Accomplishments
Effect of Video Game Music on Hand Dexterity Performance in Young Adults
- Abstract
Introduction: Video game music genre has no lyrics, repeats indefinitely and has a 5-beat rhythm which acts as Rhythmic Auditory Stimuli. It can either be used as a stimulus providing rhythmic cues or as facilitating stimuli for training. It may activate various structures in the brain that help improve movement control and performance. Thus, the authors aimed to study the effects of video game music on hand dexterity performance. Objectives: 1) To assess hand dexterity performance without music. 2) To assess hand dexterity performance with video game music. 3) To compare the hand dexterity performance with and without video game music. Methods: In this cross over study design 230 asymptomatic individuals both male and female between the age groups 18- 35 years were evaluated for hand dexterity performance using Bimanual turning test of Minnesota manual dexterity test. Randomly half of the subjects performed the test with video game music and after 24 hours re-performed the test without video game music, for the remaining half of the subjects the test conditions were reversed. Results: The mean age of the population was 26.48 years where 50.9% were males and 49.1% females. The median time taken to finish the test with video game music was 138.07 (89.98, 597.29) seconds and without video game music was 133.73 (103.94, 216.61) seconds. The time taken to perform the test with video game music was 140.49 +18.09 seconds and without video game music was 142.28 +47.84 seconds. On comparing the two test conditions, the time taken to perform the test with video game music was less which was statistically significant with p-value < 0.0001. Conclusion: Hand dexterity performance with video game music is better as compared to without video game music