There are many benefits to playing more games! Research says video games help improve children's intelligence

Recently, a research team from the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden released a research result - children who play electronic games for a long time have improved their intelligence level. Although the report points out that cognitive abilities are small and not enough to prove direct causality, this improvement is statistically significant.

This study used screen usage data from 9855 children aged 9 to 10 in the US ABCD study program. Data shows that children watch TV or online videos on average for 2.5 hours a day, play electronic games for 1 hour, and spend about half an hour socializing on the Internet.

Two years later, the research team collected follow-up data from more than 5,000 children. The results showed that children who played games for a longer time in the early stage had an average IQ increase of 2.5 points. This IQ improvement comes from a series of tests involving reading comprehension, visual-spatial processing, and tasks that include abilities such as memory, flexible thinking and self-control.

　　It is worth noting that the research subjects are limited to American children and there is no distinction between different types of games (such as mobile games and console games). Nevertheless, this study provides useful insights into the potential relationship between game and intelligence, and also supports the idea that “intellect is not inherently fixed.”

　　Torkel Klingberg, a neuroscientist at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said in 2022: "Our results support the view that overall screen time does not harm children's cognitive ability, but playing video games may help improve intelligence."

　　Researchers stressed that previous related research has some limitations, such as small sample size, inconsistent study design, and insufficient consideration of the effects of genetic and socioeconomic factors. These shortcomings are one of the reasons why the opinions on the impact of screen time are controversial. This study seeks to improve in these aspects.

　　In summary, the formation of intelligence is affected by many factors, and the impact of screen time on the body and behavior varies from person to person, so more follow-up research is needed to further reveal the mechanism behind it. "We did not examine the effects of screen behavior on physical activity, sleep, mental health or academic performance, so we cannot draw conclusions on these areas," Klingberg added.