Examining the executive function levels of esports players

The main purpose of this study was to determine the differences in executive function levels of esports players who play First Person Shooter (FPS) and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game types compared to non-video game players (NVGP). Other purposes of the study are to examine the relationships of executive function components and their relationships with in-game skill level and total game time variables. The study groups consisted of ninety volunteer participants, all of whom were young adults between the ages of 18-34, 30 of whom actively played FPS video games, 30 of whom actively played MOBA video games, and 30 of whom NVGPs. Corsi Block-Tapping Test (CBT), Wisconsin (Berg) Card Sorting Test (WKET), and Stroop Test Çapa Form (ST) were used as data collection tools. According to the findings of the study; FPS players had significantly higher scores than both MOBA players and NVGPs in CBT and less error percentage than the NVGPs in WKET; MOBA players had significantly less error percentage and interference time than NVGPs in WKET and ST. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between CBT and ST interference times for all players and a significant negative correlation between in-game skill level and ST interference times for FPS players (p<0.05). As a result; it was observed that FPS and MOBA players had better visuospatial working memory and cognitive flexibility capacities than NVGPs, FPS players had better visuospatial working memory capacity than MOBA players, MOBA players had better inhibition capacity than non-video game players, and all players' visuospatial working memory and inhibitory control components were related. Keywords: Cognitive flexibility, esports, executive function, inhibition, visuospatial working memory