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Differential effects of wakeful rest, music and video game playing on working memory performance in the n-back task

  • 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 theirThe 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.show moreshow less

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Author details:Maxim S. Kuschpel, Shuyan Liu, Daniel SchadORCiDGND, Stephan HeinzelORCiDGND, Andreas HeinzORCiDGND, Michael Armin RappORCiDGND
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01683
ISSN:1664-1078
Title of parent work (English):Frontiers in psychology
Publisher:Frontiers Research Foundation
Place of publishing:Lausanne
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Date of first publication:2015/10/30
Publication year:2015
Publishing institution:Universität Potsdam
Release date:2015/12/15
Tag:attention; break interventions; cognitive resources; computer games; mind wandering; mozart effect; working memory
Issue:6
Funding institution:Universität Potsdam, Publikationsfonds
Funding number:PA 2015_33
Organizational units:Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften
DDC classification:1 Philosophie und Psychologie / 15 Psychologie / 150 Psychologie
Peer review:Referiert
Grantor:Publikationsfonds der Universität Potsdam
Publishing method:Open Access
Institution name at the time of the publication:Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Exzellenzbereich Kognitionswissenschaften
License (German):License LogoCC-BY-NC-SA - Namensnennung, nicht kommerziell, Weitergabe zu gleichen Bedingungen 4.0 International
External remark:Zweitveröffentlichung in der Schriftenreihe Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe ; 280
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