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Game over? examining associations between video game play and visual and auditory spatial ability
Paul Pasescu1, Daniela E Aguilar Ramirez1, Zitong Wu1
1Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.
Frontiers in Psychology
|April 23, 2026
Summary
Video game frequency did not predict visual or auditory spatial skills in a recent study. This suggests that playing video games, regardless of genre, may not significantly impact spatial abilities, challenging previous assumptions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Spatial ability is crucial for STEM fields and academic success.
- Environmental factors, like video gaming, may influence spatial skills, but findings are inconsistent.
- Research needs to clarify the relationship between video game genres and distinct spatial abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if self-reported video game frequency predicts visual and auditory spatial ability.
- To examine associations between action and non-action video game genres and spatial performance.
- To explore the role of gaming in spatial cognition using ecologically valid measures.
Main Methods:
- Participants (N=53) completed spatial assessments: Mental Rotation Test (visual), Brick-Building Task (visual), and Audio-Corsi (auditory).
- Gaming experience was measured by frequency across 13 genres (action and non-action).
- Regression analyses were used to determine predictive relationships between gaming habits and spatial scores.
Main Results:
- No significant associations were found between playing action or non-action video games and performance on visual or auditory spatial tasks.
- Regression analyses yielded non-significant coefficients (βs from -0.01 to 1.39) and wide confidence intervals ((-1.68, 1.98)).
- All statistical tests indicated no reliable link between gaming frequency and spatial ability (p > 0.1).
Conclusions:
- Current findings suggest video game frequency does not predict visual or auditory spatial ability.
- The study highlights the importance of using ecologically valid measures for both visual and auditory spatial processes.
- Further research is needed for a nuanced understanding of how gaming experiences relate to spatial cognition.
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