Work

Examination of mechanisms underlying enhanced memory performance in action video game players: a pilot study

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Previous studies have shown enhanced memory performance resulting from extensive action video game playing. The mechanisms underlying the cognitive benefit were investigated in the current study. We presented two types of retro-cues, with variable intervals to memory array (Task 1) or test array (Task 2), during the retention interval in a change detection task. In Task 1, action video game players demonstrated steady performance while non-action video game players showed decreased performance as cues occurred later, indicating their performance difference increased as the cue-to-memory-array intervals became longer. In Task 2, both participant groups increased their performance at similar rates as cues presented later, implying the performance difference in two groups were irrespective of the test-array-to-cue intervals. These findings suggested that memory benefit from game plays is not attributable to the higher ability of overcoming interference from the test array, but to the interactions between the two processes of protection from decay and resistance from interference, or from alternative hypotheses. Implications for future studies were discussed.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00843

Authors: Xianchun Li, Xiaojun Cheng, Jiaying Li, Yafeng Pan, Yi Hu, Yixuan Ku

Institutions: East China Normal University, University of California, San Francisco

Language: English

Topic: Cognitive Abilities and Testing

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China