Positive Impacts of Digital Technology

Criteria B
● Thinking​ is processing information such as when we form concepts, engage in
problem-solving, to reason and make decisions
● There are several functions of thinking:
○ Breaking down information (​analysis​)
○ Putting information together (​synthesis​)
○ Categorising​ information
○ Making ​conclusions​ and ​inferences
● Decision-making is one component of thinking. ​Decision-making i​ s a
cognitive process that involves selecting one of the possible beliefs or actions.
○ Decision-making is necessary for problem-solving to reach a solution.
● Problem-solving​ is thinking directed towards solving a specific problem.
Thinking, decision-making and problem-solving are very much
interconnected and make up “thinking and decision-making”.

Criteria C

Study #1: ​Bavilier et al. (2011)

Aim
To investigate the connection between action games and decision making.

Procedure
1. Men and women were made to play video games and were allocated to two
groups which played different video games.
2. One group played an action video game. The other played a simulation game.
3. Then participants had to do a pattern-solving test.

Findings/Results
● The participants who played the action video game made fewer errors and could
understand the information quickly and make decisions about it.

Conclusion
● Gaming had a positive impact on the participants particularly action games.
They helped participants make decisions more efficiently.
Criteria D

Evaluation of study
Sample size →
​ the sample was small so difficult to generalise.

Men and women are different ​→ there may have been gender differences which the
researchers didn’t take into account when observing the participants.

Criteria C

Study #2: S
​ anchez (2012)

Aim
To investigate whether video games would help science learning.

Procedure
1. An experiment where university students were allocated to two groups.
2. One group played a spatial training video game and the other played a verbal
game.
3. Then both groups had to read a complex scientific text without any illustrations
and write an essay.

Findings/Results
● Participants who played the spatial game had higher scores on the essay.

Conclusion
● The researchers concluded that skills from video games had wider applications
such as in science learning.
● The scientific text required participants to convert words into visuospatial
memory to better understand it.
● Playing a video game helped to do that.
Criteria D

Evaluation of study
Sample bias →
​ only university students were tested, difficult to generalise

Low ecological validity →

​ not real-life situation but ​high internal validity​ because
variables are controlled.

High in reliability ​→ easily replicable because of standardised instructions

Criteria D

Evaluation of theory
Strengths
● There is empirical evidence to support that technology has a positive impact on
cognitive processes.
○ A lot of the research comprises of experiments so cause-and-effect can
be established.
● Highly applicable because technology is becoming part of our lives.
○ Also, a lot of schools are integrating technology into the curriculum so
we need to see whether this does boost academic performance, for e.g.
● Predicts behaviour → we can predict the effects of technology on people.

Limitations
● Not entirely unbiased → this is a relatively new area of study so there may be a
chance of confirmation bias.
○ Researchers may want to prove their beliefs about technology.
● Unreliable → relatively new area of study so need more research to be done!