Young adults who play action video games have better dynamic visual acuity

USA: For young adults who spend more than 5 hours per week with action video games, mostly first-person shooter games, dynamic visual acuity (DVA) seems to have better performance, says a recent study published in the Journal Of The American Academy Of Optometry. 

A recent study published in the Journal Of The American Academy Of Optometry has uncovered a potential benefit of regularly playing first-person shooter video games, indicating an improvement in dynamic visual acuity (DVA) among young adults. The research compared individuals who engaged in action video games with those who did not play such games regularly or had limited gaming experience. The findings suggest that action video game players perform better in certain DVA measurements.

The study aimed to explore the performance of DVA assessments in young adults who engage in regular action video game play. The cross-sectional study conducted by Marc Argiles and the team involved 47 participants aged between 20 and 30 years, including both action video game players and non-action video game players. The participants underwent DVA assessments at two different angular velocities (57 °/s and 28.5 °/s) and three contrast levels (100%, 50%, and 10%).

● The initial analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the two groups across all experimental conditions at the two angular velocities and three contrast levels.

● A secondary analysis involving 33 participants showed a significant improvement in DVA among action video game players compared to individuals with no or limited video game experience.

● The action video game players demonstrated superior DVA at 57 °/s and 28.5 °/s with a contrast level of 100%, with P-values of .003 and < .001, respectively.

The study's conclusions suggest that young adults who spend more than 5 hours per week playing action video games, particularly first-person shooter games, exhibit enhanced dynamic visual acuity. This finding adds to existing literature supporting the idea that certain visual skills can be improved through the use of action video games.

The ability to perceive and process visual information accurately and rapidly is crucial in many daily activities, including driving, sports, and other tasks that require quick responses to changing visual stimuli. Dynamic visual acuity, which refers to the ability to perceive fine details in moving objects, plays a significant role in these activities.

These findings highlight the potential benefits of action video game play on visual acuity, specifically in dynamic settings. However, it is important to note that this study focused on young adults, and further research is needed to determine whether similar effects can be observed across different age groups and populations.

In summary, the study provides evidence that regularly playing action video games, particularly first-person shooter games, can lead to enhanced dynamic visual acuity in young adults. These findings contribute to the growing body of research highlighting the potential benefits of action video game play on certain visual skills. As the field progresses, further investigations will shed light on video games' underlying mechanisms and potential applications in optimizing visual performance.

Reference:

Argilés, M., Erickson, G., & Quevedo-Junyent, L. (2023). Regularly playing first-person shooter videogames improves dynamic visual acuity. Optometry and Vision Science: Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry.