Association Between Gaming Disorder, Action Videogames, Working Memory Capacity and Cognitive Control.

Previous studies have focused on social, personality, emotional, and environmental factors associated with gaming and gaming disorder (GD) risk. However, little is still known about the relationship between cognitive functioning and GD in the context of playing action videogames. Consequently, the p...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 812 - 839
Main Authors: Cudo, Andrzej, Kopiś-Posiej, Natalia, Zabielska-Mendyk, Emilia, Griffiths, Mark D.
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature Feb2026
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=191498579&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ssf
    uiTerm: 191498579
    longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson)
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        15571874
        46AW
      jtl: International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction
      issn: 15571874
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Feb2026
      vid: 24
      iid: 1
      pid: 237
      pub: Springer Nature
    artinfo:
      ui:
        191498579
        10.1007/s11469-024-01429-3
      ppf: 812
      ppct: 27
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
              size: 982KB
      tig:
        atl: Association Between Gaming Disorder, Action Videogames, Working Memory Capacity and Cognitive Control.
      aug:
        au:
          Cudo, Andrzej
          Kopiś-Posiej, Natalia
          Zabielska-Mendyk, Emilia
          Griffiths, Mark D.
        affil:
          https://ror.org/04qyefj88 Department of Experimental Psychology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
          https://ror.org/016f61126 Department of Clinical Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
          https://ror.org/04xyxjd90 International Gaming Research Unit, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
      su:
        Gaming disorder
        Video games
        Control (Psychology)
        Short-term memory
      sug:
        subj:
          Gaming disorder
          Video games
          Control (Psychology)
          Home entertainment equipment merchant wholesalers
          Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing
          Video game publishers
          Video game design and development services
          Short-term memory
      keyword:
        Action videogames
        Cognitive control
        Gaming
        Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology
        Working memory capacity
        Action videogames
        Cognitive control
        Gaming
        Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology
        Working memory capacity
      ab: Previous studies have focused on social, personality, emotional, and environmental factors associated with gaming and gaming disorder (GD) risk. However, little is still known about the relationship between cognitive functioning and GD in the context of playing action videogames. Consequently, the present study examined the association between gaming disorder, time spent playing action videogames, working memory capacity, and cognitive control. The sample comprised 527 active gamers (268 female gamers; M = 22.12 years, SD = 2.84, age range: 18–38 years). Gaming disorder was assessed using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short-Form. The AX-CPT task assessed cognitive control in the Dual Mechanisms of Cognitive Control. The Operation Span Task and Symmetry Span Task assessed working memory capacity. The time spent playing videogames was evaluated using classifications presented in the Video Game Questionnaire. Results showed that gaming disorder was positively associated with time spent playing both action and non-action videogames. Also, action videogames were positively associated with working memory capacity and negatively associated with proactive cognitive control mode. The findings also showed a positive indirect effect of working memory capacity in the relationship between time spent playing action videogames and proactive cognitive control mode. The present study addressed a research gap regarding the relationship between videogame playing, gaming disorder, and gamers' cognitive functioning. The study's results also demonstrated possible oppositional effects between the time spent playing action games and proactive cognitive control mode.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: N
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N