How Online Play Develops Pattern Recognition Skills

Pattern recognition is defined as the ability to recognize and evaluate patterns within received pieces of information. This skill helps you understand and evaluate new information in the context of what you already know. Furthermore, this perception will help you make an appropriate decision.

Thus, pattern recognition is a relevant cognitive skill that can guide your choices and assist your decision-making. This blog will discuss how the rise of online gaming made way for the development of important decision-making tools. 

What Is Pattern Recognition and Why Does It Matter?

Pattern recognition is a cognitive skill that usually involves the aspects of attention and processing. It is defined by experts as the ability that helps you process information, through the identification and understanding of patterns within the information. 

Now, why is pattern recognition so critical? Essentially, it is a skill that drives both decision-making and learning capabilities. How does that work? The skill of pattern recognition helps you analyze patterns based on past experiences and make predictions on possible future events. 

Hence, it is not only an essential skill that directs human thought and behavior, but it also helps make information-driven predictions to facilitate appropriate decision-making.

How Online Games Encourage Pattern Recognition

Years and countless research have revealed that gaming contributes significantly to the development of human cognition. Pattern recognition has been one of the cognitive skills developed from gaming. 

The following are the ways in which gaming can encourage pattern recognition:

• Identification of recurring sequences: Recurring sequences are common in video games. Enemy attack patterns, map layouts, or distribution of resources. This creates a mental layout that you can follow on multiple turns, mastering the patterns you have learned.

• Reacting to pattern formation: Players gradually learn to anticipate patterns in games. This leads to faster decision-making and making more accurate calculations.

• Facilitation of mental model structures: The repetition of exposure to patterns gradually creates mental layouts in players. The mental map then allows players to quickly identify similar situations and adapt to them. 

• Development of visuospatial skills: One important type of pattern recognition skill that is developed by gaming is visualising spaces and the alignment of objects in the spaces. In such cases, players are able to essentially memorize pathways and can quickly recognize what is situated in which spot. 

• Improvement of cognitive abilities: Video games make you work different sections of your brain, enhancing cognitive skills such as attention, working memory and concentration. 

You know, if you are experienced in iGames, these points are equally as valid. You learn the table layout, melds and card distribution to facilitate winning tactics. Next time you go for a game on your poker app, see if this is an accurate interpretation. 

How Different Game Types Encourage Pattern Recognition In Different Ways

Pattern recognition cannot be defined as one uniform concept. Different sources can lead to pattern recognition being facilitated in different ways. Here, the discussion will be about how different types of games lead to pattern recognition in different ways.

• Reaction-based games, such as FPS, require pattern recognition in the form of identifying repetitive movement patterns and sound patterns. 
• Puzzle games such as Tetris or Candy Crush train players in pattern recognition by identifying spatial and shape-based patterns.
• Turn-based RPGs require the recognition of the behavior of the enemy party to make attack decisions.
• In online card games, your pattern recognition skills can represent opponents’ tells and probability-based patterns.

Skill Transfer from Gaming to Real Life

Let’s suppose you have trained pattern recognition from playing your favorite online game. How does that translate into real life?

Some examples of how gaming sharpens your skills in real life can include developed observational skills, multitasking, and decision-making.

In the case of pattern recognition, games put you in various challenging situations, where you use your own understanding of repetitive patterns to overcome obstacles. Such an experience prepares you for a similar approach to reality, observing behavioral patterns to engage in better interactions. 

In a case study conducted by the University of California, gaming stimulates the aspects of learning by setting goals requiring effective concentration, as well as improving memory and imagination to achieve these goals. As a result, gaming has even had a positive impact on academia. 

Pattern recognition is another aspect that gaming can nurture, benefiting skills such as problem-solving or logical reasoning. Such skills, in turn, improve academic performance. 

As an example, card games like poker require an understanding of probability-based patterns, which can enhance your skills in STEM subjects, especially Mathematics. 

Pattern Recognition Skill Development by Game Type

To understand how different types of games develop different forms of pattern recognition, and how that is reflected in real life, the following comparative table can help.

Conclusion

Online gaming can be effective in enhancing the development of cognitive skills. In this blog, the discussion has focused on how different games help develop different types of pattern recognition. 

Finally, games are not just fun pastime activities, but can be important tools for working your intellectual muscles out, and building relevant mental skills.