Are video games good for mental health? Recent research by the University of Oxford concludes that they can make us happier. CNN quoted Andrew Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute and the study’s lead author saying,
“Our findings show video games aren’t necessarily bad for your health; there are other psychological factors which have a significant effect on a person’s well-being. In fact, play can be an activity that relates positively to people’s mental health — and regulating video games could withhold those benefits from players.”
The team focused on two games in particular (Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville) and used anonymous gameplay data given by their developers i.e. Nintendo and Electronic Arts. 518 players of Plants vs. Zombies and 2,756 players of Animal Crossing were surveyed through psychological questionnaires. It was found that people playing more games reported greater well-being due to “experiences of competence and social connection with others.”
This study is different as it relies on actual gameplay data as opposed to previous research that “has almost exclusively relied on self-reports of play behaviour, which are known to be inaccurate.” Having said that, the study has emphasized that more research is required with other games, some of which may not be wholesome. Also, a player’s attitude towards gaming is an important factor that affects mental health.
The Guardian quoted him adding,
“I’m very confident that if the research goes on, we will learn about the things that we think of as toxic in games and we will have evidence for those things as well.”
Have you played these two games before? Tell us!