A popular stereotype is that games are bad for you. They overload your brain or just waste your time. Nonsense. You can get a lot out of gaming if you know the limits.
De-stressing
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have proven that at work, a short break for a video game relieves stress much more effectively than inactivity with a complete rejection of the gadgets or even meditation.
In the experiment, they divided the participants into three groups: during the 5-minute break at work, some gave up gadgets and inactivity, the second meditated and the third included a mobile game. It turned out that those who played a video game improved their mood, and those who sat in silence, even worsened.
The experts conducting the study say it’s important to enjoy the process during the break. Usually, we try to gather our will into a fist and get things done, even when we no longer have the energy. Although it’s much more effective to take a few minutes to distract yourself and do something that will give you pleasure and help you “recharge.” For example, play a video game.
This is not the only study proving the positive effects of games on the psyche. An experiment by scientists from Oxford showed that children aged 10 to 15 who play video games are more emotionally balanced than those who ignore them.
It’s important to have fun in the process, as the University of Central Florida researchers point out.
It is important to find a game that will be a real pleasure to play. Soccer simulator does not strain the brain plot and complex tasks while allowing you to distract from business, action-adventure games plunge into another world. Be guided by your taste and get high. In this case, the main thing is to stick to the regime, otherwise playing all day long, you will have to think who will write my essay, so that not to lose academic performance.
Socialization
One of the main stereotypes about video games is that they allegedly make gamers withdrawn from reality. Parents see their children sitting in front of the monitor 24 hours a day and do not see their peers in real life.
In reality, on the contrary, games contribute to the socialization of people. In 2015, the Pew Research Center published a study on how teenage gamers aged 13-17 are socialized through video games. It found that 36 percent of boys made friends by getting to know them through video games, and more than half of them through online gaming. Only 13% of girl gamers have made friends through online games, but there are fewer girl gamers than boys.
You get smarter and remember information better
Researchers at the Open University of Catalonia have found that video games can have a positive effect on memory, the ability to solve difficult problems, build algorithms, and improve attention and other cognitive abilities of the brain.
They found that over time, video game enthusiasts have an increase in the right side of the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory. It turns out that those who spend a lot of time on a PC or console solve difficult problems by engaging far fewer areas of the brain than those who ignore games.
Curiosity and broadening of the mind
The games are different. Some will burn thousands of hours of your life and give nothing in return, as do most of the conditionally free in Steam. In 90% of cases, you have to play to improve your rating, and that’s it.
And some can captivate and motivate you to learn some science or make you go to the country where the action takes place.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise proves this thesis best. The second part revolutionized the implementation of the open world. The legendary buildings were detailed. And going through the game, you explored Florence and Venice. Now imagine that after playing the game you found yourself in one of these cities. There are online comparisons of historical places and buildings in the game and in reality for almost every part of the game. Here, for example, Venice in Assassin’s Creed 2, Rome in Brotherhood, Istanbul in Revelations, and Paris in Unity.
It’s a similar story to GTA 5 – you explore Los Santos and then end up in Los Angeles, which was the prototype fictional city. It’s interesting to see what the differences are.
Similarly, games can spark an interest in science and literature. Playing the same Assassin’s Creed can get you into history. The Borgia family, Nicolo Machiavelli, the Medici family – with a game you want to know more about these historical figures. It’s important to play the right games that don’t just kill time.