Video games have become an integral part of our lives. Even though we may not play ourselves, people around us surely do. While playing video games in balance can be a good way to relax and build social communication, unnecessary playing has adverse effects. Now the question arises, How video games can enhance creativity?
Video Games Can Enhance Creativity
A new study led by Iowa State University reports that playing video games under specific conditions is connected to enhanced creativity.
The study team administered tests to examine the effects of playing Minecraft with or without direction, with the results of watching a TV show or playing a race car video game.
In the study, 352 members were asked to play or watch TV for 40 minutes and then do some creativity-testing assignments. One of the tasks was to paint a creature that differed much from those wandering the Earth. The more human-like the creature painted, the lower the score.
The members who had played Minecraft (a game that invites players to explore unique worlds and build imaginative creations) were divided into two groups, one of which had been directed to play as creatively as possible.
The group directed to play Minecraft creatively scored lowest in the creativity test that followed the play. Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile, with associate psychology scholars Jorge Blanco-Herrera and Jeffrey Rokkum, pointed to believable reasons as to why the creative Minecraft players did worst in the creativity test.
Blanco-Herrera said the direction to be creative may have limited the players’ options in the game, hence making the experience less creative.
“It’s also reasonable they practiced all their ‘creative juices’ while playing and had nothing left when it came time to perform in the test,” said Blanco-Herrera.
Minecraft aside, most video games need players to be creative to a certain point, for example when they create a character or come up with stories or special tactics to win competitive games.
While we are often telling the negative impacts of video games, we might also want to support their educational aspects.
