A split second can often mean the difference between a successful kill and a quick death in games like Halo and Call of Duty, a fact that seems to enhance decision-making on the part of action gamers.
Scientists at the University of Rochester have found that playing action games trains players to make the correct decisions at a faster pace thanks to a heightened sensitivity to the world around them. The researchers believe that fast, accurate decision making can help in everything from driving to reading small print.
Dozens of non-gamer 18-to-25 year olds were tested in the study. They were split into two groups, with one set playing Call of Duty 2 and Unreal Tournament, and the other set playing The Sims 2. After playing the games, they had answer a simple question about the game in as little time as possible, with the action game players coming with accurate answers up to 25 percent faster than the second ground.
