The Relationship Between Cognitive Abilities, Self-Identified Biological Sex, and Video Game Preferences and Abilities

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Information Systems Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Research has suggested that cognitive skills are malleable, and can be trained through video game playing (Uttal et al., 2013). However, some studies have shown that these differences disappear when players with a full range of skills are included, and not just extreme group players (Unsworth et al., 2015). Ingoing video game skill is a crucial variable of interest for examining this discrepancy. Our paper addresses this issue in two studies. The first examines relationships between performance on theoretically relevant cognitive domains and self-reported video game skill; results indicate a relationship between sex, variation in specific cognitive abilities, and video game skill. The second study examines the relationship between these tasks and actual video game performance using a custom designed game stimulus that allows for a high degree of experimental control. Data collection for this second study will be completed well ahead of the ICA conference.

Authors

• Richard Wayne Huskey, The Ohio State University

• Britney Nicole Craighead, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Chelsea Lonergan, Santa Barbara

• Rene Weber, U of California - Santa Barbara