Ludology GameTek 205.5 - Research Triple Play
Aug 4, 2019
Delve into the intriguing world of psychological momentum in sports, examining how significant defensive plays shape game dynamics. Discover how our brains react to thoughts of punishing rule-breakers, with fascinating insights from neuroimaging studies. Lastly, explore the Prisoner's Dilemma and how its framing can dramatically alter player decisions and strategies, shedding light on the complex interplay between psychology and game design.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
No Psychological Momentum in Football
- Psychological momentum in sports like American football likely doesn't exist as many assume.
- Big defensive plays don't statistically affect subsequent drive outcomes.
Brain Finds Punishment Rewarding
- Punishing others activates the brain's reward center when it costs others but not when symbolic or against a computer.
- The prefrontal cortex moderates punishment decisions when punishing also costs the punisher something.
Framing Alters Player Decisions
- Framing identical games as "Wall Street" versus "Community" strongly influences players' likelihood to betray or cooperate.
- Game designers must carefully consider theme and terminology to guide player behavior.