ABSTRACT
A large body of psychological research has examined the relationship between video game play and cognitive function. For instance, action video games have been consistently associated with improved perceptual and attentional abilities. However, the literature examining possible relations between video game play and higher cognitive functions such as intelligence, problem solving, and creativity is quite sparse, and the results are reasonably mixed. Some positive relationships have been observed between playing certain types of games, in particular strategy and puzzle games such as Portal, and isolated tests of reasoning, such as Raven's Progressive Matrices. However, many null relationships have also been observed. Given the different demands inherent across games, it will be important for future research to carefully consider the types of video games that could engage in particular higher cognitive functions, and to evaluate the impact of each type of video game play on these functions separately.
