Action video game play facilitates the development of better perceptual templates.

ABSTRACT: The field of perceptual learning has identified changes in perceptual templates as a powerful mechanism mediating the learning of statistical regularities in our environment. By measuring threshold-vs.-contrast curves using an orientation identification task under varying levels of external noise, the perceptual template model (PTM) allows one to disentangle various sources of signal-to-noise changes that can alter performance. We use the PTM approach to elucidate the mechanism that underlies the wide range of improvements noted after action video game play. We show that action video game players make use of improved perceptual templates compared with nonvideo game players, and we confirm a causal role for action video game play in inducing such improvements through a 50-h training study.

SUBMITTER: Bejjanki VR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4250112 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature