The Impact of Video Games on the Brain: Effects and Potential Risks

Video games have been controversial in the past for their suspected tendency to desensitize players to real-life violence. In recent years, studies have concluded that video games potentially foster a number of surprising changes in the mind, positive and negative.

Addiction

• Many video games, from simple web-based games like "Bejeweled" to the complex worlds of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), have been cited as sources of addiction. The logic is simple: Game design adheres to the structure of what is known as a "Skinner Box"--essentially, a lever that will distribute pellets at random intervals as a mouse presses it. The mouse will soon compulsively push the lever, just as players spend hours in the hopes of earning digital gratification.

Violent Behavior

• The evidence that video games incite violent behavior is nowhere near conclusive, but a 2005 study outlined in New Scientist suggests that success in player-vs.-player video games causes a surge in testosterone in males. Additionally, one 2010 study detailed in Ars Technica demonstrated that playing violent video games reduces the player's emotional reaction to real-life violence.

Suggested Benefits

• Some evidence indicates that video games boost problem-solving ability. Author Robert Johnson says that handling multiple tasks simultaneously supports this "fluid intelligence." Likewise, when Stephen Gillett applied to a senior management position at Yahoo, his experience with "World of Warcraft" helped him land the job. The risk-taking and innovation required for such immersive games may mean that seasoned players have a real-world edge over non-gamers.