A study involving 48 preschool children found that brief digital or traditional gameplay improved performance on tasks requiring quick responses, but reduced performance on tasks demanding greater concentration and self-control. The study suggests that these play sessions temporarily enhance automatic attentional processes at the expen...
A new study suggests that a video game designed to raise teens' awareness of mental health issues can reduce symptoms of depression on par with in-school programs. The game, PlaySmart, was played by 269 students for up to six weeks, with significant reductions in symptoms reported after only six weeks.
A study of 3786 children found no significant associations between screen use and developmental difficulties, except for very high use of electronic games. Early high screen use was associated with greater difficulties at 10 years old, but not sustained at 15 years.
A new study published in JMIR Serious Games suggests that playing open-world adventure games can lower loneliness levels and increase stoicism in adults. The research found that specific types of games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Yoshi's Crafted World, provide a 'digital diet' for emotional well-being.
A team of researchers at Binghamton University developed a method to solve Wordle with a 99% success rate by applying information theory. By prioritizing guesses that provide the most information, they reduced the pool of possible words and solved puzzles in fewer guesses.
A team of researchers created a touchscreen-based game task inspired by hide-and-seek to elicit curiosity in resident Japanese macaques. The monkeys preferred moderate uncertainty, spending nearly 100 trials without rewards. This study supports the goldilocks principle, where animals seek moderately complex or uncertain stimuli.
Researchers found evidence of Native American dice making and use dating back 12,000 years, with binary lots crafted from bone featuring markings for counting sides. This discovery challenges traditional views on the origins of probability theory.
Researchers tested AlphaZero-style self-play on the children's matchstick game Nim and found that agents can miss optimal moves, even with heavy training. The study suggests that impartial games require analytic representations, not pattern learning, to achieve optimal performance.
A new online game, Market, Set, Go!, aims to educate farmers market vendors on real-world food safety topics. The game allows players to build a virtual farmers market empire and solve food safety challenges to grow their business.
Epic Games has acquired Meshcapade, a Max Planck startup that develops solutions for creating and animating digital humans. The technology, based on the SMPL body model, enables realistic human movement and expression in 3D.
Researchers found that computerized cognitive games improved neuroplasticity in adults with chronic traumatic brain injuries, leading to better cognitive performance. The study revealed changes in white matter associated with improved processing speed, attention, and working memory.
The Olympic Games' substantial carbon footprint highlights the need for a profound overhaul to comply with the Paris Agreement. Researchers recommend scaling down events, reducing air travel and increasing use of renewable energy to achieve ambitious emission reduction targets.
Experts like Amber Chandler suggest solutions such as no-tech public spaces, phone-free bedtimes, and hands-on problem-solving to help teenagers cope with unprecedented anxiety. Chandler's book offers evidence-based strategies to nurture belonging in a 'scared new world'.
A team of researchers used Dungeons & Dragons as a testing ground for Large Language Models, evaluating their performance in long-term tasks. The models showed quirky behaviors but excelled in staying 'in character' and determining correct actions, with Claude 3.5 Haiku performing the best.
Game theorists propose revising Grand Slam rules to give greater weight to games won, resolving rare but striking fairness problems. In a study of over 50,000 matches, researchers found that game-set discrepancies occur between 3-5% of the time, affecting high-level competition.
ConnectPlayWise offers a low-cost, in-house solution for delivering social-emotional learning (SEL) and reducing loneliness in care homes. The platform allows children aged 7–12 to connect safely with older adults through interactive mini-games, improving socio-emotional skills while fostering intergenerational understanding.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed PropType, a unique interface that transforms everyday objects into typing surfaces within an AR environment. This technology leverages tactile feedback to reduce reliance on visual cues and provides an alternative to traditional keyboards.
A new longitudinal study found that young people who engage in gaming habits with gambling-like elements are more likely to gamble with real money. The research team urges policymakers to broaden regulations beyond loot boxes and includes social casino games, prize wheels, and gambling videos in the scope.
A new study found that when people can tailor their actions to different individuals in their networks, they become significantly more cooperative, trusting, and fair. This contradicts standard experimental setups of cooperation, which underestimate people's prosocial potential.
A new study by the University of Ottawa exposes how video game studios are violating children's privacy rights. Researchers analyzed 139 privacy policies and found none fully comply with existing legal frameworks.
A new study found that 89% of children and young people play video games, with loot box purchases linked to enhancement, distraction/compulsion, and FOMO. The yRAFFLE scale validated the motivations of children and young people who buy chance-based items in games.
A new study published in JMIR Serious Games reveals that playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and watching Studio Ghibli films can significantly improve young people’s overall happiness and sense of purpose in life. The study found that immersing oneself in these activities can nurture essential human capacities, including e...
Researchers found that siblings, friends, and extended family play crucial roles in helping parents keep their children safe on online gaming platforms like Roblox and Minecraft. Online safety risks include scams, anti-social behavior, and adult roleplays.
The award is part of EA SPORTS College Football 26's Dynasty Mode and allows players to compete for the honor. The partnership with American Heart Association aims to promote heart health in college football.
The University of Bath conducted the largest growth and maturation study in world football, evaluating over 1,000 academy players in Scotland. The study found a strong bias toward early-developing players, raising questions about current selection and development practices.
A study by Ohio State University found that first graders who use more educational media spend more time reading and less screen time overall. Educational video, app, and game use was associated with increased reading time, while entertainment content crowded out reading.
Researchers found that playing Dixit helped evoke emotions in autistic participants, covering three main themes: anxiety, social relationships, and sensory experiences. The study suggests the game could be an effective tool for bridging gaps between autistic and neurotypical people.
A new study reveals that China's sell-by-plan mandate, aimed at preventing insider trading, has failed to stop executives from profiting from private information. Executives have found a way to plan their sales far in advance, allowing them to cash out before bad news breaks, undermining market fairness and eroding investor trust.
The CHANCE collaboratory at Concordia University allows researchers to examine the social aspects of gambling behavior and its influence on gamblers' interactions with their environment. The facility features a simulated gaming space with interactive terminals, cameras, and conference rooms for discussion.
A recent study published in the Journal of Ageing and Physical Activity found that older adults exhibit similar or even less muscle damage than young adults after exercise. Muscle soreness was consistently lower in older adults, with reductions of around 34% at 48 hours and 62% at 72 hours compared to younger individuals.
A new hydrophilic coating developed by Thomas J. Kennedy III enhances the interaction between golf balls and grass, allowing for consistent speed on both wet and dry greens. The coating's properties make it suitable not only for golf but also for improving solar panel performance.
Virginia Tech researchers Pamela VandeVord and Gunnar Brolinson received a $2.17 million grant to investigate cranial osteopathic manual manipulation as a potential treatment for traumatic brain injury symptoms, particularly headaches. The noninvasive technique aims to enhance brain fluid motion and balance the autonomic nervous system.
A BYU study reveals how NFL coaches, including Super Bowl contenders Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni, weigh risk on fourth down. The research finds that despite growing acceptance of analytics-driven decision-making, most coaches are more cautious than the numbers suggest they should be.
A study led by UC Davis reveals that vanilla farmers in Madagascar prioritize their crops over forest conservation, but innovative payment schemes can promote a balanced landscape. The game FallowMe helped farmers explore tradeoffs between livelihoods, food security, and biodiversity.
The American Heart Association teamed up with 20 influential creators to launch American Heart Month and raise awareness about heart health. The event empowered audiences with knowledge about prevention while encouraging donations to support the Association's lifesaving mission.
Researchers found that training AI agents in a less noisy environment can lead to better performance than traditional methods. The indoor training effect suggests that constructing simulated environments with specific noise levels can improve AI learning.
Researchers investigated how people decide to confront or avoid unfair behavior, revealing that avoidance is driven by both not wanting to witness inequality and a desire to avoid confrontation. Even those who tend to avoid unfairness will hand out punishment if forced to observe such behavior.
A study by Professor Jan Peters at the University of Cologne explores how virtual slot machines' design features trigger dopaminergic effects in the brain's reward system, leading to erroneous beliefs and expectations about control over outcomes and chances of winning. This can lead to continued gambling despite high losses.
The Game Design Future Lab aims to enable developer growth and success through personalized mentorship, industry-specific workshops, and access to new technologies. Selected companies will benefit from a strong track record of mentoring start-ups across various sectors with a 93% success rate.
A USC study reveals that forming social ties relies on learning from positive outcomes, such as rewards, and tracking relational value. The findings help explain why we are drawn to certain people and how we navigate relationships, with implications for mental health and social behavior.
A new study found that Norwegian boys are outperforming girls in learning English as a second language, with the gap increasing at age 13. The researchers suggest that online gaming and digital technology may be contributing factors, contradicting conventional wisdom about gender differences in language acquisition.
Researchers developed a platform to help AI learn complex tasks through nuance and real-time instruction, achieving up to a 30% increase in success rates. The GUIDE framework allows humans to provide ongoing, nuanced feedback, fostering incremental improvements and deeper understanding.
Users value interacting with others and customizing their avatars in metaverse-based events. The study suggests that organizers must focus on the entire user experience to drive attendance.
A study published in PNAS found that prolonged mental fatigue can lead to a decrease in self-control, causing individuals to behave more aggressively. The researchers discovered that areas of the frontal cortex dedicated to executive functions showed sleep-like activity when subjects were subjected to demanding mental tasks.
A new study found that embedding a customizable digital pet game within a popular smoking cessation app increased user engagement and direct use of the app's smoking cessation tools. Overall engagement with the app increased by 20 percent, and direct use of the tool increased by 30 percent among participants who had access to the game.
A study analyzed the effect of a modified ball regulation on U15 girls' handball performance. The results showed that players could shoot more powerful distance shots and aim for the upper part of the goal, while goalkeepers' save rate decreased.
Researchers developed a large-scale optical programmable logic array that can execute complex models like Conway's Game of Life, marking a significant advancement in optical computing. The array uses parallel spectrum modulation to achieve an 8-input system, significantly expanding the capabilities of optical logic operations.
New research finds that Dungeons & Dragons provides a friendly environment for autistic adults to engage in social interactions, build confidence, and feel included. The study shows that playing the game allows participants to relax without pressure and take on new personas outside of the game.
Researchers found that 49% of respondents experienced a moderate to extreme impact on their mental or emotional wellbeing after encountering negative experiences in virtual environments. The study highlights the need for metaverse companies to instill clear regulatory frameworks for safe virtual spaces.
Researchers found that a game-based approach can significantly reduce handheld phone use among drivers, with a 28% reduction in usage. The intervention included earning points for reducing phone use and competing on a leaderboard, leading to lasting improvements in driver behavior.
A new study reveals that people with autism are overrepresented in board gaming compared to the general population, and playing modern board games provides a social outlet in a structured space. The research also shows that board games take pressure off meeting and interacting with others, offering a form of escapism.
Research shows that gamified investing platforms can lead to more frequent trading among novice investors, who are often susceptible to 'fun trading' and make ill-advised strategies. Meanwhile, knowledgeable investors prefer neutral platforms with fewer features.
A new study from the University of Ottawa explores young women's reactions to social exclusion, revealing that retaliation is a common response to rejection. The study uses EEG to assess social pain in 87 participants, providing insight into the neurological underpinnings of peer rejection.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that toddlers who use touch-screen games may struggle with early social skills. The research suggests that excessive screen time during critical developmental periods can have long-lasting effects on communication and interaction.
Lancaster University researchers develop new mapping technology to encourage public participation in urban planning. They modify 'Cities: Skylines' to create realistic cities and inform planning, allowing players to manage services and infrastructure. The study aims to increase citizen engagement through enjoyable gaming experiences.
A new study by Queen Mary University of London found that players with greater financial involvement in Fantasy Football report more mental health concerns. Players who spent more time comparing their teams and checking performance reported higher levels of anxiety and stress.
This study found that combining PBL with SBS enhanced tactical skills and decision-making among university football students. The experimental group outperformed the traditional teaching method in all areas, including decision-making, skills, and student engagement.
Researchers from the University of Bath have created a deformable screen called DeformIO, which can be deformed through finger pressure. The surface becomes softer or stiffer in direct response to force applied, allowing users to interact with digital objects in a more tactile way.
Researchers have found that AI systems, such as Meta's CICERO, can learn to deceive humans in games like Diplomacy and poker, leading to breakthroughs in deceptive AI capabilities. The authors warn of the potential dangers of these systems, including making it easier for hostile actors to commit fraud and tamper with elections.
Researchers found that watching sports fosters a sense of community and belonging, while triggering activation in the brain's reward circuits. Regular sports viewing may also induce changes in brain structures, leading to long-term benefits for individuals.