All can provide meaningful play which can promote longevity through stress relief, mental stimulation, problem-solving, social connection, and fun.
At first, this might seem a far-fetched scenario, yet there are sound reasons why a person may want to include playing video games in their life. Numerous studies have shown gamers outperform non-gamers in terms of attention, visuospatial, working memory,[2] and mental flexibility performances. Many individuals already have found great benefit in playing video games. The challenge in more fully understanding the benefits of video game playing is because most of the research has been conducted in controlled, laboratory environments and people tend to act differently in these settings.
Real-life improvements are quite challenging to demonstrate and more research with diversified gamers is needed to develop sensitive and specific tests which assess changes in everyday life skills. The good news is that this deeper research is certainly underway and the current consensus in the field is one of optimistic skepticism. As mentioned in the beginning, however, there are a number of reasons video gaming is considered meaningful play and part of healthy aging due to the value in enjoyment, reduction in stress, and mental stimulation.
It is important to underscore the importance of playing just for the fun of it. It is easy to forget play does not need an ulterior motive. It is one of the most important things we do in our lives. In her seminal work, Hamlet on the Holodeck , media scholar Janet Murray describes the underlying dynamic perfectly:. Everyone knows the value of play for children as they grow, but far less understand the importance of continuing to play as one grows older.
Unfortunately, our society can put pressure on people to stop playing. It is the antithesis of what play is supposed to be: frivolous and engaged in for its own sake. However, while perhaps counterintuitive, one of the biggest considerations to make when looking for games which promote wellbeing is to not focus only on word games or brain health activities or exercises.
