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Exploring the relationship between video game expertise and fluid intelligence
Athanasios V Kokkinakis1,2, Peter I Cowling2, Anders Drachen2
1Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|November 16, 2017
Summary
Playing complex video games like League of Legends correlates with fluid intelligence. The age performance patterns in Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) also mirror fluid intelligence, suggesting games can proxy cognitive abilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Video Game Studies
Background:
- Millions play intellectually demanding video games daily.
- Understanding game performance can offer insights into human cognition.
- Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) are a popular and complex game genre.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between intelligence and performance in MOBAs.
- To determine if video game performance can serve as a proxy for cognitive abilities.
- To analyze the age-related performance trends in popular MOBAs.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Correlated League of Legends performance with fluid intelligence measured in a lab.
- Study 2: Analyzed age performance profiles in League of Legends and DOTA II.
- Compared MOBA performance and age trends with established fluid intelligence data.
Main Results:
- Performance in League of Legends showed a correlation with fluid intelligence.
- The age-performance curves for League of Legends and DOTA II mirrored those of fluid intelligence.
- This suggests a link between cognitive abilities and MOBA gameplay.
Conclusions:
- Video game performance, particularly in MOBAs, is linked to fluid intelligence.
- Commercial video games can potentially serve as accessible 'proxy' measures of cognitive performance.
- This research extends the understanding of intelligence and video game interactions.
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