There is a growing body of scientific literature about video games. Not how their made, but how they impact our brains and our lives. Researchers are looking at questions like: do violent video games make us more violent in real life? Can games be addictive? Or, how much time sitting in front of the screen is really good for us?
Our guest in this episode, psychology professor Pete Etchells, has taken an in-depth look at the research around video games in his new book, “Lost In a Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do for Us.” We talked about some common concerns parents, in particular, have about so-called screen time. The positive impact video games can have on our lives, including a touching personal story of Pete’s.
And we spent a good deal of time talking about the common pitfalls of psychology research, which not only affect the study of video games, but literally every other sub-discipline of psychology.
Links:
Pete’s website: https://www.peteetchells.com/