ArticleFrontiers in behavioral neuroscience2025
The impact of online games on creativity and the role of imagination.
Article in Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Exploring sleep quality, obesity, eating jetlag, chronotype, and Internet Gaming Disorder in early adolescents: a mixed-methods study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- From "player" to "viewer": a survey on the willingness of video game players to alter their game consumption behavior.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
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Abstract
Background study: The rapid growth of online gaming has sparked interest in its potential effects on cognitive abilities such as creativity. Previous research indicates that interactive digital environments may enhance creative skills through immersive gameplay. However, the role of imagination as a mediator in the relationship between gaming and creativity remains under-explored. This study investigates how playing online games influences creativity and examines the mediating effect of imagination in this relationship. Objectives: The primary objectives of this research are to: (1) evaluate the direct impact of online gaming: investigate how participation in online gaming affects players' imagination and creativity levels, measuring specific outcomes through qualitative and quantitative assessments. (2) explore the mediating role of imagination: analyze the relationship between players' motivation for gaming and their creative output, focusing on how imagination serves as a mediating factor in this dynamic. (3) differentiate game types and their effects: assess how various genres of online games, specifically role-playing games (RPGs) and sandbox games, uniquely influence players' imaginative capabilities and creative expressions, using comparative analyses to highlight differences in outcomes. Methods: This study employed a mixed-method approach, combining survey questionnaires and experimental procedures. The survey collected responses from 202 participants, gathering insights into their gaming behaviors, motivations, and perceived creativity. For the experimental segment, 12 participants (6 males, 6 females) were divided equally into experimental and control groups. Participants were assigned to either play Results: Results from the survey and experimental data indicate a significant relationship between players' motivation and post-game imagination. Notably, gaming motivation also had a significant impact on creativity, particularly in Conclusion: The study concludes that online gaming can positively influence creativity, especially when imagination mediates the relationship between gaming motivation and creative outcomes. These results underscore the potential cognitive benefits of online games, particularly for players with high levels of motivation, and highlight the distinct roles of RPGs and sandbox games in fostering creativity.
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