Different Types of Video Games and Their Impact on your Brain

The video game industry is booming with over $151 billion in revenue in 2019 alone. This figure is pretty significant considering that video gaming became a norm in only the last decade.

Most of these video games are played by adults, but due to the widespread use of smartphones, under 18 users are rising rapidly.

According to estimates by Review 42, underage children are playing more games than ever today. This is mostly because they have options available. They can install their favorite games on the smartphone within seconds. PUBG, Fortnite, and League of Legends are just some games where under-age children are active all the time.

Experts have said gaming can affect brain conditioning. Just how much impact can video games have on cognitive senses, and what games can have an effect on the brain? Let’s learn about that.

Here is How Games Impact Brain:

Video Games and Brain Changes

Researches have shown that the brain shows different states during gameplay. Scientists have been struggling with the changes video games can have on children, and of the many studies conducted on the brain-game topic, a combined summary is available in a review published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. It says that games have been praised and sometimes demonized. But there is little data to back any of these claims. The author further states that every expert has his views reflecting on that study.

Brain Structure changes by Games

The author clarifies that there is a common phenomenon called ‘affect attention’ in video games. The affect attention phenomenon hints that gamers are more likely to have better attention in comparison with non-gamers. This is because they play role-play games and therefore develop focus-cognition capabilities. They also have a higher attention span and fewer deviations.

Internet Gaming Disorder & Addiction

However, better attention doesn’t mean that gaming is a good thing. There is an opposing view called internet gaming disorder. It says that while gamers are efficient at certain things, they become ADDICTS to gaming.

Games create functional and structural changes in the neural reward system. They associate all feelings and pleasures with motivation. The game-based theory is a reflection of the game addiction. This is one reason that many websites, apps, and software gamify their systems to get more users.

Game Trigger Dopamine

Dopamine is an organic-chemical that increases stress and motivation hormones in our body. In one imaging study using positron emission tomography (PET), a group of people was asked to play a video game in which they were to move a tank across the battlefield.

At the end of each level, the players were provided real cash. They were all fitted with brain sensors. Researchers found that on completing a level, the players felt elated. This was because of the dopamine, their brain was excreting. Before the study, experts only believed that dopamine was exclusively excreted when players were in violent video games.

Types of Games & How They Alter Brain Structure

Here is a list of games and how they can have a varying effect on the human mind.

Violent Games Lead to Aggressive Behaviour

There are games like counter strike, call of duty, GTA, that if played for a long time can induce violent behavior among users. According to one study of hundred college students, half were asked to play a violent video game while half were asked to play a pro-social video game.

The purpose was to understand if violent video games lead to aggressive behavior among humans. After the game, both groups were asked to help another person. Those who had played violent video games were less likely to help others. While those that had played the pro-social video game were more likely to help others.

Puzzle Games Enhance Brain Memory

Then, some games are purpose-built to increase brain, motor, and memory skills. Take puzzle games, aka brain games. Puzzle games release oxytocin hormone that is responsible for increasing cognitive power. You can easily find puzzle games for small children. If you are looking for free games, the best resource is Unlimited Gamez mo website.

Educational Games Help Learn Faster

In a study, doctors and surgeons were asked to practice surgery by using video games. Once they had enough practice in a virtual environment, they were to make real surgery using a video camera. Those who had more level of practice in the virtual environment, aka video games, had a better success rate in comparison with those that did not spend a lot of time practicing surgery using video games.

Pilots use pilot simulators to learn how to fly their planes. These flight simulators mimic real conditions and test the mental capacity of the pilots to make sure they are ready for flying the plane.

Some of the best educational games are Rubik’s cube, rosetta stone, robo code, and many more similar.

Violent Games Desensitize Gamers

Where games have so many benefits, it has been observed that games can desensitize people. For example, there are games like Gun Blood, Brutal mania, Resident evil, and similar others that can desensitize emotions.

In a study, children were asked to play violent games for some time. After they had played for quite some time, they were shown graphic visualizations. Those kids that had played the games were far able to control and suppress their emotions.

In contrast, people who play less violent games, or no games at all are more likely to show a high-emotional response to a violent situation. The study mentions that violent video games can have a desensitizing effect on the human body. This means the players will become numb to emotional behavior and may not be so alert in developing relationships with friends, family members, and peer groups.

Movement Games are Encouraged

Heard of Pokemon Go? It is one of the best movement games available in the market.

While various studies have shown the effect of video games on the human brain, new tools are now available in the market that change the way games were previously seen. For example, Nintendo Wii is one game player that helps people use their whole body as a tool. People can use these body movement games to say fit and healthy.

There are many Nintendo Wii enabled games in the market, such as Dance Dance Revolution.

Skills-Focused Games Enhance Motor-Brain Coordination

There are also games specific to a real-world scenario such as boxing, driving, shooting, and many more. These games are purpose-built to help children and adults get better at specific things.

For example, a driving wheel can increase brain-motor conditioning, providing better coordination to players in a real-life environment. Today, most virtual reality games available in the market fall in this category. These games can be played with devices such as the Nintendo Wii. Some of the games that help children enhance motor skills are Wii Fit, Mario Kart, Rockstar Tennis.

The debate of Researches Related to Video Games

While it is true that video games can have a direct impact on the human mind. It is still too soon to determine what type of impact certain games have.

Video games related experiments, conducted on specific groups, don’t always speak the truth. Like the author of the Frontiers, the journal has said, studies can be biased. This leads us to our last point, debates on video games will always exist.

A funny meme circulating on Facebook

Final takeaway

Hope you are now aware of how various games can stimulate different parts of the brain. However, just note that all games may not have the desired effect on individuals.

There are games that may impact one person differently and may have a totally different impact on another person. This is because of the social context that differs for everyone. Social experiments have one flaw, and that is: The same conditions can’t exist in two different places. Therefore, studies conducted in one area about video games may not hold for video game players in some other scenario.