Podcast 33: Executive Skill Transference and Play Diets

Podcast 33: Executive Skill Transference and Play Diets

Author: Jamie Madigan January 16, 2018 Duration: 1:02:36
Psychology of Video Games Podcast
LeisureGamesVideo Games
Modern video games are complicated and require a lot of learning, problem solving, memory, planning, and other things that psychologists might identify as executive functions of the brain. There's a lot going on between our ears whenever we play.

And wouldn't it be great if some of those mental gymnastics helped us with dealing with more mundane but probably more important tasks outside of games. Stuff like school, work, and interacting with other people? Can you connect game-based learning and practice of these skills with "real life" skills? Might this be especially useful for certain people, like kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or who are on the autism spectrum? But even if so, can parents and other caregivers go too far and neglect other types of play that are also important?

These are the types of questions that I'm going to talk about with this episode's guest expert, Dr. Randy Kulman of Learningworksforkids.com.

Ever wonder why a particular game mechanic feels so satisfying or why you keep returning to a certain virtual world? Psychology of Video Games Podcast digs into those exact questions, moving beyond simple reviews to explore the mental machinery behind our play. Hosted by psychologist Jamie Madigan, each episode applies research and theory to understand our experiences with games. You’ll hear discussions on how developers use principles of motivation and learning to craft compelling systems, and what our behavior-from cooperation to rage-quitting-reveals about our minds. This isn’t about finding the next game to play; it’s about understanding the ones you already love on a deeper level. The podcast unpacks the subtle psychological hooks in design, the social dynamics of online worlds, and the cognitive reasons behind our emotional responses. Whether you’re a dedicated gamer or simply curious about human behavior, these conversations offer a unique lens on a popular pastime. Tune in for a thoughtful analysis that connects the dots between academic psychology and the everyday realities of playing video games.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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Psychology of Video Games Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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Welcome to part two of this two part miniseries on Psychology of Games summer reading. In this episode I talk with author and consultant Nir Eyal about how to use psychology and other methods to avoid being distracted by…
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