Leveling Up the Brain: How Action Video Games Enhance Visual Working Memory

The study aims to investigate whether action video games enhance the visual working memory (VWM), allowing individuals to retain and use vidual information more effectively for short periods, enhancing learning and decision making skills. Researchers compared action games versus controlled games and monitored participants for 30-hours, measuring each participants’ performance based on changes to tasks and a color wheel. Although the study was based on prior findings that action video games enhance attentional and perceptual awareness, researchers hypothesized that action games will sharpen VWM and cognitive skills, which will extend to fields including education, rehabilitation, and improved cognitive functions.

Figure one depicts the trial examples from the change detection, color wheel, and symmetry span tasks. The tasks assessed VMA by showing colored squares and testing participants’ ability to detect changes. The independent variables in this study were the sizes of the task squares and the type of game (action vs. controlled), while the dependent was the ability to detect changes or color recall. Findings revealed that the action games group improved VWM from 4.0 to 4.6 items, while the control group had no change. As set sizes increased, recall accuracy decreased - 85% for the action group and 75% for the control group - supporting the hypothesis that action video game training enhances VWM capacity and accuracy.

Figure 2 pertains to the Color Wheel Precision Task. The independent variables are the set size (1, 4, or 6) and the type of training (action vs. control); dependent variables are precision of color recall and the motivation and engagement ratings. The control group did not receive action video game training. The action group improved precision at set size 4, while the control group’s performance declined. The engagement and motivation ratings revealed that the action group reported higher levels of motivation and engagement (6.5 vs. 4.0 in the control group), suggesting that action video game training not only improves VWM precision but also enhances motivation and engagement, contributing to the cognitive benefits observed in the action group.

Figure 3 shows the action video game training improved memory precision in a color wheel task at a set size of 4, while the control group showed no improvement. Participants recalled item color after a delay, with the independent variable being the type of game played (action vs. control) and the dependent variable being a response error. The action group showed a significant reduction in response error, with errors decreasing by approximately 15% while the control group’s error remained unchanged, demonstrating the training effect.

Researchers concluded that action video games enhance visual working memory (VWM) capacity and precision but have limited effects on complex VWM tasks, indicating that while participants improve storage and retrieval of visual information, their executive functions might not improve, showing the need for targeted interventions on VWM skills. The findings show that action gamers outperformed controls in memory tasks, with higher engagement and motivation. Future research could explore combining action games with cognitive tasks to enhance VWM or investigate the underlying mechanisms driving these improvements. Additionally, exploring the long-term effects and how different types of video games may influence various cognitive skills could further broaden the application of video game training for cognitive enhancement.

Kara J. Blacker, Kim M. Curby, Elizabeth Klobusicky, and Jason M. Chein Journal of

Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 40, No. 5, pp. 1992–2004