Video games can have positive effects on mental health

Scientists from the University of Oxford conducted a study on the impact of computer games on the psychological health of players. The results of the tests carried out were not the most obvious. Apparently, games can have a positive effect on the psychological component of the health of those who like to play computer games.

University academics conducted a survey of 6,500 people who played Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Plant vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville. Games vary quite a lot in their gameplay content, and therefore the mini-research carried out can be at least somewhat objective. If Animal Crossing is a meditative farming simulator, then Plant vs. Zombies players must show good reaction and shoot at their enemies.

According to the head of the study, Andrew Przybilski, this test was one of the first when university scientists were engaged in research based on real data on the time spent in the game, instead of just trusting the players and indicating the time they named. Obviously, many gamers could hide information and decorate their merits, and therefore the results may not be as accurate as this time. To simplify the task for scientists and to display more accurate indicators, half of the subjects agreed to provide their accounts, in which it was possible to view data on the time spent in the above games.

As a result, it turned out that there was no direct connection between the time spent in the game and the psychological state of gamers. However, a pattern was found in some other things. For example, people who played Animal Crossing four hours a day or more had a stronger psyche than people who spent less time in the farmer's simulator. Nevertheless, the professor noted in an interview for the BBC that the above data does not at all mean that playing computer games can definitely make a person happy. Do not lose sight of the fact that the tests were attended by people who played only two games. If the research covered more computer entertainment, then more data could be collected, and probably not so positive.

Scientists were able to identify two motivating factors in order to spend time playing computer games. The first of them is internal, that is, when the player himself directly wants to spend time in the game, and the second is external, when he does it not entirely of his own free will.

Andrew Przybilski stated that one of the goals of the study was to get people deeper into the field of video games. In his opinion, many authoritative publications and world organizations draw negative conclusions about computer games, not having enough necessary data on hand.

Andrew Przybilski's comment:

“Dear, important agencies like the World Health Organization and the[UK]National Health Service are directing attention and resources to something that is literally lacking in quality data. I am shocked by the reputational risk that everyone takes, given the stakes. the point is for them to just go out and say something like, "Hey, is that thing 95% of teens are addicted to? Yes, it's addictive and no, we don't have any data."