Time spent video games may be helpful in future job hunting, one researcher says. Photo: 123rf
Millions of people spend much of their free time playing video games - and one British academic's research explores how all that screen time might actually be enhancing life skills.
Dr Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo of the University of Surrey in the UK is a cognitive psychologist who has been extensively researching how online gaming might enhance one's career prospects.
'We are not there yet, but we are trying to open this avenue ' - Listen to the full interview with Dr Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo here
A mother of young children who are avid video game players, Wallinheimo was interested in what might be learned from time in the digital world.
"I always thought they are spending so much time playing those games, how could we explore it a little bit further?"
In the course of her research one of the key findings was that different kinds of employees tended to favour different video games in their free time.
"Certain professions favour certain types of games.
"So for example if we look at managers, they like playing action role-plays, engineers played strategy games and then IT professionals like to play puzzle platform games."
There was also a gender gap - females tended to prefer single-player games while males liked shooter games.
Wallinheimo said her research looked at how working in a multi-player game could help build team-working skills.
"In order to achieve what you want to achieve in that particular game you need to work with your colleagues or your partners."
"For example in our study we saw that engineers like playing strategic games and they could kind of hone their skills for the future by playing a particular game - but again, combining that with real-life strategic planning is a thing to do."
Photo: CAIA IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
It is possible that one's game skills could even be included on a CV for a job application, she said, similar to how you might include your rugby or piano skills as an interest.
"Why not include everything that tells something about you in your CV?
"However, we are not there yet, but we are trying to open this avenue. If people play hours and hours on a certain game and reach a certain level, why not mention that on a CV?"
Wallinheimo said there are obvious links to soft skills that can be gained in video gaming, as well as clear cognitive and behavioural benefits.
"We are not suggesting that by just sitting and playing games you will get a certain job. What we are saying is that this could easily be one of those items that you mention on your CV."
She said that schools, universities and employers need to recognise the place gaming can play in education and building skills.
"There needs to be kind of a general acceptance of the fact that yes, certain skills, certain soft skills can be gained from online gaming."
That doesn't mean students should spend all their class time playing video games, but more of a culture change that encourages acceptance of different ways of learning.
Curiously, for someone who has spent so much time exploring the subject, Wallinheimo admitted she does not play video games herself.
"My answer is that I'm surrounded by people who do play.
"I'm totally supportive of playing, particularly based on my findings. It's just that I'm more interested in human interaction than games, that's all."