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Cited by 7Visual perception and processing mechanismsCognitive Abilities and TestingEducational Games and Gamification

An investigation of far and near transfer in a gamified visual learning paradigm

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Duyck, Stefanie, Op de Beeck, Hans·2019·PLOS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0227000PMC PMC6932774
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Abstract

After training, visual perceptual learning improvements are mostly constrained to the trained stimulus feature and retinal location. The aim of this study is to construct an integrated paradigm where the visual learning happens in a more natural context and in parallel for multiple stimulus types, and to test the generalization of learning-related improvements towards untrained features, locations, and more general cognitive domains. Half the subjects were trained with a gamified perceptual learning paradigm for ten hours, which consisted of an orientation discrimination task and a novel object categorization task embedded in a three-dimensional maze. A second group of subjects, an active control group, played ten hours of Candy Crush Saga. Before and after training, all subjects completed a 'near transfer' orientation discrimination and novel object categorization task, as well as a set of 'far transfer' general cognitive and attentional tasks. During the perceptual learning tasks, two different stimulus features and two retinal location pairs were assessed in each task. For the experimental group, one stimulus feature and retinal location pair was trained, whilst the other one remained untrained. Both features and location pairs were untrained in the control group. Far transfer did occur in some domains across all subjects irrespective of the training regimen (i.e. executive functioning, mental rotation performance, and multitask performance and speed). Near transfer was present in both groups, however only more pronounced for one particular task in the experimental group, namely novel object categorization. To conclude, all but one near transfer task did not generalize more than the control group.

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  • The same null effect applies to action and nonaction videogame training and brain training.

    “The same applies to action and nonaction videogame training and brain training (Duyck & Op de Beeck, 2019; Kassai, Futo, Demetrovics, & Takacs, 2019; Libertus et al., 2017; Lintern & Boot, 2019; Sala et al., 2019a; Sala, Tatlidil, & Gobet, 2018, 2019b; Simons et al., 2016).”

    From Cognitive and academic benefits of music training with children: A multilevel meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as Duyck & Op de Beeck, 2019

    The Results and Discussion (Far transfer; page not provided) report no experimental-group-specific improvement after training with a visual-learning game compared with Candy Crush Saga. That supports a limited null finding for the games tested, not a general null effect for action and nonaction videogame training or brain training. The Discussion also notes evidence of benefits from action videogames. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Duyck, S., & Op de Beeck, H.
Affiliations
KU Leuven (BE)
ORCID
Duyck, Stefanie
Venue
PLOS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2019-12-26
Volume
14
Issue
12
Pages
e0227000
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0227000
PMC
PMC6932774
OpenAlex
W2996835012
Cited by
7
References
14
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • European Research Council (ERC-2011-Stg-284101)
  • KU Leuven Research Council (C14/16/031)
  • Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen (11G6219N)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
Keywords
visual perceptual learning, far transfer, near transfer, gamification, generalization of learning, orientation discrimination, executive function, mental rotation, attention
MeSH terms
Orientation, Spatial, Adult, Discrimination Learning, Exploratory Behavior, Female, Humans, Learning, Male, Transfer, Psychology, Visual Perception, Video Games, Young Adult, Spatial Learning

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