School in the Social Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Strojny
- Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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2
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Attentional modulation as a mechanism for enhanced facial emotion discrimination: The case of action video game players. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:276-289. [PMID: 36670293 PMCID: PMC10050043 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01055-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Action video game players (AVGPs) outperform nonvideo game players (NVGPs) on a wide variety of attentional tasks, mediating benefits to perceptual and cognitive decision processes. A key issue in the literature is the extent to which such benefits transfer beyond cognition. Using steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) as a neural measure of attentional resource allocation, we investigated whether the attentional benefit of AVGPs generalizes to the processing of rapidly presented facial emotions. AVGPs (n = 36) and NVGPs (n = 32) performed a novel, attention-demanding emotion discrimination task, requiring the identification of a target emotion in one of two laterally presented streams of emotional faces. The emotional faces flickered at either 2.0 Hz or 2.5 Hz. AVGPs outperformed NVGPs at detecting the target emotions regardless of the type of emotion. Correspondingly, attentional modulation of the SSVEP at parieto-occipital recording sites was larger in AVGPs compared with NVGPs. This difference appeared to be driven by a larger response to attended information, as opposed to a reduced response to irrelevant distractor information. Exploratory analyses confirmed that this novel paradigm elicited the expected pattern of event-related potentials associated with target detection and error processing. These components did not, however, differ between groups. Overall, the results indicate enhanced discrimination of facial emotions in AVGPs arising from enhanced attentional processing of emotional information. This presents evidence for the attentional advantage of AVGPs to extend beyond perceptual and cognitive processes.
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Martinez L, Gimenes M, Lambert E. Video games and board games: Effects of playing practice on cognition. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283654. [PMID: 36972271 PMCID: PMC10042352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The worldwide popularity of playing practices has led to a growing research interest in games' impact on behavior and cognition. Many studies have already reported the benefits of both video games and board games for cognitive functions. However, these studies have mainly defined the term players according to a minimum play time or in connection to a specific game genre. No study has confronted the cognitive implications of video games and board games in the same statistical model. Thus, it remains unclear whether the cognitive benefits of play are due to play time or game type. To address this issue, in this study, we conducted an online experiment in which 496 participants completed six cognitive tests and a playing practice questionnaire. We examined the between the participants' overall video game and board game play times and cognitive abilities. The results demonstrated significant relations between overall play time and all cognitive functions. Importantly, video games significantly predicted mental flexibility, planning, visual working memory, visuospatial processing, fluid intelligence, and verbal working memory performance, while board games were not found to predict any cognitive performance. These findings suggest that video games affect cognitive functions in specific ways compared to board games. We encourage further investigation to consider players' individual differences through their play time and the specific features of the games they play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Martinez
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Manuel Gimenes
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Eric Lambert
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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4
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Kovbasiuk A, Lewandowska P, Brzezicka A, Kowalczyk-Grębska N. Neuroanatomical predictors of complex skill acquisition during video game training. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:834954. [PMID: 35937888 PMCID: PMC9354597 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.834954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that the outcomes of complex video game (VG) skill acquisition are correlated with individual differences in demographic and behavioral variables, such as age, intelligence and visual attention. However, empirical studies of the relationship between neuroanatomical features and success in VG training have been few and far between. The present review summarizes existing literature on gray matter (GM) and white matter correlates of complex VG skill acquisition as well as explores its relationship with neuroplasticity. In particular, since age can be an important factor in the acquisition of new cognitive skills, we present studies that compare different age groups (young and old adults). Our review reveals that GM in subcortical brain areas predicts complex VG learning outcomes in young subjects, whereas in older subjects the same is true of cortical frontal areas. This may be linked to age-related compensatory mechanisms in the frontal areas, as proposed by The Scaffolding Theory of Aging and Cognition. In the case of plasticity, there is no such relationship – in the group of younger and older adults there are changes after training in both cortical and subcortical areas. We also summarize best practices in research on predictors of VG training performance and outline promising areas of research in the study of complex video game skill acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kovbasiuk
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Management in Networked and Digital Societies, Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland
- *Correspondence: Anna Kovbasiuk,
| | - Paulina Lewandowska
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Aneta Brzezicka
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
- Neurocognitive Research Center, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
- Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska,
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Holm SK, Häikiö T, Olli K, Kaakinen JK. Eye Movements during Dynamic Scene Viewing are Affected by Visual Attention Skills and Events of the Scene: Evidence from First-Person Shooter Gameplay Videos. J Eye Mov Res 2021; 14. [PMID: 34745442 PMCID: PMC8566014 DOI: 10.16910/jemr.14.2.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of individual differences during dynamic scene viewing was explored. Participants
(N=38) watched a gameplay video of a first-person shooter (FPS) videogame while their
eye movements were recorded. In addition, the participants’ skills in three visual attention
tasks (attentional blink, visual search, and multiple object tracking) were assessed. The
results showed that individual differences in visual attention tasks were associated with eye
movement patterns observed during viewing of the gameplay video. The differences were
noted in four eye movement measures: number of fixations, fixation durations, saccade amplitudes
and fixation distances from the center of the screen. The individual differences
showed during specific events of the video as well as during the video as a whole. The results
highlight that an unedited, fast-paced and cluttered dynamic scene can bring about individual
differences in dynamic scene viewing.
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Muppidathi M, Perumal P. Ag@CuO@Cu(OH)
2
: A Synergistic Catalyst for H
2
O
2
Detection with Peroxidase‐Mimic Activity without Interference of O
2. ChemistrySelect 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202103055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marieeswaran Muppidathi
- Department of Chemistry SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur Chennai 603 203 Tamil Nadu India
| | - Panneerselvam Perumal
- Department of Chemistry SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur Chennai 603 203 Tamil Nadu India
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Al-Moteri M, Alrehaili AA, Plummer V, Yaseen RW, Alhakami RA, Thobaity AA, Faizo NL. Rapid Visual Search Games and Accuracy of Students' Clinical Observation Skills: A Comparative Study. Clin Simul Nurs 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecns.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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The role of individual differences in attentional blink phenomenon and real-time-strategy game proficiency. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06724. [PMID: 33937540 PMCID: PMC8079465 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of action videogame playing on cognitive functioning is the subject of debate among scientists, with many studies showing superior performance of players relative to non-players on a number of cognitive tasks. Moreover, the exact role of individual differences in the observed effects is still largely unknown. In our Event-Related Potential (ERP) study we investigated whether training in a Real Time Strategy (RTS) video game StarCraft II can influence the ability to deploy visual attention measured by the Attentional Blink (AB) task. We also asked whether individual differences in a psychophysiological response in the AB task predict the effectiveness of the video game training. Forty-three participants (non-players) were recruited to the experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to either experimental (Variable environment) or active control (Fixed environment) group, which differed in the type of training received. Training consisted of 30 h of playing the StarCraft II game. Participants took part in two EEG sessions (pre- and post-training) during which they performed the AB task. Our results indicate that both groups improved their performance in the AB task in the post-training session. What is more, in the experimental group the strength of the amplitude of the P300 ERP component (which is related to a conscious visual perception) in the pre training session appeared to be predictive of the level of achievement in the game. In the case of the active control group in-game behaviour appeared to be predictive of a training-related improvement in the AB task. Our results suggest that differences in the neurophysiological response might be treated as a marker of future success in video game acquisition, especially in a more demanding game environment.
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Converging Evidence Supporting the Cognitive Link between Exercise and Esport Performance: A Dual Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110859. [PMID: 33203067 PMCID: PMC7696945 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Research into action video games (AVG) has surged with the popularity of esports over the past three decades. Specifically, evidence is mounting regarding the importance of enhanced cognitive abilities for successful esports performance. However, due to the sedentary nature in which AVGs are played, concerns are growing with the increased engagement young adults have with AVGs. While evidence exists supporting the benefits of exercise for cognition generally in older adult, children and clinical populations, little to no work has synthesized the existing knowledge regarding the effect of exercise specifically on the cognitive abilities required for optimal esports performance in young adults. (2) Method: We conducted a dual-systematic review to identify the cognitive abilities integral to esports performance (Phase 1) and the efficacy of exercise to enhance said cognitive abilities (Phase 2). (3) Results: We demonstrate the importance of four specific cognitive abilities for AVG play (attention, task-switching, information processing, and memory abilities) and the effect that different types and durations of physical exercise has on each. (4) Conclusion: Together, these results highlight the role that exercise can have on not only combating the sedentary nature of gaming, but also its potential role in facilitating the cognitive aspects of gaming performance.
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Gonçalves BC, Lopes Barbosa MG, Silva Olak AP, Belebecha Terezo N, Nishi L, Watanabe MA, Marinello P, Zendrini Rechenchoski D, Dejato Rocha SP, Faccin-Galhardi LC. Antiviral therapies: advances and perspectives. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2020; 35:305-320. [PMID: 33011993 PMCID: PMC7675511 DOI: 10.1111/fcp.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Viral infections cause high morbidity and mortality, threaten public health, and impose a socioeconomic burden. We have seen the recent emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), the causative agent of COVID‐19 that has already infected more than 29 million people, with more than 900 000 deaths since its identification in December 2019. Considering the significant impact of viral infections, research and development of new antivirals and control strategies are essential. In this paper, we summarize 96 antivirals approved by the Food and Drug Administration between 1987 and 2019. Of these, 49 (51%) are used in treatments against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), four against human papillomavirus, six against cytomegalovirus, eight against hepatitis B virus, five against influenza, six against herpes simplex virus, 17 against hepatitis C virus and one against respiratory syncytial virus. This review also describes future perspectives for new antiviral therapies such as nanotechnologies, monoclonal antibodies and the CRISPR‐Cas system. These strategies are suggested as inhibitors of viral replication by various means, such as direct binding to the viral particle, blocking the infection, changes in intracellular mechanisms or viral genes, preventing replication and virion formation. We also observed that a large number of viral agents have no therapy available and the majority of those approved in the last 32 years are restricted to some groups, especially anti‐HIV. Additionally, the emergence of new viruses and strains resistant to available antivirals has necessitated the formulation of new antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Carolina Gonçalves
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Mário Gabriel Lopes Barbosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Anna Paula Silva Olak
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Natalia Belebecha Terezo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Leticia Nishi
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Maria Angélica Watanabe
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Poliana Marinello
- Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Daniele Zendrini Rechenchoski
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Sergio Paulo Dejato Rocha
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
| | - Lígia Carla Faccin-Galhardi
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, 86057-970, Brazil
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Action Video Gaming Does Not Influence Short-Term Ocular Dominance Plasticity in Visually Normal Adults. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0006-20.2020. [PMID: 32345735 PMCID: PMC7242818 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0006-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Action video gaming can promote neural plasticity. Short-term monocular patching drives neural plasticity in the visual system of human adults. For instance, short-term monocular patching of 0.5–5 h briefly enhances the patched eye’s contribution in binocular vision (i.e., short-term ocular dominance plasticity). In this study, we investigate whether action video gaming can influence this plasticity in adults with normal vision. We measured participants’ eye dominance using a binocular phase combination task before and after 2.5 h of monocular patching. Participants were asked to play action video games, watch action video game movies, or play non-action video games during the period of monocular patching. We found that participants’ change of ocular dominance after monocular patching was not significantly different either for playing action video games versus watching action video game movies (Comparison 1) or for playing action video games versus playing non-action video games (Comparison 2). These results suggest that action video gaming does not either boost or eliminate short-term ocular dominance plasticity, and that the neural site for this type of plasticity might be in the early visual pathway.
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Dale G, Joessel A, Bavelier D, Green CS. A new look at the cognitive neuroscience of video game play. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1464:192-203. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Dale
- Environmental Sustainability Research CentreBrock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Augustin Joessel
- Faculté de Psychologie et Sciences de L'Education (FPSE)Université de Genève Geneva Switzerland
- Campus Biotech Geneva Switzerland
| | - Daphne Bavelier
- Faculté de Psychologie et Sciences de L'Education (FPSE)Université de Genève Geneva Switzerland
- Campus Biotech Geneva Switzerland
| | - C. Shawn Green
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin
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Choi E, Shin SH, Ryu JK, Jung KI, Kim SY, Park MH. Commercial video games and cognitive functions: video game genres and modulating factors of cognitive enhancement. Behav Brain Funct 2020; 16:2. [PMID: 32014027 PMCID: PMC6996164 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-020-0165-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Unlike the emphasis on negative results of video games such as the impulsive engagement in video games, cognitive training studies in individuals with cognitive deficits showed that characteristics of video game elements were helpful to train cognitive functions. Thus, this study aimed to have a more balanced view toward the video game playing by reviewing genres of commercial video games and the association of video games with cognitive functions and modulating factors. Literatures were searched with search terms (e.g. genres of video games, cognitive training) on database and Google scholar. Results video games, of which purpose is players’ entertainment, were found to be positively associated with cognitive functions (e.g. attention, problem solving skills) despite some discrepancy between studies. However, the enhancement of cognitive functions through video gaming was limited to the task or performance requiring the same cognitive functions. Moreover, as several factors (e.g. age, gender) were identified to modulate cognitive enhancement, the individual difference in the association between video game playing and cognitive function was found. Conclusion Commercial video games are suggested to have the potential for cognitive function enhancement. As understanding the association between video gaming and cognitive function in a more balanced view is essential to evaluate the potential outcomes of commercial video games that more people reported to engage, this review contributes to provide more objective evidence for commercial video gaming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunhye Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 1021 Tongil-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ho Shin
- Dr. Shin's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeh-Kwang Ryu
- Institute for Cognitive Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-In Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 1021 Tongil-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin-Young Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 1021 Tongil-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Hyeon Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 1021 Tongil-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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