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gaming

This shows a representation of an open world video game with an NPC and a mountain.

·December 18, 2024·4 min read

Open-World Video Games Boost Relaxation and Mental Well-Being

Open-world video games can significantly improve relaxation and mental health, especially for postgraduate students. These games, offering expansive environments and player autonomy, provide a form of cognitive escapism that helps reduce stress and enhance mood.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 10, 2024·6 min read

Brain Markers Reveal Teens at Risk for Gaming Addiction

New research reveals brain activity patterns that may predict gaming addiction in teens. A study of adolescents aged 10-15 found reduced activity in brain regions linked to decision-making and reward processing in those developing gaming addiction symptoms over four years.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 20, 2024·5 min read

Leveling Up: How Gaming Boosts Decision Making and Cooperation

A new study reveals that multiplayer online gaming can enhance workplace skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. Researchers found that gamers with years of experience apply their in-game behaviors to professional settings, developing patience, self-confidence, and coaching abilities.

This shows two brains, a gaming controller and running shoes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 19, 2024·5 min read

Video Games Boost Cognition, Exercise Improves Mental Health

A large-scale study has found that playing video games boosts cognitive abilities, but has no impact on mental health, while exercise improves mental well-being without affecting cognition. Over 1,000 participants completed cognitive tests after playing video games and completing a lifestyle survey.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 28, 2024·4 min read

Biosignals Boost Social Presence in Online Interactions

Researchers have discovered that sharing real-time biosignals, such as heart rate, during online interactions can increase the sense of social presence. In a study, participants playing video games with strangers reported feeling closer when they could see their opponent's heart rate and face.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 27, 2024·5 min read

Video Games Can Boost Mood in Just 15 Minutes

A new study found that playing video games can improve players’ moods within 15 minutes of gameplay. Researchers analyzed data from over 39 countries, showing that nearly three-quarters of players experienced a positive mood shift during gameplay.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 17, 2024·6 min read

Violent Video Games Do Not Diminish Empathy

A recent study challenges the notion that violent video games diminish empathy.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·January 16, 2024·5 min read

Loud Play, Silent Risk: Video Gaming’s Link to Hearing Loss

A systematic review indicates a potential risk of irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus among video gamers due to high sound levels. The study, encompassing over 50,000 individuals, found that sound levels in gaming often near or exceed safe limits.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 24, 2023·5 min read

Brain Power in Teamwork: Unveiling Cooperation Through EEG and Pacman

A new study examines cooperative behavior through the classic game Pacman. The experiment involved two players guiding Pacman collaboratively, with one player seeing the maze path and communicating directions indirectly.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 20, 2023·6 min read

Gaming Our Morality: How Our Moral Compass Shifts When We Play Video Games

Researchers used a narrative video game, The Great Fire, to explore how players navigate ethical dilemmas. The team found that while players mostly ignore the game's morality meter for clear-cut moral decisions, they rely on it when choices are morally ambiguous.

This is a cartoon of a young man using a cell phone to access social media.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 10, 2023·6 min read

Game On: Online Gaming Networks’ Influence on Mental Health & Social Connections

Researchers investigated the role of online gaming in social connectivity and mental health. The findings suggest that online gaming can foster a sense of community and social support, especially for those lacking real-life support. However, individuals with depressive symptoms showed a decrease in communication over time, highlighting the need for additional support systems within these digital communities.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 1, 2023·4 min read

Cracking the Code of VR Sickness: Why Some Experience Motion Sickness While Gaming and Others Don’t

The way our senses adjust while playing virtual reality (VR) games affects the severity of cybersickness experienced. Researchers measured how participants perceived the orientation of vertical lines before and after playing two VR games, one high-intensity, and one low-intensity. They found that those who experienced less sickness were more likely to have the largest change in the subjective visual vertical following exposure to VR. The findings could be useful for VR designers and developers in creating more comfortable and enjoyable experiences.