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Published on: December 16, 2010
Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition.
Jing Feng1, Ian Spence, Jay Pratt
1University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Psychological Science
|September 27, 2007
Summary
Playing action video games reduces gender disparities in spatial attention and mental rotation. This 10-hour training significantly improves spatial skills, particularly for women, with implications for STEM fields.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- A notable gender difference exists in spatial attention distribution.
- Spatial cognition encompasses basic attention and higher-level processes like mental rotation.
- These spatial skills are crucial for success in STEM fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of action video game training on gender differences in spatial attention.
- To determine if action video game play can reduce gender disparities in mental rotation ability.
- To assess the efficacy of action video games versus non-action games in improving spatial skills.
Main Methods:
- Participants were trained for 10 hours on either an action video game or a non-action control game.
- Spatial attention distribution was measured before and after the training period.
- Mental rotation ability was assessed as a measure of higher-level spatial cognition.
Main Results:
- Action video game training significantly improved spatial attention and mental rotation skills in participants.
- The training effectively reduced the previously observed gender difference in spatial attention.
- Women showed greater improvements in both spatial attention and mental rotation compared to men.
- No significant improvements were observed in the control group that played a non-action game.
Conclusions:
- Action video games can be a powerful tool for enhancing spatial cognition and reducing gender disparities.
- Targeted video game interventions may help bridge the gender gap in spatial abilities relevant to STEM.
- These findings suggest a practical approach to encourage broader participation in science and engineering.
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