From controllers to cognition: the importance of selection factors on video game and gameplay mechanic-derived cognitive differences

Abstract

Playing video games, especially games with action-based mechanics, is correlated with better cognitive performance, yet these performance advantages may originate from intrinsic factors such as earlier life cognitive differences. We investigated whether gaming-cognition associations in a sample past young adulthood remain robust after accounting for adolescent cognitive functioning. Using data from the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife; N = 1241, M_age = 33.3, %, age range = 28-51, Female = 52.9%), we compared cognitive performance of adult recreational gamers (40.6%) to non-gamers (59.4%) and between different types of gamers. Measures included processing speed, spatial reasoning, and working memory cognitive tasks, gaming status, and gameplay type engagement. The majority of gamer participants reported exclusively playing puzzle/strategy/life simulation games (53.0%) or action type games (33.1%); a smaller proportion reported playing both types of games (10.3%). Overall, gamers significantly outperformed non-gamers across most cognitive tasks (Cohen's d = 0.17-0.25), with limited evidence of a differential gameplay mechanic effect across tasks. Selection effects were evident whereby after adolescent IQ adjustment, gamer cognitive effects diminished by over 35% but persisted for spatial performance. Adolescent IQ predicted puzzle/strategy/life simulation preference but not action-type games, suggesting a selection effect. Our study replicates prior gaming findings and reveals that earlier life functioning contributes to adult gaming-cognition associations. Gamer-spatial associations are not fully attributable to intrinsic factors, and playing video games, regardless of a specific gameplay mechanic or genre, may represent a cognitively engaging lifestyle behavior that may benefit cognitive functioning, with implications for preserved cognition.

Fig. 1

Conceptual model FPS = First/Third person shooters, Action-RPG = Action-Role Play Game, RTS = Real-Time Strategy, MOBA = Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA). ¹[20], ²[52]

Fig. 2

CATSLife Analytic Sample Composition

Fig. 3

Standardized Parameter Estimates for Gamer Associations across Cognitive Tasks and Reduction in Effect Attributable to Adolescent IQ. Unadj = Unadjusted standardized parameter estimates without the inclusion of adolescent IQ, Adj = Adjusted standardized parameter estimates including adolescent IQ, controlling for elapsed years between assessments, CR = Card Rotations, PFB = Paper Form Board, BD = Block Design, Dspan = Digit Span, SAM = Subtraction and Multiplication, CPS = Colorado Perceptual Speed, Dsym = Digit Symbol

Fig. 4

Block Design Gamer Associations and Effects Attributable to Adolescent IQ. Adjusted parameter estimates for Block Design scores including adolescent IQ adjustment, controlling for elapsed years between assessments. Purple bars indicate the gamer subsample