Psychology of Games Book Update: Call for Info
I’m almost done with my book, but I need your help if you’re interested in covering it for your publication, providing pre-release comments, or using it in your classroom.
Frustration vs. Video Game Violence in Real-Life Aggression
Does violent content in video games cause violence in real-life? Or might something more mundane like frustration over controls and difficulty offer an alternative explanation?
When Marketing to Gamers Backfires
Products frequently try to appeal to group membership when marketing to gamers, but a new study shows when this “you’re not a real gamer if you don’t buy this” approach is likely to backfire.
Thomas’s Dark Soul Is Alone
What do Dark Souls and Thomas Was Alone have in common with a cartoon from 1944? They all illustrate how we’re biased to fill in story gaps based on our own experiences and beliefs.
The Psychology of Video Games: The Book Is Coming!
Have you ever wanted to read about this stuff in book format? Good news!
Why We Love Ellie From The Last of Us
Why do we feel like we have a real relationship and feelings for characters like Ellie in The Last of Us? The psychology behind parasocial relationships explains why video games are better at this than any other medium.
You Can Cheat, But Don’t Be a Cheater
My wife was once highly offended by a cartoon mole, and the story highlights how a simple attack on self-concept can reduce the frequency and severity of cheating in video games.
Twitching and Choking: The Audience Effect in Games
Between Twitch and YouTube, many people are now gaming for an audience. What effect does this have on performance? It depends on the audience and the game.
Fake Feels and Free Passes
The story of one very scary bridge may explain why Game of the Year discussions ignore the flaws in games like The Last of Us.
50-Something Gaming Academics on Twitter
Here’s a list of 50+ academics on Twitter who study or write about the overlap between video games and fields like psychology, communications, sociology, law, and more. Find someone new to follow!
The Psychology of Video Game Avatars
Are you more dominant, kind, assertive, clever, or flirty depending on how your character appears in-game? Both new and old research has shown that the avatars we adopt can influence our behaviors not only inside the game, but outside as well.