Can I become a better player by watching others play?

[physics user1]

So I put this question in this category because i think it might be too much on the medical/neurological side than on the general discussion , if i did a mistake sorry

The question can be made in another way: do i create links between my neurons in my brain that i can use as i watch pros while they play?

I'm talking more specifically about call of duty, i watch lots of you tube videos made by a pro while he plays, and I am wondering if its helping me in an unconscious way
maybe by watching how he does in a situation it might make me instinctively react like him when i get in the same situation, can this be possible? How? Is it possible to speed the improvement this way? Two subjects, one improves on his own without watching videos and one watches them, they both have same potential and start from the same point, does the one that wtches videos improve faster?

Here a video, he is really good, i enjoy watching his videos:



Also a question related, he's got really good reaction time, do i improve mine too watching his videos?

I know it might sound like stupid questions but I am actually curious, thanks in advance

 

[cosmik debris]

Do a search on Mirror Neurons. I'm not sure on the current status of these ideas but they were popular some years ago. The idea is that these mirror neurons can be trained by visualisation and give a sense of empathy while watching someone perform an action.

Cheers

 

[russ_watters]

I'm talking more specifically about call of duty, i watch lots of you tube videos made by a pro while he plays, and I am wondering if its helping me in an unconscious way...

The general answer is yes, but it is difficult with video games because you don't see the player playing, you only see his avatar. So you don't actually know what he's doing. Fortunately the options are limited to the controller movements, but it is still not as instructive as watching someone play golf, for example.

...and it also is conscious, not unconscious.

Also a question related, he's got really good reaction time, do i improve mine too watching his videos?

No, (again except insofar as you can learn it consciously). Pure reaction time is physiological and while it can be trained it can't be learned by watching videos.