Can Video Games Make You Smarter?

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Video games can be a fun escape from reality although they’re often interpreted as violent, lazy, and a waste of time by some people. So the question is: can video games actually make you smarter? Video games can improve functions of the brain linked to memory, strategic planning, and increase hand-eye coordination. (Guarini)
The video games in question are not the hours-on-end kind of games, because too much of anything is bad; even with broccoli or water, an extreme amount of either of those can be toxic. It is believed that 91 percent of American households play video games. However, 83 percent of parents set a time limit on the games for their children. (Van Camp)
There have been participants who had played Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day for two months and have shown increases in the prefrontal cortex, the frontal lobes of the brain that are linked to personality expression, decision making, and social behavior, compared to those who have not played. (Guarini)
Video games, action in particular, can help make decisions faster and increase attention to details. Games such as Call of Duty or Battlefield require quick-thinking to avoid being killed. Games like this require players to aim and shoot accurately and quickly on the screen while they are also constantly scouting for other enemies. (Spector)

Action games could also improve the vision of people who don’t usually play video games. People who play action video games, like the ones mentioned above, are able to distinguish contrast in colors more easily. (Spector) A group of non-gamers were asked to play Call of Duty for a certain amount of time. At the end of the gaming session, the human visual system had improved and the benefits lasted for at least five months fo...

... middle of paper ...

...e limits for yourselves and don’t overdo it

Works Cited

Guarini, Drew. "9 Ways Video Games Can Actually Be Good For You." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Villines, Zawn. "Find the Right Therapist." GoodTherapyorg Therapy Blog Five Surprising Benefits of Video Games Comments. N.p., 27 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
Klein, Sarah, and Copyright Health Magazine 2011. "Study: Too Many Video Games May Sap Attention Span." CNN. Cable News Network, 05 July 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Oskin, Becky. "Teens and Video Games: How Much Is Too Much?" LiveScience.com. LiveScience, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Fleming, Nic. "Why Video Games May Be Good for You." BBC Future. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Spector, Dina. "11 Ways Video Games Make You Smarter And Healthier." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

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