Background and Motivation: Previous studies have indicated that video games can enhance players' perceptual thresholds and visual processing speeds, with different game genres affecting cognitive abilities in varying ways.
Objective: This study aims to compare the effects of different types of video games on multitasking abilities and to explore the differences in multitasking performance between gamers and non-gamers through integrated visual cognitive tasks.
Methodology: Participants were tasked with determining whether there were more odd or even numbers appearing on the screen. The study involved a 3 (FPS players, MOBA players, non-gamers) x 3 (target quantities of 5, 7, 9) x 3 (target spacing: close, medium, far) design, with each condition repeated six times.
Results: In terms of accuracy, there were no significant differences between the groups. However, in terms of reaction time, the gaming groups performed significantly better than the non-gaming control group. The number of targets presented significantly affected task performance, with higher quantities resulting in poorer performance. The spacing of targets also significantly influenced task performance, with larger spacing leading to better performance. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between the number of targets and gaming habits.
Conclusion: Experience with video games can indeed improve perceptual thresholds and visual processing speeds, resulting in better performance in multitasking tasks.

Authors:
Chun-Wen Yao, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Po-Chun Nien, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Min-Sheng Chen, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
CHUN-WEN YAO is currently studying for a master's degree in Industrial Engineering and Management at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. My primary research focus is cognitive psychology.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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