FolioStart free

Psychology · Literature

Research papers on Video games and cognition

Recent and highly-cited academic work on video games and cognition, gathered from Semantic Scholar, CrossRef and OpenAlex.

Search all 200M+ papers on this topic, free →Or track new video games and cognition papers automatically as they publish

  1. Stretching the limits of visual attention: the case of action video games

    Bjorn Hubert‐Wallander, C. Shawn Green, Daphne Bavelier · 2011 · WIREs Cognitive Science · 68 citations

    Visual attention is the set of mechanisms by which relevant visual information is selected while irrelevant information is suppressed, thus allowing the observer to function in a world made up of nearly infinite visual information. Recently, those who habitually play video games have been documented to outperform novices in a variety of visual attentional capabilities, including attention in space, in time, and to objects. Training studies have established similar improvements in groups of nongamers given experience playing these video games. Critically, not all video games seem to have such a beneficial effect on attention; it seems that fast‐paced, embodied visuo‐motor tasks that require d

    Save this paper

  2. The Effects of Video Games in Memory and Attention

    Chrysovalantis Kefalis, Eirini Zoi Kontostavlou, Athanasios Drigas · 2020 · International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP) · 34 citations

    The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is ubiqui-tous. Technologies like video games have become very popular not only with the young generation but also with older people. The video game indus-try has seen rapid growth over recent years, as has the interest in the influ-ence of video game experience on people’s daily life. The study focuses on a novel approach to training Visual Working Memory (VWM) through the use of video games and examines research evidence concerning whether video games can serve as a vehicle for promoting the development of cogni-tive skills and especially memory and attention.

    Save this paper

  8. Research of effects of video games on sleep health and cognitive ability

    Ella Judge · 2023 · Theoretical and Natural Science

    As a new wave of innovative entertainment and media, video games are particularly well-liked among teenagers and young adults, and recent trends show a sharp rise in the amount of time spent playing them. In the modern digital era, video games' pervasive reach has prompted a growing interest in understanding their significant impacts when used continuously. The present paper further delves into the intricate effects of video games on sleep performance, cognitive abilities, and physical well-being, offering a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted and complex relationship between video games and human health. Specifically, it explores video games' consequences on bodily health, sleepin

    Save this paper

  10. The effects of video games on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis

    Bo Liu, Xiaomei Li, Hejia Cai · 2026 · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

    Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of video-game–based interventions in enhancing global cognitive function and executive functioning among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and Medline, covering all publications available up to October 12, 2025. Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 17. Results: Five randomized controlled trials were ultimately included, comprising approximately 215 participants. Meta-analytic findings revealed that, compared with control conditions, video-game interventions significantly improved global

    Save this paper

  11. Attention and Reward Mechanisms in Continuous Short-Video Viewing: Cognitive and Behavioral Effects

    Zihang Huang · 2026 · SHS Web of Conferences

    Short-video platforms and recommendation algorithms are developing fast. Continuous viewing behavior is now common in digital media environment. It is worth noting that this behavior’s formation mechanism and potential impacts have been studied by researchers from psychology, communication studies and also neuroscience. This paper use literature review method to summarize recent studies about attention mechanism and reward mechanism in short-video platforms, and analyze how these two mechanisms can work together to cause continuous viewing behavior. Moreover, this paper examines the effects on attention control, cognitive processing, risk decision-making and learning performance. This paper

    Save this paper

Write your paper with these sources

Folio is the integrity-first research workspace: search 200M+ papers, save sources, and write with citations that format themselves. Free for students and researchers.

Start writing free →