Publication Date
Fall 2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Evan Palmer; Cary Feria; Christina Tzeng
Abstract
Past research shows that individuals who play action video games have stronger attentional resources. However, the role of expertise and player experience is yet to be operationalized in cognitive video game research. This thesis aimed to discover if there is a systematic relationship between video game expertise, specifically percentile-based ranks and actual hours played, on perception and attentional skills. Percentile-based rankings were used as a new, objective measure of expertise that accounts for an individual's skill level relative to all other players of the same game. The number of weekly hours played was gathered from the participants and divided into five levels. The two central goals of the study were to (a) confirm if video game players possess enhanced visual working memory capacity and increased multiple object tracking ability, and (b) if these enhancements are associated with higher percentile-based expertise or hours played in the games. The sample of participants (N = 67) includes a diverse group of video game players, who were recruited through SONA and online clubs at San Jose State University. Participants were required to complete both the change detection and multiple object tracking tasks, as well as provide information about their account that allowed the researchers to determine percentile rank. Some marginal results were found, suggesting possible performance differences may exist between players with more experience. Future research with sufficient sample sizes should be conducted to further study this.
Recommended Citation
Pradhan, Krish, "The Impact of Video Game Play on Attention and Perception" (2024). Master's Theses. 5604.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.avtu-stjj
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5604
