action video games and “learning to learn”
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Action Video Games and “Learning to Learn”
C. Shawn Green
Daphne Bavelier Alex Pouget
Supported by NEI, ONR, The James S. McDonnell Foundation
Training leads to lasting improvement
Fiorentini, A. & Berardi, N. (1980). Perceptual learning specific for orientation and spatial frequency. Nature, 287, 43-44. Fiorentini, A. & Berardi, N. (1980). Perceptual learning specific for orientation and spatial frequency. Nature, 287, 43-44.
But only for the trained orientation and spatial
frequency
Specificity of Perceptual Learning
Specificity of Perceptual Learning
Action Video GamesAction Video Games
• In contrast to the typical specificity of learning, our research has demonstrated that action video game experience transfers broadly
Action Video GamesAction Video Games
Green and Bavelier, Nature (2003)
Temporal ProcessingTemporal Processing
Temporal ProcessingTemporal Processing
Green and Bavelier, Nature (2003)
BLRSWCQXYJGDTP
Green and Bavelier, Nature (2003)
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Time since white letter (ms)
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Temporal ProcessingTemporal Processing
Spatial ProcessingSpatial Processing
Green and Bavelier, Psychological Science (2007)
Crowding
Spatial ProcessingSpatial Processing
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T
T
TT
T
TTT
0 10 25Eccentricity (deg)
Crowding
Spatial ProcessingSpatial Processing
Green and Bavelier, Psychological Science (2007)
What Do Action Video Games Teach?
What Do Action Video Games Teach?
• The list of tasks on which performance is improved by action video game experience is long and still expanding
• Does this reflect many truly independent improvements? Or an improvement in ONE single skill that underlies all of these tasks?
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NVGP RT (ms)
VGP RT (ms)
Posner Cueing (Greenfield et al 1994) TOVA (CSG & DB, unpublished data)
Inhibition of Return (Castel et al 2005) Simon Task (Bialystok 2006)
ANT (adult version - MWD, CSG, & DB, submitted) ANT (kid version - MWD, CSG, & DB, submitted)
Flanker Interference (Green & Bavelier, 2003) Nback (CSG & DB, unpublished data)
Visual Search (Castel et al 2005)
VGPRT = NVGPRT*.88R2 = .98
A Single Mechanism?A Single Mechanism?
Dye, Green and Bavelier, Current Directions in Psychological Science (2009)
A Single Mechanism?A Single Mechanism?
• Improvement in the ability to use sensory data to perform probabilistic inference
Perception as InferencePerception as Inference
The “problem” of perception
•The brain must determine what actual “world” created the pattern of data that it observes
• Because the data is always ambiguous, the best the brain can do is compute the probability that various “worlds” created the pattern of data
y
x
O
Perception as InferencePerception as Inference
Infinite number of 3D shapes can map to the same 2D image x
z
y
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Perception as InferencePerception as Inference
Perception as InferencePerception as Inference
Deer or mailbox?
p(deer| sensory data)?
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
How close is subjects’ estimate of:
p(deer| sensory data)to the actual value?
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
Action Video Game Experience Improves Inference
• Result: Action video game experience leads to more efficient use of sensory evidence.
• Essentially, each little piece of evidence moves them further toward the true probability estimate.
Learn to Learn?Learn to Learn?
p(deer| sensory data) α p(sensory data | deer)
p(sensory data | deer): “likelihood”• isn’t known before the experiment• must be learned through experience
Conclusion• action video game experience teaches individuals to learn how bits of sensory data change the probability of outcomes
ImplicationsImplications
• Rehabilitation
• Slowing/reversing the normal decline with aging
• Surgeons/soldiers
• Education???
Acknowledgements
PhD AdvisorDaphne Bavelier
Bavelier Lab:Rebecca AchtmanAshley AndersonMatt DyeDavid FederNina FernandezRenjie LiMike Sugarman
Alex Pouget
Jeff BeckWeiji Ma
Thank YouThank You
Current Advisors:Daniel KerstenPaul Schrater