Video Games and IQ: Does Playing Games Boost Intelligence?

The correlation between video games and IQ tickles both researchers’ and the general population’s curiosity. Taking into account the frequent emphasis on negative aspects of gaming, many believe that playing video games lowers IQ and leads to cognitive decline.

However, recent studies have shown that might not actually be the case. While gaming can negatively impact some aspects of your life, intelligence is not one of them.

In this article, we will delve deeper into the relationship between video games and IQ and explore what research has to say about this topic.

So, let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways

• Statistics show that video games and IQ are closely related, as regular playing can significantly boost your cognitive abilities.
• Video games increase reaction time, improve attention span, enhance problem-solving skills, and can help you make better decisions.
• On the flip side, video games may worsen your anxiety, increase your feelings of loneliness, and negatively affect your sleeping schedule and overall health.

Does Playing Video Games Boost Your IQ?

Correlation between video games and IQ

Playing video games boosts your IQ by at least a few points and has a positive effect on your cognitive abilities and motor skills.

As a result of a growing debate around whether playing video games makes you smarter, researchers have been looking into whether gaming benefits the brain or harms it. Karolinska Institutet in Sweden conducted the most well-known study, gathering a pool of almost 10,000 children between the ages of nine and ten.

The children took a series of intelligence tests and were asked how much time they spent playing video games, watching TV, and using social media. At this stage, their parents were involved and asked the same questions about their children.

Two years later, the children were retested after controlling for genetics, socioeconomic background, and other factors that could impact IQ. The results were clear—children who spent more time on video games than TV or social media received the highest IQ boost of 2.5 points.

Furthermore, another study discovered a correlation between video games and IQ. Although its primary focus wasn’t to prove that video games increase IQ, it showed that multiplayer games, such as League of Legends, had comparable positive effects on the brain as chess.

How Do Video Games and IQ Correlate in Adults?

Video games and IQ correlate in adults in a similar way as they do in children—the more games you play, the higher your IQ score. Research hasn’t exactly established whether that increase differs from the one discovered in children. Still, there’s no doubt both age groups benefit from gaming.

In fact, playing video games can be an excellent way to keep your brain active as you get older and your cognitive functions begin to decline. Not only do they boost your IQ, but they also keep dementia at bay just as effectively as chess, learning a language, or doing crosswords regularly.

5 Ways Playing Video Games Enhances Your IQ

Two people playing a video game

Playing video games enhances your IQ by improving your attention span, developing your working memory, enhancing your problem-solving and decision-making skills, and boosting your reaction time. Below, you will find out how gaming affects each of these cognitive abilities.

#1. Improved Attention

Video games require your full and undivided attention, especially when you’re trying to complete a particularly difficult level or defeat a powerful boss. As a result, the more you play, the easier it will be to switch to focus mode.

This isn’t just a baseless claim, either. One study of expert and non-expert gamers discovered that both groups’ ability to focus increased after only an hour of gaming. The data also suggested that experienced gamers had better attention spans overall.

#2. Better Working Memory

Working memory allows your brain to store readily accessible pieces of information for a short time.

In other words, when you’re solving a task, information about that task and the steps you’ve already completed will be placed in your working memory. Once you’re done with it, you’ll likely forget the details you no longer need.

The more developed your working memory is, the better your reasoning skills and comprehension. And, as it turns out, video games significantly boost it by demanding that you process information quickly, think on your feet, and use your mind flexibly.

#3. Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills

At their core, levels in video games are problems that need to be solved to progress. As such, they are excellent tools for developing cognitive abilities and teaching you to think outside the box to arrive at a solution.

In fact, research has discovered that students who consistently play video games tend to perform better in school and exhibit more developed problem-solving skills.

However, adults can benefit from gaming, too. After all, video games give you endless opportunities for trial and error, allowing you to rethink your strategy and consider approaches you might have overlooked. That kind of thinking can then positively impact your problem-solving abilities in real life.

#4. Improved Decision-Making Skills

Similarly, video games can improve your decision-making skills by forcing you to frequently make choices and immediately showing you the consequences.

Over time, these frequent decisions will strengthen your understanding of cause and effect, and you might end up far better at predicting the potential outcomes of your actions in real life, too. As a result, you’ll have a much clearer path ahead of you.

However, keep in mind that real-life decisions are far more complex than the ones in video games. So, while your overall ability will improve, you’ll still encounter difficulties making up your mind.

#5. Better Reaction Time

The quicker you think on your feet and react, the better you will be at video games—that is the golden rule of gaming. Even if you’re not particularly good at either at first, your skills will improve the more games you play.

Eventually, this skill won’t be evident only in your gaming; rather, your reaction time and thinking speed will also increase in real life. That will significantly improve your efficiency, which is crucial for professional development.

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Video Games and IQ: The Downsides

Despite the widespread belief that video games breed violent behaviors, there’s very little evidence to prove this theory. However, that doesn’t mean video games affect you only in a positive way. In fact, the following five downsides of gaming prove otherwise.

#1. Anxiety

Video Games and IQ downsides - Anxiety

Although research hasn’t confirmed that video games cause anxiety, the two have a clear correlation.

Namely, people suffering from anxiety disorders frequently turn to video games as a form of escapism and self-soothing. And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, gaming doesn’t actually resolve the problem. Instead, it may just be a temporary fix or even worsen the symptoms.

In addition, failure to complete a level or contribute to your team’s success in multiplayer could affect your feelings of self-worth and make gaming a stressful activity. At that point, it’s best to take a step back and return when you’re in a better mental state.

#2. Social Isolation

A person playing a game on his computer

With the rise of multiplayer games and social gaming, playing video games is no longer the solitary activity it was once considered to be. Taking that into account, we could assume that gamers’ socializing needs are fulfilled through their favorite hobby.

However, that’s not exactly the case. Despite the in-game elements that exist to connect gamers to their fellow players, social isolation is still a prevalent issue in the gaming community.

Due to social isolation, many gamers deal with loneliness, anxiety, and depression on a regular basis. Not knowing what to do about it, they turn to video games and their online communities for help, which only exacerbates the problem.

#3. Missed Opportunities

A woman playing a game - Video games and IQ

Have you ever turned down your friend’s invitation to hang out because you just needed to finish another level?

Even if you haven’t, this isn’t uncommon among avid gamers. Some can spend days on a game, completely ignoring real-life opportunities and obligations.

That’s not to say you should avoid gaming at all costs. On the contrary, when done in moderation, gaming can be a fun, enriching experience that increases your IQ and improves your brain’s overall performance.

However, excess gaming can get in the way of reality and cause you to miss out on valuable experiences. So, keep in mind that balance is key, and your game will still be there even if you take a break to pay attention to your real life.

#4. Risk of Addiction

A man playing a game on his computer

Unfortunately, for many people, gaming isn’t just a harmless hobby but an addiction that significantly impacts their quality of life. According to estimates, around 3–4% of gamers can be classified as video game addicts.

Video game addiction is usually characterized by the following symptoms:

• Inability to quit
• Constant thinking about gaming
• Losing interest in hobbies other than gaming
• Using video games to escape problems or improve a bad mood
• Difficulties in school, at work, or with relationships due to excessive gaming

It’s important to differentiate between genuine addicts and video game enthusiasts. Even if you play a lot, that doesn’t mean you are automatically an addict. Ultimately, it comes down to how much this hobby affects your everyday life.

#5. Poor Sleep

Video games and IQ consequence - lack of sleep

A stereotype of a sleep-deprived gamer might not be entirely off the mark after all—people who play video games often have messier sleep schedules and poorer sleep quality than their non-gamer peers.

But before you swear off gaming forever, let us reassure you that it’s possible to game and still get quality sleep. What matters is that you avoid playing video games in the evening. After all, they emit blue light that stimulates your brain and halts its natural preparation for sleep.

Ever thought about how sleep impacts your IQ? Check out our post, "IQ and Sleep," for a deeper dive.

Final Thoughts

Although there are many misconceptions about gaming, it’s clear that the correlation between video games and IQ is primarily a positive one. Video games enhance many aspects of cognition, ultimately contributing to increased general intelligence.

However, you should still exercise moderation when playing. As beneficial as video games may be for your IQ, they can negatively affect your mental and physical health and even lead to addiction.

So, enjoy your favorite hobby with all its benefits, but take care to still stay in touch with reality!