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Study: Shooter Fans Have Faster, More Accurate Reaction Times

By james_fudge

A new study by the University of Rochester concludes that first-person shooter players have faster and more accurate reactions times than non-players. The study undertaken by cognitive scientists found that action video games helped players develop a heightened sensitivity to the action going on around them.

The benefits lend themselves to the real world too, according to researchers. Action game players gain general skills that are useful in everyday life such as multitasking, driving, reading small print, keeping track of friends or family in a crowd, and navigating around town.

Researchers tested "dozens" of 18- to 25-year-olds who were not ordinarily video game players. Two groups formed for the experiment; one group played 50 hours of Call of Duty 2 and Unreal Tournament, while the other took in 50 hours of The Sims 2. The results? Action game players were up to 25 percent faster at coming to a conclusion and answered as many questions correctly as The Sims 2 players.

Image Credit: J. Adam Fenster, University of Rochester

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on September 13, 2010 (boomark / email).