Action and Puzzle Games Help Problem Solving

It seems that playing puzzle or action videogames can actually influence the problem solving abilities of those who play them. So, next time they play something like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Puzzle Quest gamers should justify their actions by claiming to be preparing for some tough problem solving ahead. The shocking conclusion comes courtesy of a new psychological study recently conducted on a group of students.

The findings were published in the November edition of a journal called Perception. Rolf Nelson, who is a professor of psychology at the Wheaton College, studied the way a pool of 20 students tried to solve a spatial relation problem. After a while, the group was given a chance to play puzzle and action games and later, they were instructed to turn back to the spatial relation problem.

All those who played games were quicker to solve the problem than those who did not, while within the group, those who played puzzle games were somewhat slower while more accurate and those who enjoyed action titles were quicker but displayed less attention to details.

The findings are important because they show how gaming as an activity can have beneficial effects on the player, allowing them to develop their potential in a way they would not have been able to access without them.

It also encourages the idea that youngsters should be taking a break from doing homework or struggling to solve problems in order to game a bit. It's very good to see a study actually supporting the idea that videogaming is not only a cause for concern, especially for young people and students, but can also offer some advantages to those who spend time in front of a screen solving virtual puzzles or hunt down enemies in a maze.