Podcast 37: Cognitive Psychology and User Experiences

Podcast 37: Cognitive Psychology and User Experiences

Author: Jamie Madigan July 2, 2018 Duration: 1:14:19
Psychology of Video Games Podcast
LeisureGamesVideo Games
Basic psychological phenomena like memory, perception, and emotions have huge implications for the design of products or experiences, from nutritional labels to phone apps to voting registration forms to video games. And people who study those kinds of user experiences need to be aware of some of the very basic ways that squishy human brains can be expected to operate as they set out to test and measure how people interact with their products and make sense of their media. If they don't take those things into account, they lose one of their most important guideposts to improving user experiences and helping the designers or directors of the world execute on their visions.

These are the kinds of things I'll be talking about with this episode's guest expert, Dr. Celia Hodent. We will also talk about the challenges and pleasures of being a user experience consultant, and we'll even talk a little about the runaway success of Fortnite: Battle Royale.

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

Official website RSS
spotifyapple_musicpatreon
Psychology of Video Games Podcast
Podcast Episodes
019 - Habit Forming Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:35
Habits --behaviors we do without thinking about them-- are very powerful forces in our lives. And many products like mobile games are designed specifically to create and maintain habits. In this episode I talk to Nir Eya…
018 - Biofeedback and Video Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:06
I talk to Lennart Nacke from the University of Waterloo about the research he has done around psychophysiology --the physiological basis of psychological phenomena. We discuss how various physiological processes like bre…
017 - Psychology and the Gamification of Learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:34
In this episode I talk with Karl Kapp about what video gams have in common with effective classrooms, training, or other learning environments and why an over reliance on "points, badges, and leaderboards" isn't a good i…
016 - Online Relationships and Friendships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:40
In this episode I talk with Rachel Kowert about friendships and other relationships formed in online games. Can these kinds of friendships substitute for offline relationships? Are they better or worse in some ways?About…
015: Simulation Sickness and Virtual Reality Game Design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:02
In this episode I talk with Ben Lewis Evans, a psychologist and UX researcher at Epic Games, about simulation sickness and virtual reality. We talk about what causes it and what limitations hardware and game designers ha…
014: Why Do YOU Play Games? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:50
Hey. I've got a question for you: Why do you play games?That's going to be the topic of discussion in this episode of the podcast, with my guest Dr. Nick Yee from Quantic Foundry. He's going to share some research that h…
013 - Stress, Games, and Recovery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
Ever used video games to blow off some steam and recover from a hard day at work or school? Psychologists who study stress and how we recover from it have noted that certain activities are better than others for helping…
012 - Video Game violence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:08
Does controlling or experiencing violence in video games cause violence, aggression, or other acts of malice outside of the game? This is the main question that I discuss with my guest this episode, Christopher J. Fergus…
011 - How do video games affect our physical and mental health? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:59
I admit it: I'm turning into my parents. When I was a kid I played a lot of games, and they had concerns about how it was affecting my physical and mental health. My mom and dad thought it would wreck my attention span,…
010 - Can Games Make You Smarter? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:37
In this episode I talk to Dr. C. Shawn Green about whether or not video games can make us smarter or improve certain mental and perceptual skills. And not just those brain training games --we're talking about mainstream…

«1...5678910»