Fun Fact: Playing Video Games Can Boost Your IQ!

Did you know that if you were to dedicate an hour a day to playing video games this totals up to approximately 5% of your life? But the real question here is, are they worth your time? In a first-of-its-kind study, a report published by Oxford University concluded that playing video games could enhance your well-being, while Swedish researchers at Karolinska Institutet have also recently produced a study showing playing video games could boost a child’s IQ by 2.5 points – which is great news considering that most modern games take 100+ hours to complete. 

For years we’ve been told to switch that video game off, because “enough is enough”, but this research proves otherwise – so which one is it? This article will focus on the cognitive advantages, particularly the ones that boost your intelligence. Indeed, one may easily compare video gaming to online casino gambling in that it offers many similar challenges in terms of problem-solving and immersive and interactive gaming. And, in case you’re interested in testing out this theory, we suggest you check out the many YeboYesCasino no deposit bonuses where you can try out their games for free.

A Proven Increase in IQ

It’s estimated that there are over 3.2 billion people who enjoy video games out there, that’s 40% of the global population, so the fascination is there. Even though there have been previous studies, such as the one carried out by Stanford University, that have indicated that extended exposure to video games could be correlated to darker issues such as gun violence, this newer report indicates that when practised in moderation, playing video games increases visuomotor skills and hand-eye coordination, while also potentially boosting your intelligence. 

In their study, researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the relationship between children’s screen habits and cognitive abilities linked up over time. They also discovered that players who spent longer time playing demonstrated above-average IQ, while watching TV or scrolling through social media produced no effects. In another study carried out by the University of York, it was also noted that there was a clear link between multiplayer video games and higher levels of intelligence. 

Interestingly, the Karolinska Institutet caught up with the 5,000 children who participated in the study two years later, and their research has concluded that those who played for over an hour a day had increased their IQ by 2.5 points during this time. 

Improved Memory and Attention Skills

Another study carried out by the University of Leiden investigated whether first-person shooter games required a higher level of reaction and response from players, and studied whether this behavior had any impact on memory. In their research, they compared people who played five hours a week to those who don’t play video games at all and found that gamers tended to be more flexible when it came to monitoring and updating new information than non-gamers, displaying an increase in memory capacity. 

Researchers in China and the US also looked at how video games impacted attention span, comparing expert gamers to non-expert gamers based on their League of Legends player rankings (top 7% vs bottom 11% just to make things clear), focusing on their visual selective attention. 

This study showed that both the expert as well as the non-expert gamers demonstrated improved attention skills even after an hour of playing video games, however, they also noted that more research was required in order to establish the longevity of these effects. 

Better Learning and Problem-Solving Skills

Many video games also include strategic thinking, planning, and logic skills to succeed, but do these translate into gamers developing maximized problem-solving skills over time when compared to non-gamers?

A study carried out in Canada in 2013 studied 1,429 students from four separate high schools to determine whether there were any links between playing strategy games and demonstrating increased problem-solving skills and school grades over the course of an academic year. The results did indeed demonstrate that gamers scored higher on all accounts when compared to the students who didn’t play at all. 

Several other research papers also reported increased learning abilities when comparing students who played video games for an hour a day to those who didn’t, while another study carried out by Robles and Quintero in 2020 finds that video games can also be effective teaching tools for high school math, demonstrating an overall improvement of around 14% in effectiveness.

Is There a Downside?

They say that every rose has its thorns, and when it comes to video games of course there are pros and cons. As always, the key here is moderation, but it’s also important to be aware of the red flags you or someone you may know could be experiencing at the moment. Here are some things to look out for. 

1. Social Isolation – video games can sometimes replace the need for real life and human connection, with certain players dedicating so much time to gameplay that they push their relationships aside.
2. Loss of Self-Control – we need to keep in mind that these games are specifically created to be highly engaging, so practicing self-control is important so as not to slip into addiction. Often acting as a way to immerse the player in a new reality where their real-life problems are left at the door, this behavior has proved to be very risky. 
3. Mental Health – gaming over consumption could also lead to other levels of stress and social anxiety, as well as low self esteem and depression. Excessive gaming could also lead to feeling excessively guilty or shameful, which could also act as triggers. 
4. Physical Wellbeing – new studies have also shown that playing video games for too long was linked to obesity, muscle pain, and overall lack of motion. Another study showed how gaming addiction contributed to sleep deprivation, which is also associated with weight gain. 

Final Thoughts

Today we’ve spoken about the different ways playing video games could potentially make you smarter and have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing, but all when consumed in moderation. If you’re playing video games on the side along with a number of other hobbies and physical activities, then you too could be part of the population that’s getting smarter by enjoying the games you love. Just keep in mind that it’s always about balance and remaining in touch with your real life world is always going to be more important.