@article{KuschpelLiuSchadetal.2015, author = {Kuschpel, Maxim S. and Liu, Shuyan and Schad, Daniel and Heinzel, Stephan and Heinz, Andreas and Rapp, Michael A.}, title = {Differential effects of wakeful rest, music and video game playing on working memory performance in the n-back task}, series = {Frontiers in psychology}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, number = {6}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-1078}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01683}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The interruption of learning processes by breaks filled with diverse activities is common in everyday life. We investigated the effects of active computer gaming and passive relaxation (rest and music) breaks on working memory performance. Young adults were exposed to breaks involving (i) eyes-open resting, (ii) listening to music and (iii) playing the video game "Angry Birds" before performing the n-back working memory task. Based on linear mixed-effects modeling, we found that playing the "Angry Birds" video game during a short learning break led to a decline in task performance over the course of the task as compared to eyes-open resting and listening to music, although overall task performance was not impaired. This effect was associated with high levels of daily mind wandering and low self-reported ability to concentrate. These findings indicate that video games can negatively affect working memory performance over time when played in between learning tasks. We suggest further investigation of these effects because of their relevance to everyday activity.}, language = {en} } @article{LiuKuschpelSchadetal.2015, author = {Liu, Shuyan and Kuschpel, Maxim S. and Schad, Daniel and Heinz, Andreas and Rapp, Michael A.}, title = {Differential Effects of Music and Video Gaming During Breaks on Auditory and Visual Learning}, series = {Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking}, volume = {18}, journal = {Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking}, number = {11}, publisher = {Liebert}, address = {New Rochelle}, issn = {2152-2715}, doi = {10.1089/cyber.2015.0140}, pages = {647 -- 653}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The interruption of learning processes by breaks filled with diverse activities is common in everyday life. This study investigated the effects of active computer gaming and passive relaxation (rest and music) breaks on auditory versus visual memory performance. Young adults were exposed to breaks involving (a) open eyes resting, (b) listening to music, and (c) playing a video game, immediately after memorizing auditory versus visual stimuli. To assess learning performance, words were recalled directly after the break (an 8:30 minute delay) and were recalled and recognized again after 7 days. Based on linear mixed-effects modeling, it was found that playing the Angry Birds video game during a short learning break impaired long-term retrieval in auditory learning but enhanced long-term retrieval in visual learning compared with the music and rest conditions. These differential effects of video games on visual versus auditory learning suggest specific interference of common break activities on learning.}, language = {en} }