The invention of the first video game dates back to 1958 with the beginnings of computing (Tennis for two on Oscilloscope), it went hand in hand with the idea of ??making computing accepted through entertainment (1)(2). Video games were initially part of these so-called “alternative” cultures, which arouse curiosity and mistrust within households. Today, it constitutes a real societal phenomenon to the point of being considered an art, a show, but also a sport in its own right with the rise of e-sport and associated events.

The Bad Reputation of Video Games

Many studies deal with violence in video games, and it is often from this angle that video games are criticized in the media. Video games first interested the field of psychology in the context of treating addiction. Many publications, whether from scientific journals or the general press, approach video games from a rather negative perspective (addiction, violence, etc.). But the trend is gradually reversing, and researchers have taken up the issue from philosophical, psychological and sociological perspectives.

If we start from the game in general, many authors describe it as an excellent means of mental development for the child (see the theories of development from Piaget to Vygotsky or Erikson to name but a few). It allows the child to experiment and develop social and learning skills. These skills are necessary for their good cognitive and emotional development . The game is also a way for the child to reproduce situations, to find solutions to the conflicts they experience and to improve the negative feelings associated with their previous frustrations. It is from this reflection that we asked ourselves: like the game for the development of the child, what can video games bring us?

Impact Of  Video Games On Emotional And Cognitive Processes

Video games have undergone many transformations in recent decades to reach astonishing levels of realism and complexity. This has been increased tenfold by the technological potential associated with computers and new technologies such as virtual reality. The video game offering has also diversified and offers the player a range of experiences that are both social, emotional and cognitive, which have continued to seduce the public – video games have been the leading cultural market ahead of cinema, video and music since the 2000s (3). But then, if video games are the favorite leisure activity of human beings, it must bring them something?! It is these positive effects that we will discuss in this article. A little hint: with psychology, we can classify the benefits of video games on different levels: cognitive, motivational, emotional and social (4). Let’s go!

Cognitive abilities of gamers

The gamer has long been given a negative image: a lethargic and lazy individual. But it turns out that video games contribute to the development of a multitude of cognitive abilities.

By comparing a group of expert players and a group of people who had never played a shooting game (FPS or TPS type, Halo, Call of…), the researchers demonstrated that the group of players has greater attention capacities, better spatial processing and better rotation of mental skills. This is a better allocation of resources and better filtering of information present in gamers (5).

It is important to note, however, that these benefits do not apply to all types of video games, each of which can develop a different range of skills through their gameplay. Indeed, authors have shown that attentional and spatial processing gains have been documented for shooter games but not for Role Playing Games (RPGs). Along the same lines, it has been shown that RPGs and shooter games allow for an improvement in problem-solving skills, but this effect has not been shown in racing or fighting games.

Finally, regarding cognitive gains, studies show that playing video games (and this time without distinction of type) increases creativity. We can thus conclude that in view of the cognitive benefits that video games can bring, it would be a shame to reduce the debate to the violence they can contain. Especially since we will now see the benefits that they can bring on the motivational and emotional level.

Video games teach perseverance

Models of motivation in psychology (that of Ryan and Déci in particular (6)) show that motivation is characterized by persistence and commitment to a task; it is a key factor in success.

How does the motivational system work in video games? Through reward. Indeed, the player is rewarded for his actions through different mechanisms (moving to the next level, gaining experience, money, equipment, etc.). These mechanisms help to position the player in a zone of satisfaction that is characterized by a balance between challenge and frustration , and success and accomplishment. This zone of satisfaction is also the subject of various works in the field of serious games (activity that combines a serious intention of a pedagogical or informative type with playful springs) because it allows the user to progress while maintaining their interest.

Some authors postulate that experiences of failure in video games, although they can lead to various negative emotional manifestations such as anger, frustration or sadness, can also lead the player to respond with excitement, amusement and interest. Failure leads the player to start again with more motivation to achieve their goal. Video games would therefore teach us to persevere (and complete this damn quest!).

Video games help develop emotion regulation strategies

As stated above, if video games can trigger negative emotions. They can also bring their share of positive emotions. Thus, one of the most validated theories concerning media postulates that they are an excellent way to manage and improve one’s emotional state (7). Many studies show that playing your favorite game improves mood, brings positive emotions, a state of relaxation and reduces anxiety.

Video games lead the player to build different regulation strategies that have a positive impact on emotions. Regulation strategies such as acceptance, solution-seeking or seeking social support are linked to lower levels of depressive symptoms, stress or anxiety. These strategies are rewarded in video games: the player is indeed led to constantly bounce back after failure and test new solutions to achieve a given goal. He is also challenged by the increasing difficulty of the game.

Video games therefore lead the player to develop their regulation strategies. The variety of video games available (RPG, strategy, FPS, combat) leads the player to have to constantly adjust their behavior, goals, strategies from one game to another but also during a game. In this sense, video games require flexibility and a certain emotional regulation. These skills are widely found among e-sport competitors and particularly among MOBA players (multiplayer online battle arena – League Of Legends, DOTA 2 etc…).

Video games and social skills

One of the characteristics of video games that has greatly developed in recent years is its ability to be an experience shared by a large number of people (we will remember the game of Pokémon Red on Twitch bringing together more than 50,000 people trying to press the same button at the same time to advance the character!). Online multiplayer games (whether MOBA or MMORPG – massively multiplayer online role-playing game – World of Warcraft etc…) offer new collaborative spaces for players. They give them the opportunity to form alliances or compete, to create alliances or clans. So many possibilities for the individual to create social bonds while being in a virtual space.

Studies demonstrate the benefits of “pro-social” video games (such as Animal Crossing or Super Mario Sunshine in studies). These video games encourage pro-social behaviors, such as cooperation, exchange (of equipment, knowledge), support and help to other players and have a direct effect on pro-social behaviors (8)(9). These video games also have a positive effect on the level of empathy (10). Thus, the mental effects of video games on the social sphere must be qualified, video games can bring bad as well as good, and the limits are also in the uses that we make of them.

As we have seen, this social phenomenon falls within the field of research: several studies are interested in video games from different angles and from different perspectives. Many fields are being explored and offer interesting possibilities for application. Particularly in the field of depression, where it is used as a treatment complement and shows a reduction in depressive symptoms (11) or as a mediator in the context of psychotherapy (12). Video games offer an infinite number of possibilities that we have yet to discover, imagine and explore.