BBC Inside Science Why do we love to play games?
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Nov 3, 2025 Gilly Forrester, a professor of evolutionary psychology, shares insights on why play is crucial for learning and social bonding, revealing surprising similarities in problem-solving between humans and chimpanzees. Dr. Katie Steckles, a mathematician, explains game theory and how it can optimize strategies, including the fascinating dynamics of the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Jaz Singh, a former contestant on The Traitors, delves into the intense psychological gameplay experience, discussing deception and strategy in high-stakes environments.
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Play As Evolutionary Practice
- Play evolved because it lets social species practise real-world skills safely.
- Gilly Forrester says play builds cognitive and resource-related abilities for future survival.
Games Reveal Different Thinking Modes
- Different games test different cognitive skills: perfect information, probability, and social reasoning.
- Katie Steckles points out AI excels at rule-based games but struggles predicting human motives.
Inside The Traitors: Constant Vigilance
- Jaz Singh describes constant vigilance, listening and watching as keys to being an effective Faithful.
- He says living inside The Traitors required adapting game plans and reading relationships 24/7.