Effects of Peppermint Scent Administration on Cognitive Video Game Performance

A struggle within the realm of video game research involves the games' so-called "bad reputation." As many video games involve violence, aggression, addiction, and gender bias (Selfton-Green, 2005; Schrader & McCreery, 2007), many critics dismiss them as learning tools entirely, despite the widespread appeal and educational value they may possess. This "bad reputation" stems from the violence and illegality portrayed in games such as "Grand Theft Auto"[TM] and from the demeaning sexuality illustrated in games such as "Dead or Alive"[TM] (Gee, 2003). Other games, such as the violent African zombie game "Resident Evil 5"[TM], create controversy for their racial stereotyping. Because, in part, of the huge popularity of such games, other more socially or educationally appropriate games have been overshadowed. However, the Nintendo Wii[TM] game system is changing the way video games are considered; many of that system's games involve an active and family-friendly approach to video game play. Despite the occasionally questionable outlook on video games, research and real world findings note their benefits and applicability. The games themselves can provide goals for the player, positive reinforcement, and increasing challenge as he or she progresses through different levels (Gee, 2003). Games can support intrinsic motivation, since many require the player to be actively engaged through observing the environment, discover new aspects to a particular level or challenge, and solve problems (Dickey, 2005). A subcategory of educational gaming is "edutainment." Games in this category include Nintendo's[TM] "Brain Age"[TM] and "Big Brain Academy"[TM] which aim to improve logic, memory, and mathematical skill, amongst other cognitive challenges, and Playstation 2's[TM] Konami Kid Playground,[TM] which is a game that teaches numbers, letters, colors, and shapes to preschoolers. Such games are targeted towards a mass market, i.e. not aimed for classroom use exclusively, and are intended to teach the user a skill or content while he or she has fun progressing through the levels of the game. Thus, it becomes important to describe a context when such learning is of importance. Educational implications of gaming are diverse. The current study hopes to quantify the cognitive benefits of video game use in a non-formal learning environment. Although it is still fairly new to the market, the majority of the use of the Nintendo Wii[TM] game system is for entertainment purposes and, more seriously but less frequently, for rehabilitation purposes (Peltier, 2007). However, new games are being developed that tie into the Nintendo[TM] brand's broader goals of reaching a wide range of ages and engaging them in a wide variety of activities. While some research on the Wii's rehabilitation abilities suggests that it can be effectively used to help rehabilitate stroke victims and cardiac patients as well as help physical therapy patients to improve their range of motion (Peltier, 2007), the Wii has not yet been used to study cognition. Shin and Rosenbaum (2002) examined the ways in which cognitive and perceptual motor processes coordinate in a video arithmetic task. In their study, participants completed a video game task that involved arithmetic, aiming, or both. Results indicate that aiming occurred faster in the non-combined tasks. This suggests that a distraction of an additional task may hinder performance. Likewise, the current study hopes to examine how cognitive function can be enhanced through scent and gaming. Further, Barlett, Vowels, Shanteau, Crow, and Miller (2009) studied the impact of computer games on cognitive performance and found that participants who did not play a game showed no cognitive change while participants that played either a violent or non-violent game showed an increase in cognitive performance. Lee and LaRose (2007) assessed various mechanisms of video game consumption behaviors. Results indicate that those who had low amounts of experience had less self-regulation and habit strength than regular players. …