So, it turns out that getting headshots in Call of Duty or murdering mythic beasts with Kratos actually helps to develop reading skills in children with learning disorders. Researchers at the University of Padua and the Scientific Institute Medea of Bosisio Parini in Italy, conducted a study where they compared the reading capability of dyslexic children after 80 minute sessions of traditional therapy and action videogames. What they found, was that the kids who played videogames actually outperformed the therapy group in reading tests.
“Action video games enhance many aspects of visual attention, mainly improving the extraction of information from the environment,” explained one researcher. The results of the study were posted in the Current Biology section of Cell.com. “Our results showed that this attention improvement can directly translate into better reading abilities, providing a new, fast, fun remediation of dyslexia that has theoretical relevance in unveiling the causal role of attention in reading acquisition.”
So, all those late night Call of Duty sessions are actually helping you become more attentive to your environment and are increasing your information retention. Good to know. As someone who had to go through reading therapy when I was a kid, I can honestly say that they were the most boring part of my childhood experience.
Playing the latest AAA action title would have been way better.