Video games as a means to reduce age-related cognitive decline: attitudes, compliance, and effectiveness

Walter R Boot, Michael Champion, Daniel P Blakely, Timothy Wright, Dustin J Souders, Neil Charness, Walter R Boot, Michael Champion, Daniel P Blakely, Timothy Wright, Dustin J Souders, Neil Charness

Abstract

Recent research has demonstrated broad benefits of video game play to perceptual and cognitive abilities. These broad improvements suggest that video game-based cognitive interventions may be ideal to combat the many perceptual and cognitive declines associated with advancing age. Furthermore, game interventions have the potential to induce higher rates of intervention compliance compared to other cognitive interventions as they are assumed to be inherently enjoyable and motivating. We explored these issues in an intervention that tested the ability of an action game and a "brain fitness" game to improve a variety of abilities. Cognitive abilities did not significantly improve, suggesting caution when recommending video game interventions as a means to reduce the effects of cognitive aging. However, the game expected to produce the largest benefit based on previous literature (an action game) induced the lowest intervention compliance. We explain this low compliance by participants' ratings of the action game as less enjoyable and by their prediction that training would have few meaningful benefits. Despite null cognitive results, data provide valuable insights into the types of video games older adults are willing to play and why.

Keywords: cognitive training; transfer of training; video games.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Standardized (Z-score) composite improvement scores as a function or task type and group. Error bars represent ± SEM.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Game perception agreement scores as a function of game type. Participants who received the Action Game rated it as significantly less enjoyable. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. *p < 0.05.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Perceived benefit agreement scores as a function of game type. Participants who received the Action Game rated it as significantly less likely to improve everyday abilities. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. *p < 0.05.

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