An Investigation of Cognitive Processes Engaged in by Recreational Computer Game Players

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated the influence of two recreational computer games on children’s subsequent performance on computer-based instructional tasks. Children were assigned to three groups: two were invited to play their respective recreational computer games, and the third acted as a control group. All three groups then worked on a common set of educational tasks from environmental education software. The three groups’ performances on a set of educational tasks were compared using quantitative analysis for speed and correct solutions, and then qualitatively for the cognitive manoeuvres engaged in to accomplish the tasks. The findings suggest that playing recreational computer games may influence children’s performance on subsequent computer-based educational tasks. However, the extent of this influence depended on how closely the recreational computer game types matched the design of the tasks in the educational software. The cognitive manoeuvres used by game players also depended on the types of games played during the learning phase. Linear cause-and-effect games tended to encourage means–end analysis strategy, whereas adventure games encouraged inferential and proactive thinking. Though the findings of this study are encouraging, further studies need to be undertaken to replicate the results.