The Benefits of Online Gaming
There are many benefits of online gaming, from increased social interaction to healthier stress management. It also improves your memory and physical activity, and can help you reduce stress. However, you may wonder if online gaming is right for you. The answer is yes! Listed below are some of the top benefits.
Healthy outlet for stress
One recent study found that online gaming can be a healthy outlet for stress. Researchers examined the effects of different gaming conditions on stress responses. They found that players of Tetris and Mortal Kombat showed lower stress levels and showed lower aggressive behavior. The study also found that players who participated in cooperative online gaming were more likely to have less stress than those who did not participate in cooperative online gaming.
Gaming is a healthy outlet for stress because it engages the mind and allows individuals to focus on an activity without thinking about other things. This helps people with Type A personalities channel their attention toward something that will relieve their stress.
Increased social interaction
Increased social interaction from online gaming is important in maintaining relationships with friends and enhancing the psychological capital of gamers. But the extent to which this impact is positive is unclear. Some researchers believe that the negative impact of online social interactions may be a contributing factor in the development of online gaming disorders. The extent of online social interaction can also affect offline social life.
Some games encourage social interaction by having natural social characteristics. Others use artificially constructed topics to encourage social interaction. Using these topics allows strangers to develop connections and maintain a high frequency of communication. In this way, the social interaction from online games and offline interactions complement each other. In this study, Chinese MMORPGS gamers completed questionnaires that assessed their social capital and alienation. In addition, they completed the Pathological Gaming Scale.
Improved memory
Online gaming has been shown to improve memory. Studies have shown that people Pragmatic Play three-dimensional video games have better memory performance than people who play two-dimensional games. In fact, memory performance increases by 12 percent when playing a 3-D video game versus playing a two-dimensional game. Studies have also shown that playing a 3-D game can improve neuronal signaling. A study by Stark and Clemenson showed that players’ brains responded to playing 3-D video games by growing new neurons and increasing neuronal signals.
The researchers also noted that gamers may have improved memory through better attention and processing speed. It is not clear exactly how gaming improves these functions, but it may be an important attribute for aging adults. In one study, older adults who played video games showed significant improvements in cognitive abilities. The findings indicate that playing video games can reverse the aging process and improve memory in older people. Moreover, the cognitive benefits of video games may not only benefit the aging brain, but also the health of seniors. Furthermore, the study showed that playing video games improves short-term memory, including the ability to remember names, dates, and times. It also improves mental flexibility, increasing a person’s ability to multi-task.
Improved physical activity
Exergaming is a type of play-based approach to physical activity that typically involves active video games. These games provide a viable alternative to the traditional forms of physical activity, such as outdoor sports or gyms. Unlike traditional exercises, exergaming can be done from the comfort of home. Proponents of the practice hail it as the “future of fitness.”
The study found that participants’ perceived competence at exercising regularly increased significantly after playing dance-based exergames. Additionally, these games reduced barriers to physical activity by allowing players to start at an appropriate beginner level and advance to more difficult games. Further, selfreported frequency of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased in the treatment group, while the comparison group decreased.
Creates jobs
Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and the number of jobs in this sector has increased dramatically. Last year, the industry saw a 20 percent increase in job vacancies. It is projected to triple in size over the next five years. In 2016, over 47,000 people were directly employed by the gaming industry, and a further 47,000 were employed indirectly.
The gaming industry is a major source of employment in the U.S., accounting for nearly one out of every three jobs in the service sector. It is also responsible for $343 in tax offsets per household. In addition to creating jobs, gaming also provides a strong financial stimulus for the U.S. economy.