Individual differences and video game training

Video game research in the recent decades suggests a causal relationship between video game experience and enhanced cognition. Most recently, concerns have been raised about the typical methodology used in video game studies. Some researchers have suggested that individual attributes of participants in these video game studies might play a role in the cognitive enhancing effects of video game experience but are often overlooked. As such, the current study sought to better understand what effects these individual attributes might have. The individual attributes of interest were intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, goal orientation, expectations of cognitive gains from the video game training, and knowledge of the cognitive benefits of video game experience. It was hypothesized that these attributes would lead participants to perform better on behavioural tasks. The current study also sought to find out if transient effects in the form of increased arousal states in participants after a brief period of video game training were predictive of participants’ performance on behavioural tasks. It was hypothesized that these transient effects would lead to better performance on behavioural tasks in the same way as what an extended period of a typical video game training would engender. Participants completed a 4-Choice Reaction Time task prior to and after a 10- minute action or puzzle video game training, and a questionnaire thereafter. A multiple regression analysis and two-way mixed design ANOVA done found no significant results, necessitating the rejection of the hypotheses. Limitations of the study are discussed, with suggestions for the direction of future research.Bachelor of Art