Video Games

Despite similar gaming hours, high-risk gamers exhibit distinct attentional biases towards game images, unlike esports players. Published in Computers in Human Behavior, the study suggests eye movements differentiate these groups better than time played alone.

A simple video game task eased trauma-related symptoms in healthcare workers, offering a potential tool for frontline mental health support.

A new brain imaging study finds that action video gamers may develop enhanced visual processing abilities, especially in spatial awareness and movement tracking.

New research shows playing open-world games promotes cognitive escapism, relaxation, and improved psychological well-being. Key benefits include autonomy, skill mastery, and a sense of purpose.

New findings indicate that competitive attitudes do not directly lead to in-game impulse purchases. Instead, the need for popularity fully mediates this relationship, while social competence moderates it.

Recent research found that mindfulness meditation reduces gaming cravings by improving brain connections related to self-control and reward processing, while also lowering sensitivity to gaming cues and stabilizing neurotransmitter activity linked to addiction.

Playing PowerWash Simulator slightly boosts players’ moods, especially in the first 15 minutes. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 9,000 players and found short-term mood improvements.

A single, guided session with the video game Tetris reduced distressing intrusive memories in healthcare workers, with effects lasting up to six months, suggesting a simple, accessible intervention could alleviate trauma symptoms in high-stress populations.

While strength cues in female video game characters signal capability, they don’t counteract the negative impact of sexualization. Surprisingly, female players often chose highly sexualized characters to play, despite generally disliking them.

New research indicates gamified digital mental health interventions modestly help children with ADHD and depression, especially when delivered via computers, but fail to significantly reduce anxiety symptoms.

A unique study in Japan found that owning gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5 reduced psychological distress and boosted life satisfaction, suggesting video gaming may benefit mental health, especially during challenging times like the pandemic.

A study found that feminist women gamers are blamed more for sexist incidents, but only by those with sexist attitudes. These findings highlight the challenges women face in online gaming and the need for more inclusive, supportive environments.

Research found that exposure to specific electromagnetic fields may enhance a mental state called "flow," where people feel highly focused and immersed in tasks, suggesting potential for wearable tech to improve concentration and performance.

A new study of Czech adolescents challenges the belief that violent video games increase aggression, finding no significant link between game violence and changes in aggression or empathy over time.

Researchers used video games to explore how a loss of control impacts beliefs in free will. They found that while reduced agency in games alters beliefs in that context, it doesn't change people's overall views on free will.