Playing Video games is good for your brain

Question

I believe video games help your brain because I have experienced it first hand. From just playing with friends it works on your teamwork ability. A quote from National Institutes of Health states that "A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games." The website I have linked has many studies and links to the studies that show it improves brain function. National Institute of Health does studies with thousands of kids so that its a wide number of reported children. Using more studiers makes the study more relatable and proven true. They have also reported "The ABCD Study, the largest of its kind in the United States, is tracking nearly 12,000 youth as they grow into young adults." 

Answer 1

While some argue that video games can improve teamwork and cognitive skills, there is also strong evidence showing that video games can be harmful to the brain. According to an article from Psychology Today by Dr. Victoria L. Dunckley titled "This Is Your Child's Brain on Video Games", video games can overstimulate the brain, leading to problems like poor focus, mood disorders, and even addiction. Dunckley explains that video games release large amounts of dopamine, which can cause the brain to become desensitized over time, making everyday activities seem less interesting or rewarding. Additionally, a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics led by Dr. Jason Nagata found that excessive screen time, including video games, is linked to disrupted sleep, increased stress, and emotional instability in adolescents. While video games may have some benefits, these studies show that the negative effects on mental health and brain development cannot be ignored.

Comments

You brought up some solid concerns, especially with the sources from Psychology Today and JAMA Pediatrics. I like how you highlighted the effects of overstimulation and dopamine, that really helped explain the “why” behind the claim. One suggestion: it could’ve been interesting to briefly mention the flip side too, like how some games are actually used in therapy or education. Just to balance it out a bit. Still, great job making a clear case for why the claim is more complicated than it seems!

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Your claim is exactly what needs to be said. This post is misleading and can be interpreted wrong, and you providing and talking about both the good and the bad helps all. The source you provided is also a great site to look more if interested. Great job backing up your facts.

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I agree with your claim, that even though video games tend to release dopamine for a short period, it doesn't mean that video games in general are good for you. Constantly playing video games leads to excessive amounts of screen time which is terrible for sleep and induces stress, and I would also deem this claim as misleading/ exaggerated. I would suggest siting below your answer the sources you used for your factcheck so that other users can see where you got your information, otherwise great factcheck!

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I think that your claim is very strong and your supporting evidence is very trustworthy. A question that might be good to answer is how can we tell which types of video games are beneficial for mental health and which ones might be harmful? You could also include a link to your sources so others can read or watch them.

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You make a strong case that video games can improve cognitive skills like memory and teamwork, and I liked how you used the NIH study to back that up. But I think it’s also important to recognize the other side, especially the mental health risks. For example, Dr. Victoria Dunckley’s article in Psychology Today explains that the dopamine spikes from gaming can overstimulate the brain, possibly leading to desensitization and mood disorders over time. That’s something I’ve seen in people close to me, too. There’s also the JAMA Pediatrics study led by Dr. Jason Nagata, which found that screen timei ncluding video games is associated with disrupted sleep and increased emotional issues in adolescents. So while gaming may help some brain functions, I think the potential long-term downsides deserve more weight in the discussion.

Answer 2

The claim that video games are good for you is both right and wrong. While these games can be good for chatting with friends online or releasing stress from a long day of work, there are also mental repercussions for playing an extended amount of video games. For example, the University of Oxford completed a study in which they researched players social connection with others, and related that to time spent on the game, stating that "experiences of competence and social connection with others through play may contribute to people(s) well-being." The study also suggests that video games also might help kids with problem solving skills and creativity, also heightening their experience overall. However, though some games might be good for well-being, others might promote violence and cyberbullying which is destructive towards one's mental health. Havard medical school published an article in which looks over several different opinions on video game violence, saying that is that "exposure to violent media (including video games) can contribute to real-life violent behavior and harm children in other ways." With this being said, there are a wide variety of different video games that can have even more variety with the effect on the mental health of those who participate in them. So, the claim that video games are good for your mental health is neither right or wrong, depending on the point of view you are looking towards. 

Comments

I thought this was a really good response and I went and looked and did some research on my own about how exposure to violent media can contribute to real-life violent behavior and found out that playing violent games can typically lead to more aggression and overall aggressive behavior. I also found from the National Institutes of Health, that playing violent video games for more than 2 hours a day had significantly more depressive symptoms as well. In my personal experience, I use video games more as a social tool, to do something that I enjoy with my friends, however, I can see that certain types of games can be bad. I find this mostly bad for younger children while their brains are still developing and they are learning. It should be the responsibility of the parent to try and monitor what their child is playing.

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I really liked how you used multiple sources including a case study! Looking a question from multiple points of view is a great way to get information. I would also like to see the articles linked in your answer too! That's my only feedback for this answer.

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Nice job adding relevant quotes. Also, you cited the University of Oxford, but I don't see the URL. Please always include URLs to your sources. Thanks!

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I like that you argued for both sides of the pros and cons to this statement. It made your response more specific and what you said for both sides balance each other well.

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Providing perspectives from both sides helps your claims further in this situation because you are finding the goods and bads of both sides, which seems wiser and more reliable to an opinion!

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I think that your argument was really strong and you did a good job of explaining both sides of it thoroughly. I think it would help if you supported your evidence with links to allow others to view your sources. You used facts much more than opinion and I think that is very helpful in supporting your claim.

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I agree with your response, this cannot be overall true or false. There are cases fighting both sides and clear truth on both. Overall this would be an opinion so i think your tag on it is correct. Also this answer could use a URL to your sources!

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I agree with your claim that this is more of an opinion that you can neither support nor go against. I appreciate you citing a reputable source like Oxford though it'd make your fact check stronger if you included a direct link to the article next time. It is also important to note that the topic of video games in media and their benefits and disadvantages has been circulated since video games first entered mainstream media. There's many articles targeting this topic.

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Your claim is explained perfectly, that the claim can not be true or false. I like hoe you went at what the claim was talking about and that your source is providing backup to what you are talking about. Next time, make sure to leave a URL for your source.

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I think your response would be strengthened by including a link to the Harvard medical school article where you found your quote. I agree that this claim can't quite be proven true or false, because "good for you" is too sweeping a statement and there are pros and cons of playing video games in this regard.

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I think your comment is spot on. You detail the positive benefits to gaming but also list the negatives that occur such as online cyberbullying and the implications of extensive video game playing. I also think it's great you referred to a source to help back up your comment about the initial claim.  I agree with your comment that it is both good and bad but there is not an overall "good" thing about playing video games.

Answer 3

While your claim is not wrong, it's misleading. Yes, you provide great evidence from the National Institute of Health that proves your point, but the article title is labeled as 'might help,' meaning that they are not 100% confident that it helps. Also, many studies prove you wrong. The Article "Are video games, screens another addiction?" produced by the MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM talks about the negative symptoms of playing video games. They say that it can be very damaging and that excessive screen time can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. They say it's linked to unhealthy blood sugar levels and mood swings. Furthermore, they link all this to video games, and since they release dopamine, this just gets pushed to the next level by making it addictive. They continue to list lots of reasons on why it's bad for you.

 https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-video-games-and-screens-another-addiction

Comments

I think your comment is great. And I think you proved your misleading point very well. I really like how you included your own source. I really like how you included how the title included "might help" which really helps back the claim of it being misleading.

Answer 4

As the original claim states, video games can actually benefit your brain in certain aspects. According to the Cleveland Clinic, gaming improves social connectedness and memory, increases the brain's gray matter (where you control your movement, retain your memories, and regulate your emotions), stimulates creativity and feelings of accomplishment, and enables gamers to pay close attention and set-shifting. However, although Harvard Health Publishing also agrees with the claim that games positively influence your brain, they point out that too much gaming can cause harmful effects on your brain, such as disturbance of the sense of appetite, preoccupation, withdrawal, tolerance, loss of interest in other activities, downplaying use, gaming to escape or relieve anxiety, guilt, or other negative mood states, failure to control, continued gaming despite psychosocial problems. A study also shows that between 0.3% and 1.0% of Americans might have an internet gaming disorder, and Harvard Health Publishing recommends moderate gaming. Based on that, it's not always the case that playing video games is good for your brain, in my opinion.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-video-games-good-for-you

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-health-effects-of-too-much-gaming-2020122221645

https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16020224

Answer 5

When it comes to playing video games it being good for your brain I also believe that this psychological study done by the National Institute of Health does a good job on how video games are good for your brain. It talks about how, "The researchers found that the children who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day were faster and more accurate on both cognitive tasks than those who never played. "  But what was interesting to me was that they mentioned that they did MRI's of two groups brains. A brain scan of a person who played video games for 3 hours every day and person who didn't play video games at all. They said that, "hildren who played video games for three or more hours per day showed higher brain activity in regions of the brain associated with attention and memory than did those who never played. At the same time, those children who played at least three hours of video games per day showed more brain activity in frontal brain regions that are associated with more cognitively demanding tasks and less brain activity in brain regions related to vision." Showing that different parts of your brain would light up for different regions. That was very interesting to me and almost shocking since I wonder what parts of the brain was working? What do those parts of the brain correlate with? 

But this doesn't nessecarily mean that playing video games for 3 hours every day is healthy. Since they also showed that, "hough children who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day scored higher on measures of attention problems, depression symptoms, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to children who played no video games, the researchers found that these mental health and behavioral scores did not reach clinical significance in either group, meaning, they did not meet the thresholds for risk of problem behaviors or clinical symptoms." Meaning that they the people who played video games for 3 hours per day had higher test scores for ADHD, depression and attention problems compared to people who don't play video games. The ultimate problem with this is the fact that this doesn't show the playing video games is better than not playing video games. Though playing video games does have its benefits like response time, attention, and more activity in the brain. It does have it's downside too. 

Answer 6

Video games can absolutely offer entertainment, social connection, and even cognitive benefits like improved hand-eye coordination and memory. Depending on the game, kids might practice problem-solving, explore creative worlds, or even learn historical facts. Some games can help build friendships, especially through online multiplayer platforms. But it's not all positive, too much screen time or difficulty stepping away from games can signal deeper problems, like dependency or emotional struggles. If a child becomes irritable, socially withdrawn, or performs poorly in school due to gaming, that’s a red flag. So, are video games good for kids’ developing brains? True, but only when played in moderation and with healthy boundaries in place.https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-video-games-good-for-you

Answer 7

The claim that "playing video games is good for your brain" is partly true, depending on how much and what type of gaming is involved. Research from the National Institutes of Health and JAMA Network Open shows that video games can improve cognitive skills such as attention, working memory, and problem-solving. For example, children who played video games for three or more hours a day performed better on mental tasks and showed more brain activity in areas related to attention and memory. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that gaming can increase gray matter and brain connectivity. However, excessive gaming has downsides—it may contribute to attention problems or interfere with daily responsibilities. While occasional gaming can boost brain function, balance and moderation are key. Sources: NIH.gov, JAMA Network Open, and ClevelandClinic.org

Comments

I appreciate how you included both the benefits and potential downsides of video games your factcheck feels balanced and well-supported. Citing sources like NIH and JAMA Network Open gives your argument strong credibility, especially since they’re peer-reviewed and data-driven. I also thought it was helpful that you mentioned gray matter and connectivity from the Cleveland Clinic. One idea to strengthen your post even more: you could break down which types of games have different effects (e.g., action games for attention vs. puzzle games for problem-solving). It might help clarify that not all gaming is equally beneficial. Either way, your conclusion about moderation being key really ties it together nicely.

Answer 8

I believe video games help your brain because I’ve experienced it firsthand—especially with teamwork when playing with friends—but scientific evidence also supports this. According to a study cited by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), children who played video games for three or more hours per day performed better on tests involving working memory and impulse control than those who didn’t play at all. This research was part of the ABCD Study, the largest long-term study on child brain development in the U.S., tracking nearly 12,000 kids. Brain scans and cognitive tasks showed notable differences in brain activity and performance. While the study shows a strong association, it’s important to note that it does not prove causation—meaning we can’t say for sure that gaming directly caused the improvement. Still, these findings suggest video games might have cognitive benefits, especially when played in moderation.  

You can read more from the original NIH release here: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children.

Answer 9

I think the claim could be considered both wrong and right. This claim can be misleading or maybe considered exaggerated. You provided information and data from the National Institute of Health where they claim that three hours of video gaming help impulsive controls, and brain function. The reason the claim can sound misleading is because the study only reports about gaming for three hours. If you are exceeding three hours of playing video games, it can lead to cognitive issues within your brain. I think if the claim was reworded along the lines of "Playing video games for three hours can benefit bran functions" you would be able to get away with the claim. It sounds misleading to say that video games are good for the brain where there is no time limit to determine the severity of the gamin practices that are occurring. From my source, Cleveland Clinic Health, they state that "Research into how video games affect the brain is a bit of a mixed bag." which proves this research of video games being good is not linear and there are other caveats to video games being good for you.  https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-video-games-good-for-you 

Answer 10

Your combination of personal experience with NIH research makes your argument both personal and trustworthy. The research shows video games enhance both impulse control and working memory which contradicts the widespread view that gaming serves only as a distraction. The research shows that specific types of games produce the most beneficial effects but it remains unclear what happens when players spend excessive time gaming.