Playing video games can have a positive impact on your mood, according to a recent international study conducted by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford.
The study examined data from gamers in 39 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Germany, and discovered that players’ moods significantly improved during gameplay. Participants consistently reported feeling happier after the first 15 minutes of a play session compared to their mood at the beginning of each session.
Lead author Assistant Professor Matti Vuorre, from Tilburg University and Research Associate at the Oxford Internet Institute, explained the motivation behind the study, stating, “At present, short-term changes in video game players’ moods are not well understood. Our research aimed to explore how real gameplay in natural contexts could influence player mood on a short timescale.”
The researchers collaborated with the developer of the game PowerWash Simulator (PWS) to create a research edition of the game that collected gameplay data, player demographics, and responses to psychological surveys. This analysis builds upon a dataset previously published in the journal Scientific Data.
Second author Nick Ballou, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, highlighted the study’s findings, noting that players experienced a small but significant increase in mood during gameplay. This positive change in mood was comparable to the uplifting effects seen in other leisure activities like reading or listening to music.
The study also examined differences in mood uplift among PWS players and found that the majority of players (72.1%) were likely to experience an improvement in their mood while playing. The research focused on minute-by-minute changes in mood during gameplay, providing a detailed understanding of how gaming affects mood in real-time.
Senior author Professor Andrew Przybylski emphasized the importance of the findings, suggesting that gaming serves as a form of stress relief and mood enhancement for most players. However, he cautioned against generalizing the results to all games and recommended further research to explore the broader impact of gaming on mental well-being.
In conclusion, the study sheds light on the positive effects of video game play on mood and highlights the need for continued research to better understand the diverse experiences and benefits of gaming. For more information, you can refer to the published study in the journal Games: Research and Practice.
