Methods in Neuropsychology involving video games and cognition
Video games; Cognition; Neuropsychology.
Video games have become very popular in recent decades, bringing with it great social and economic impact. People of the most varied social classes, regardless of sex or age make use of them. This popularization has also brought an interest in knowing what influences they bring to their users. Several researches have found evidence that video games can have a positive impact on aspects of cognition, such as attention, memory, and executive functions. However, the methods used to conduct them are still heterogeneous, which can generate a variation of the results. The present study aims to conduct a systematic review of the literature through the PRISMA method in the SciELO, LILACS, PsycINFO and Pubmed platforms to investigate the main methods and designs in the studies using video games focused on cognition. Based on the inclusion / exclusion criteria, the methods used will be selected and, through them, investigate variables such as: target audience and experimental groups, instruments, pre and posttesting delineation, types of videogames (games genre, duration, rewards, etc), psychophysiological resources, generalization / transfer effects and follow-up studies, among others. The results of the present study will provide a systematic overview of the most commonly used methods, as well as assist future research in the correct design when using video games as an instrument of neuropsychological evaluation or intervention.