Video games have long been a source of worry for parents, with many believing that too much gaming could lead to a decline in cognitive ability. However, a new study from the University of Houston has found that this is not the case. The research team examined the gaming habits of 160 preteen students from diverse backgrounds and found no correlation between the amount of time spent playing video games and their performance on a standardized cognitive ability test.
The study also found that playing certain types of games, which are marketed as helping to build cognitive skills, had no measurable effect on the students’ scores. This suggests that parents don’t need to worry about their children’s gaming habits, as long as it is kept within reasonable limits.
The researchers did find that gaming time could displace other activities, such as homework, but the differences were slight. The study’s authors suggest that finding a balance between gaming and other activities is the key to healthy development.