Playing VIDEO games makes you smarter

VIDEO games can be violent, addictive and bad for health, but before you chuck out that prized game console, consider this - some experts believe that playing them may make you smarter, write CHAI MEI LING and TAN CHOE CHOE.



LONG after researchers branded video games as possible health hazards, educationists and scientists are now singing a more positive tune. Playing video games, they say, can promote multiple types of intelligence.



Young gamers, for one, have been found to do better in class.



In a recently concluded study in Taiwan, students who had played video games showed significant progress in math tests, especially those who were initially weak in the subject.



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Aside from marked improvement in logical-mathematical intelligence, researchers from the National University of Taiwan also found positive growth in the students' spatial, interpersonal and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. The last aptitude is one's ability to control bodily motions and handle objects skillfully.



While it would be hard for gamers to develop the agile finesse of a footballer, dancer or gymnast simply by staying rooted in front of the monitor for hours on end, researchers believe there is a correlation between playing games and fine motor skills development.



Games designer Michael Ooi doesn't discount that. Historically, games were created as training tools, he says.



"Humans were once hunters. To be a successful hunter, you have to keep fit. While doing exercises isn't fun, doing sports is and it is a form of a game. So while you play, you're actually training your physical skills, such as reflexes, speed, stamina and strength. Games are tools that make repetitive training tasks enjoyable and motivational."