ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Avid video game players get faster not only on their game of choice, but on a variety of unrelated laboratory tests of reaction time, U.S. researchers say.
Psychological scientists Matthew Dye, Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester in New York examined research on video gaming and found gamers don't lose accuracy -- in the game or in laboratory tests -- as they get faster.
The researchers say they believe this is a result of gamers' improved visual cognition. Playing video games enhances performance on mental rotation skills, visual and spatial memory, and tasks requiring divided attention, the researchers said.
The researchers conclude training with video games may serve to reduce gender differences in visual and spatial processing and thwart some of the cognitive declines that come with aging.
The findings are published in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science.
