Video war games could provide children with a huge advantage in life by training them to absorb information and work out the correct time to use it.
A stuffy by psychologist Dr Tracy Alloway suggests that video war games -which we're assuming embraces first/third person shooters and real time strategy games – help kids to quickly analyse situations and respond.
However, text messaging, tweeting and YouTube watching were apparently likely to degrade the same function.
Active/passive
Of course this seems to boil down to active versus semi-passive activity – but Stirling University's Dr Alloway has apparently extensively studied working memory and tried out her theory on slow-learning children between the ages of 11 to 14.
After two months of 'Jungle Memory' training the kids picked up a not-inconsiderable 10 point IQ raise.
"It was a massive effect," said Dr Alloway in a speech at the British Science Festival at the University of Surrey in Guildford.
The TechRadar staff are both inveterate gamers and heavy Tweeters - so our net gain is probably zero.
Via PA
Your comments (2) Click to add a new comment
jmace86
September 7th 2009
2. It's all lies. Everyone knows that videogames can never have any positive effect on people!
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menelaus
September 7th 2009
1. Bet you won't see this reported in the Daily Mail.
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