In this episode, I talk with an expert on how video games elicit nostalgia and what it means for players and consumers. Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 ..read more

What do research and theory say about how our avatars in video games and virtual reality may shape our behaviors --and how they don't? Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 ..read more

In this episode I talk with an expert on diagnosing and treating ADHD in children. We'll talk about the challenges video games present to people with ADHD and some strategies for dealing with problems it may present. Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 "Bumbly March" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 ..read more

In-game purchases are a staple of modern game design, especially in the free-to-play and live service categories. This isn't necessarily bad as a business model, but there are some psychological effects that these games either intentionally or accidentally employ that may make us spend more than we intend to. Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 ..read more

Sometimes we have to sell people on the merits of games like Dungeons & Dragons. People like parents, principals, teachers, or even our own significant others Usually this comes in the form of telling them all the great benefits playing brings --learning math, reading, communication, teamwork, social skills, and more. D&D is also often specifically praised for its ability to help neurodivergent people develop needed skills, or to provide "therapeutic" experiences for anyone. But can it? Does it? If so, what can game masters and other players do to make it happen? Audio Credits: “Rob ..read more

Is technology or game design more important for determining whether we feel immersed and present in the world of a video game? What kinds of things will make us forget about the screen between us and that world, the controller in our hands, and the other things around us so that we start to feel like we're actually inhabiting the virtual world of the game? Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 ..read more

What do psychologists and games researchers have to say about the idea of role-playing, when you pretend to take on another person's persona, point of view, thoughts, and state of mind? What effects can role-playing games have on us? Tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons feature this as a central part of the experience, and some video games also ask you to do it. Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 "Heroic Age" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licen ..read more

What can the psychology of loot drops tell us about the evolution of the Diablo series? Audio Credits: “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 ..read more

In this episode, I'm flying solo and doing a deep dive into what one theory has to say about why we're motivated to play video games, with an emphasis on grinding in particular ..read more

There's a growing trend among therapists who bring people together --often children, but sometimes adults-- to play Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games in a therapeutic context. Run by game masters who are qualified mental health professionals, these sessions help people dealing with ADHD, autism, learning disorders, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many other diagnoses. Using their expertise both in the game and in providing therapy, these dungeon masters set goals, guide players into encounters that help them reach those goals, and then pause so that t ..read more