Features of mental activity of students – esport players

The study of the peculiarities of thinking of young people professionally engaged in computer gaming activity is a new and little-studied topic in cognitive psychology. The article presents the results of empirical research of peculiarities of thinking of students-e-sport players and students engaged in computer gaming activities or amateur players. The sample consisted of students-eSports players and students who are not engaged in eSports aged 17 to 20 years. Such techniques were applied: «Intelligence structure test» by Amthauer, R. (IST), «Test of critical thinking» by Starkey, L., the technique «Thinking style» by Belousova, A. K., «Brief indicative test (BIT)» by Busin, V.N., Vanderlik, E.F. The article presents data proving the fact that students who spend more than four hours a day playing computer games have a relatively lower level of logical and critical thinking than students who do not play computer games. The results demonstrate statistical connections between the indicators of gaming activity and the peculiarities of thinking. The factors influencing the low level of formation of logical and critical thinking among students-eSports players are discussed.