Make Scene Analysis Decisions up to 25% Faster

On the Next Brain blog we explore specific techniques for improving brain function and cognitive performance.   The best techniques are easy or pleasurable, have a significant impact and are backed by scientific evidence. Take for example, the new study on how video games impact the brain’s ability to process probabilistic information conducted at the University of Rochester.

Researchers found that playing action video games for as little as 50 hours increased decision speed up to 25% with no loss in accuracy.

The tasks involved analyzing a scene (sometimes shown visually other times just described verbally) and deciding what is going on.  Subjects were 18-25 years old and do not normally play video games.

Why does this work?  According to the researchers:

“Decisions are never black and white,” she said. “The brain is always computing probabilities. As you drive, for instance, you may see a movement on your right, estimate whether you are on a collision course, and based on that probability make a binary decision: brake or don’t brake.”

Action video game players’ brains are more efficient collectors of visual and auditory information, and therefore arrive at the necessary threshold of information they need to make a decision much faster than non gamers, the researchers found.

This suggest using action video games to train your brain should create lasting and transferable effects.