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How do exergame training affect college students’ spatial working memory? The differential role of cognitive engagement and exercise intensity

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Abstract

Purpose

This study examines how cognitive engagement and exercise intensity in exergame training differentially enhance spatial working memory (SWM) accuracy and reaction time among college students. Method: 156 college students were equally divided into four groups: low cognition-high intensity group (LCHI, 28 males and 11 females), high cognition-high intensity group (HCHI, 28 males and 11 females), low cognition-low intensity group (LCLI, 27 males and 12 females) and high cognition-low intensity group (HCLI, 28 males and 11 females). Each groups underwent exergame training, which was divided into a total of 8 weeks, 2 times per week, and the participants’ SWM was assessed at four time points: baseline (T1), after one time of exergame training (T2), after 4 weeks of exergame training (T3), after 8 weeks of exergame training (T4). Results: A single session of exercise training was able to improve participants’ SWM. Exercise intensity and cognitive engagement had different effects in college students’ SWM, higher exercise intensity significantly reduced SWM reaction time, while higher cognitive engagement significantly improved SWM accuracy. Conclusion: High cognitive engagement improved SWM accuracy, while high exercise intensity reduced reaction time. Exergame training with high cognitive engagement and high exercise intensity had the best effect on improving college students’ SWM.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant 24ATY008) and the Social Science Foundation of Liaoning Province (Grant No. L22CTY003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Education Department, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, P. R. China

    Chaoxin Ji

  2. Graduate School, Harbin Sport University, Harbin, 10242, P.R. China

    Chaoxin Ji

  3. Aviation Physical Education Department, Aviation University of Air Force, Changchun, 130022, China

    Jianqian Sun

  4. Winter Olympic School, Harbin Sport University, Harbin, 10242, P.R. China

    Lianzhong Cao

Authors
  1. Chaoxin Ji
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  2. Jianqian Sun
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  3. Lianzhong Cao
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by C.J., J.S. and L.C. The first draft of the manuscript was written by C.J. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lianzhong Cao.

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Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Northeastern University. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ji, C., Sun, J. & Cao, L. How do exergame training affect college students’ spatial working memory? The differential role of cognitive engagement and exercise intensity. Psychological Research 89, 127 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-025-02157-6

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