About this Event
Participants explore the psychology behind the allure of quests, missions, and objectives in video game design. These elements serve as fundamental pillars, driving player engagement by rewarding progress and accomplishment. But the intrigue doesn’t stop there. Game and platform developers have elevated these principles to a meta level through achievements, trophies, badges, and similar awards, spanning entire games or even multiple games on a single device. As participants move deeper into the underlying psychological mechanisms that make these tools so effective at sustaining player engagement, even when the enjoyment wanes. From the thrill of progress tracking to the dopamine rush of unlocking rewards, we unravel the intricate web of psychological factors that keep players invested in their gaming experiences. Join us as we embark on a journey through the fascinating intersection of game design and human behavior, shedding light on the secrets behind enduring player motivation.
Disability Accommodations
It is the responsibility of the Individual to contact Geek Therapeutics to request disability accommodations at Hello@geektherapeutics.com.
Geek Therapeutics is committed to helping each student reach his/her academic potential and to providing every student equal opportunity to participate in and engage with the course. In keeping with this commitment, effort has been made to develop accessible learning materials that provide equal access. Please contact Geek Therapeutics immediately if access to course materials is restricted due to a disability so the issue(s) can be resolved in a timely manner.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the behavioral systems that keep clients engaged in problematic gaming populations.
- Assess reward systems and framing of objectives to approach games and similar activities in problematic gaming populations.
- Identify the systems, psychology, and game mechanics at play when a player feels like they can’t put a game down to reduce the behavioral difficulties in clinical practice.
Course Instructor:
Jamie Madigan, Ph.D. has become an expert on the psychology of video games and seeks to popularize understanding of how various aspects of psychology can be used to understand why games are made how they are and why their players behave as they do. Madigan has written extensively on the subject for various magazines, websites, blogs. He also writes and podcasts at his own site at www.psychologyofgames.com and is the author of the book Getting Gamers: The Psychology of Video Games and Their Impact on the People Who Play Them.
Dr. Madigan has also consulted with game development companies and talked at conferences about how game developers can incorporate psychology principles into game design and how players can understand how it affects their play. Finally, he has appeared as an expert on the psychology of video games in dozens of print, radio, and web outlets such as The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, BBC Radio 5, the BBC, The Guardian, and more. He is a lifelong gamer.
Continuing Education Credits:
Psychologists: Geek Therapeutics is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Geek Therapeutics maintains responsibility for this program and its content
Counselors: Geek Therapeutics has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7042. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Geek Therapeutics is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Social Workers: Geek Therapeutics, #1769, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Geek Therapeutics maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 05/19/2022 – 05/19/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credits.
Play Therapists: Geek Therapeutics has been approved by APT as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, No. 21-649. Programs that do not qualify for APT credit are clearly identified. Geek Therapeutics is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Other Professions: This activity qualifies for the specified number of hours of instructional content as required by many licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your course outline and certificate of completion, and contact your board or organization for specific requirements. Completion of the course(s) with a post-test score of 80% or better is required to receive continuing education credit; there is no partial credit.
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