Furnish

Do video games erode well-being and serve as a source of addiction, or do they boost people’s mental states by encouraging relaxation and the feeling of being “in the zone”? A recent study finds little support for either claim.

The researchers collaborated with the publishers of seven popular games, emailing players in several countries around the globe with invitations to help them investigate the effects of playing on well-being. This yielded a sample of nearly 40,000 active players. The players and publishers furnished six weeks’ worth of playing data on each participant, and participants were subsequently surveyed about their well-being and life satisfaction. Playing time had little or no effect, on average, on either measure. One factor did make a difference: participants’ reasons for playing. People who were seeking fun or relaxation saw increases in well-being and life satisfaction, while those who played out of compulsion saw dips.