Students who played online games scored above average in maths, science and reading tests, although study does not prove games were the cause

Children who play online video games tend to do better in academic science, maths and reading tests, according to an analysis of data from over 12,000 high school students in Australia.



The study found that students who played online games almost every day scored 15 points above average in maths and reading tests and 17 points above average in science. However, the study’s methodology cannot prove that playing video games were the cause of the improvement.

Alberto Posso, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, analysed data from high school students across Australia taking the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (Pisa) - internationally recognised tests that are administered by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The study looked at the correlation between academic scores and the children’s personal interests and activities outside of school, including internet usage.

Posso, who published the research in the International Journal of Communication, said: “The analysis shows that those students who play online video games obtain higher scores on Pisa tests, all other things being equal.

“When you play online games you’re solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in maths, reading and science that you’ve been taught during the day.”

The cause of the association between game playing and academic success is not clear from the research. It is possible that children who are gifted at maths, science and reading are more likely to play online games. Alternatively, it could be that more proficient students work more efficiently, and therefore have more free time, making online gaming a marker of possible academic ability rather than something that actively boosts performance.

Posso also looked at the correlation between social media use and Pisa scores. He concluded that users of sites such as Facebook and Twitter were more likely to score 4% lower on average, and the more frequent the social networking usage, the bigger the difference. 78% of the teenagers said they used social networks every day.

Other studies have found a link between heavy users of social networking and a low attention span, which is also linked to poorer academic performance, but the evidence is less than conclusive.

Peter Etchells, senior lecturer in biological psychology at Bath Spa University, who is not connected with the study, said: “It’s interesting that this study showed a positive correlation between online gaming and academic performance, but we really need better ways of understanding how and why people play video games before we’re able to tease apart what that correlation actually means, if anything.

“A number of researchers have been trying to highlight this issue for a while but we really need more detailed research and nuanced data to answer these sorts of questions more confidently.”

Other studies into the effects of video games on academic performance have shown similar results, either displaying no negative impact or positive effects associated with complex tasks, reasoning and dexterity, as well as reinforcing failure as a learning device. A recent study from Columbia University showed that high video game usage by children aged 6 to 11 was associated with a greatly increased chance of high intellectual functioning and overall school competence.