Coevolution of strategy-selection time scale and cooperation in spatial prisoner's dilemma game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Zhihai; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Chen, Guanrong

2013-06-01

In this paper, we investigate a networked prisoner's dilemma game where individuals' strategy-selection time scale evolves based on their historical learning information. We show that the more times the current strategy of an individual is learnt by his neighbors, the longer time he will stick on the successful behavior by adaptively adjusting the lifetime of the adopted strategy. Through characterizing the extent of success of the individuals with normalized payoffs, we show that properly using the learned information can form a positive feedback mechanism between cooperative behavior and its lifetime, which can boost cooperation on square lattices and scale-free networks.

On the rationality of cycling in the Theory of Moves framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Jolie; Sen, Sandip

2014-04-01

Theory of Moves (TOM) is a novel approach to game theory for determining rational strategies during the play of dynamic games [Brams, S J. (1994). Theory of moves. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press]. While alternate models such as normal form games exist, players of these games are limited to single shot interactions with each other, but within TOM, sequences of moves and counter moves are allowed. As a consequence of this framework potential cyclic behaviour may arise. Unfortunately, standard TOM framework suggests that players do not move from the initial state if the possibility of cyclic behaviour is detected. However, in a plethora of real life scenarios, cycling can benefit a player over time. We first extend the TOM framework by allowing players to choose how much time to stay in each state while specifying time limits for moves. This generalisation allows for cycling behaviour in addition to normal, acyclic TOM play. We present additional rationality rules to handle the choice of move time and cyclic play and identify conditions for the existence of solutions that involve cycles. Moreover, if solutions do exist, equilibrium are determined so a player can predict the rational outcome upon engaging a cycle. A variety of time constraints on move times are investigated and the effects of these contrasts on the solution space and equilibrium are analysed.

Evil games.

PubMed

Chambers, David W

2010-01-01

A defining characteristic of humans is our capacity to create a better world through mutual action. Traditional ethics attempts to define and impose the one or several things we should all want. The alternative argued here is that we can retain our individual definitions of what matters and still work together for mutual improvement. Agreeing on common ethical principles is not a precondition for an effective moral life. This approach to morality is based on game theory, which holds that in purposely social interactions: (a) there are basic understandings, (b) individuals pursue their own interests, (c) we can judge others' interests, and (d) the distribution of benefits and burdens depends on the joint action of individuals, not on the action of individuals in isolation. In this view, immorality becomes a matter of cheating in the game of life. The three primary forms of cheating are deception (misleading others into thinking they are playing a game other than the one that is to their advantage to play), coercion (blocking courses of action others would normally be entitled to), and reneging (playing the game and then dodging the payoff if one does not like the outcome). These three evils are illustrated by Shakespeare's plays Othello, Richard III, and Antony and Cleopatra.

An Investigation of Partizan Misere Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Meghan Rose

2010-08-01

Combinatorial games are played under two different play conventions: normal play, where the last player to move wins, and mis play, where the last player to move loses. Combinatorial games are also classified into impartial positions and partizan positions, where a position is impartial if both players have the same available moves and partizan otherwise. Mis play games lack many of the useful calculational and theoretical properties of normal play games. Until Plambeck's indistinguishability quotient and mis monoid theory were developed in 2004, research on mis play games had stalled. This thesis investigates partizan combinatorial mis play games, by taking Plambeck's indistinguishability and mis monoid theory for impartial positions and extending it to partizan ones, as well as examining the difficulties in constructing a category of mis play games in a similar manner to Joyal's category of normal play games. This thesis succeeds in finding an infinite set of positions which each have finite mis monoid, examining conditions on positions for when * + * is equivalent to 0, finding a set of positions which have Tweedledum-Tweedledee type strategy, and the two most important results of this thesis: giving necessary and sufficient conditions on a set of positions Upsilon such that the mis monoid of Upsilon is the same as the mis monoid of * and giving a construction theorem which builds all positions ξ such that the mis monoid of ξ is the same as the mis monoid of *.

A brief report on the relationship between self-control, video game addiction and academic achievement in normal and ADHD students.

PubMed

Haghbin, Maryam; Shaterian, Fatemeh; Hosseinzadeh, Davood; Griffiths, Mark D

2013-12-01

Over the last two decades, research into video game addiction has grown increasingly. The present research aimed to examine the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, and academic achievement of normal and ADHD high school students. Based on previous research it was hypothesized that (i) there would be a relationship between video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement (ii) video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement would differ between male and female students, and (iii) the relationship between video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement would differ between normal students and ADHD students. The research population comprised first grade high school students of Khomeini-Shahr (a city in the central part of Iran). From this population, a sample group of 339 students participated in the study. The survey included the Game Addiction Scale (Lemmens, Valkenburg & Peter, 2009), the Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister & Boone, 2004) and the ADHD Diagnostic checklist (Kessler et al., 2007). In addition to questions relating to basic demographic information, students' Grade Point Average (GPA) for two terms was used for measuring their academic achievement. These hypotheses were examined using a regression analysis. Among Iranian students, the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, and academic achievement differed between male and female students. However, the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, academic achievement, and type of student was not statistically significant. Although the results cannot demonstrate a causal relationship between video game use, video game addiction, and academic achievement, they suggest that high involvement in playing video games leaves less time for engaging in academic work.

Alliances in "The Hunger Games"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Painter, Judith

2012-01-01

This lesson plan is based on "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Characters in "The Hunger Games" form alliances both inside and outside the arena. Katniss and Gale form alliances within District 12. Katniss, Peeta, and the other tributes form alliances for a variety of reasons during the Games. An alliance means that "someone's got your back"…

Brain training for silver gamers: effects of age and game form on effectiveness, efficiency, self-assessment, and gameplay experience.

PubMed

Nacke, Lennart E; Nacke, Anne; Lindley, Craig A

2009-10-01

In recent years, an aging demographic majority in the Western world has come to the attention of the game industry. The recently released "brain-training" games target this population, and research investigating gameplay experience of the elderly using this game form is lacking. This study employs a 2 x 2 mixed factorial design (age group: young and old x game form: paper and Nintendo DS) to investigate effects of age and game form on usability, self-assessment, and gameplay experience in a supervised field study. Effectiveness was evaluated in task completion time, efficiency as error rate, together with self-assessment measures (arousal, pleasure, dominance) and game experience (challenge, flow, competence, tension, positive and negative affect). Results indicate players, regardless of age, are more effective and efficient using pen-and-paper than using a Nintendo DS console. However, the game is more arousing and induces a heightened sense of flow in digital form for gamers of all ages. Logic problem-solving challenges within digital games may be associated with positive feelings for the elderly but with negative feelings for the young. Thus, digital logic-training games may provide positive gameplay experience for an aging Western civilization.

Product placement of computer games in cyberspace.

PubMed

Yang, Heng-Li; Wang, Cheng-Shu

2008-08-01

Computer games are considered an emerging media and are even regarded as an advertising channel. By a three-phase experiment, this study investigated the advertising effectiveness of computer games for different product placement forms, product types, and their combinations. As the statistical results revealed, computer games are appropriate for placement advertising. Additionally, different product types and placement forms produced different advertising effectiveness. Optimum combinations of product types and placement forms existed. An advertisement design model is proposed for use in game design environments. Some suggestions are given for advertisers and game companies respectively.

Transfer of conflict and cooperation from experienced games to new games: a connectionist model of learning

PubMed Central

Spiliopoulos, Leonidas

2015-01-01

The question of whether, and if so how, learning can be transfered from previously experienced games to novel games has recently attracted the attention of the experimental game theory literature. Existing research presumes that learning operates over actions, beliefs or decision rules. This study instead uses a connectionist approach that learns a direct mapping from game payoffs to a probability distribution over own actions. Learning is operationalized as a backpropagation rule that adjusts the weights of feedforward neural networks in the direction of increasing the probability of an agent playing a myopic best response to the last game played. One advantage of this approach is that it expands the scope of the model to any possible n × n normal-form game allowing for a comprehensive model of transfer of learning. Agents are exposed to games drawn from one of seven classes of games with significantly different strategic characteristics and then forced to play games from previously unseen classes. I find significant transfer of learning, i.e., behavior that is path-dependent, or conditional on the previously seen games. Cooperation is more pronounced in new games when agents are previously exposed to games where the incentive to cooperate is stronger than the incentive to compete, i.e., when individual incentives are aligned. Prior exposure to Prisoner's dilemma, zero-sum and discoordination games led to a significant decrease in realized payoffs for all the game classes under investigation. A distinction is made between superficial and deep transfer of learning both—the former is driven by superficial payoff similarities between games, the latter by differences in the incentive structures or strategic implications of the games. I examine whether agents learn to play the Nash equilibria of games, how they select amongst multiple equilibria, and whether they transfer Nash equilibrium behavior to unseen games. Sufficient exposure to a strategically heterogeneous set of games is found to be a necessary condition for deep learning (and transfer) across game classes. Paradoxically, superficial transfer of learning is shown to lead to better outcomes than deep transfer for a wide range of game classes. The simulation results corroborate important experimental findings with human subjects, and make several novel predictions that can be tested experimentally. PMID:25873855

Muscle activation behavior in a swimming exergame: Differences by experience and gaming velocity.

PubMed

Soltani, Pooya; Figueiredo, Pedro; Fernandes, Ricardo J; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo

2017-11-01

The effects of playing intensity and prior exergame and sport experience on the activation patterns of upper limb muscles during a swimming exergame were investigated. Surface electromyography of Biceps Brachii, Triceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, Upper Trapezius, and Erector Spinae of twenty participants was recorded, and the game play was divided into normal and fast. Mean muscle activation, normalized to maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), ranged from 4.9 to 95.2%MVIC and differed between normal and fast swimming for all techniques (p<0.05), except for Latissimus Dorsi during backstroke. After normalizing the %MVIC to playing velocity, selective behaviors were observed between muscles which were sufficient for pragmatic game play. Moreover, prior exergame and real sport experience did not have any effect on the muscle activation changes between normal and fast swimming. These behaviors are likely to happen when players understand the game mechanics, even after a short exposure. Such evaluation might help in adjusting the physical demands of sport exergames, for safe and meaningful experiences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exotropia

MedlinePlus

... too much television or playing too many video games make exotropia worse? Or can video games help? Normal visual activities have no effect on ... time their children spend watching TV, playing video games, and sitting at their computers. What is sensory ...

"Yes! We Are Playing a Game, and It's Going to Be Fun!"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Kelly

2012-01-01

Games are for playing, more often than not playing a game is a social experience, it is fun, and we all enjoy playing games. Play and playing are ways in which we learn, so how often are games part of the normal activity of the mathematics classroom? The answer, in most cases, has to be--not often. Is it that games just don't seem to fulfil the…

Correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of problematic game use in a national wide sample of Korean adults.

PubMed

Park, Subin; Jeon, Hong Jin; Son, Jung Woo; Kim, Haesoo; Hong, Jin Pyo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of problematic game use in a nationally representative sample of Korean adults. Of the 6022 subjects who participated in the 2011 Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study and completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1, 1397 game users were evaluated for problematic game use using 9-item DSM-5 proposed criteria for Internet gaming disorder. Respondents who responded "yes" to five or more of the nine DSM-5 criteria were considered as problematic game users and the reminders were considered as normal game users. 4.0% (56/1397) of game users were classified as a problematic game user. Problematic game users were more likely to be in younger age group and live in urban area compared with normal game user. Problematic game use was positively associated with several psychiatric disorders including nicotine use disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, but not associated with alcohol use disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, after adjusting for age, sex, and residential area. Problematic game use was significantly and positively associated with suicide plans, after controlling for psychiatric disorders as well as socio-demographic factors. Problematic game use is relatively prevalent in Korean adult population and highly comorbid with other psychiatric disorders and suicidality. Therefore, preventive strategy for problematic game use is needed for game users who were more likely to be addicted such as young adults in urban area, and mental health screening and appropriate treatment are needed for individuals with problematic game use.

Hypergame theory applied to cyber attack and defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

House, James Thomas; Cybenko, George

2010-04-01

This work concerns cyber attack and defense in the context of game theory--specifically hypergame theory. Hypergame theory extends classical game theory with the ability to deal with differences in players' expertise, differences in their understanding of game rules, misperceptions, and so forth. Each of these different sub-scenarios, or subgames, is associated with a probability--representing the likelihood that the given subgame is truly "in play" at a given moment. In order to form an optimal attack or defense policy, these probabilities must be learned if they're not known a-priori. We present hidden Markov model and maximum entropy approaches for accurately learning these probabilities through multiple iterations of both normal and modified game play. We also give a widely-applicable approach for the analysis of cases where an opponent is aware that he is being studied, and intentionally plays to spoil the process of learning and thereby obfuscate his attributes. These are considered in the context of a generic, abstract cyber attack example. We demonstrate that machine learning efficacy can be heavily dependent on the goals and styles of participant behavior. To this end detailed simulation results under various combinations of attacker and defender behaviors are presented and analyzed.

Local regularity for time-dependent tug-of-war games with varying probabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parviainen, Mikko; Ruosteenoja, Eero

2016-07-01

We study local regularity properties of value functions of time-dependent tug-of-war games. For games with constant probabilities we get local Lipschitz continuity. For more general games with probabilities depending on space and time we obtain Hölder and Harnack estimates. The games have a connection to the normalized p (x , t)-parabolic equation ut = Δu + (p (x , t) - 2) Δ∞N u.

Stochastic Game Approach to Guidance Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-09

maneuverable aircraft, which can employ also electronic counter measures, is formulated as an imper- fect information zero-sum pursuit-evasion game played...on Differential Game Applications [36]. However, some other examples which included " electronic jinking", indicated that in an ECM environment a mixed...radius, b) missile/target maneuver ratio, c) nonlinear maneuver similarity parameter (aE T2 max d) normalized end- game duration, e ) ini’tial end- game

Examination Outcomes Following Use of Card Games for Learning Radiographic Image Quality in Veterinary Medicine.

PubMed

Ober, Christopher P

Understanding the concepts of radiographic image quality and artifact formation can be difficult for veterinary students. Two educational card games were previously developed to help students learn about factors affecting contrast and blackness as well as radiographic artifacts. Second-year veterinary students played one of the two card games as a part of their normal studies for their veterinary imaging course and later took the radiographic physics quiz normally administered during the course. Performance on quiz questions related to each of the two games was compared between students who played each respective game and those who did not. The hypothesis was that students who played a game would perform better on related questions than those who did not play that game. For the contrast and blackness questions, students who played the associated game as part of their studies performed better than those who only studied by conventional means (mean 4.3 vs. 3.8 out of 5 points, p=.02). However, there was no significant difference in results between groups for artifacts questions (mean 4.7 vs. 4.5 out of 5 points, p=.35). Based on these results, educational game play can have benefits to student learning, but performance may be dependent on specific game objectives and play mechanics.

A Study on the Validity of a Computer-Based Game to Assess Cognitive Processes, Reward Mechanisms, and Time Perception in Children Aged 4-8 Years

PubMed Central

Hurks, Petra PM; Aldenkamp, Albert P; van der Spek, Erik D; Rauterberg, GWM; Vles, Johan SH; Hendriksen, Jos GM

2016-01-01

Background A computer-based game, named Timo’s Adventure, was developed to assess specific cognitive functions (eg, attention, planning, and working memory), time perception, and reward mechanisms in young school-aged children. The game consists of 6 mini-games embedded in a story line and includes fantasy elements to enhance motivation. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of Timo’s Adventure in normally developing children and in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods A total of 96 normally developing children aged 4-8 years and 40 children with ADHD were assessed using the game. Clinical validity was investigated by examining the effects of age on performances within the normally developing children, as well as performance differences between the healthy controls and the ADHD group. Results Our analyses in the normally developing children showed developmental effects; that is, older children made fewer inhibition mistakes (r=−.33, P=.001), had faster (and therefore better) reaction times (r=−.49, P<.001), and were able to produce time intervals more accurately than younger children (ρ=.35, P<.001). Discriminant analysis showed that Timo’s Adventure was accurate in most classifications whether a child belonged to the ADHD group or the normally developing group: 78% (76/97) of the children were correctly classified as having ADHD or as being in the normally developing group. The classification results showed that 72% (41/57) children in the control group were correctly classified, and 88% (35/40) of the children in the ADHD group were correctly classified as having ADHD. Sensitivity (0.89) and specificity (0.69) of Timo’s Adventure were satisfying. Conclusions Computer-based games seem to be a valid tool to assess specific strengths and weaknesses in young children with ADHD. PMID:27658428

Normal Threshold Size of Stimuli in Children Using a Game-Based Visual Field Test.

PubMed

Wang, Yanfang; Ali, Zaria; Subramani, Siddharth; Biswas, Susmito; Fenerty, Cecilia; Henson, David B; Aslam, Tariq

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to demonstrate and explore the ability of novel game-based perimetry to establish normal visual field thresholds in children. One hundred and eighteen children (aged 8.0 ± 2.8 years old) with no history of visual field loss or significant medical history were recruited. Each child had one eye tested using a game-based visual field test 'Caspar's Castle' at four retinal locations 12.7° (N = 118) from fixation. Thresholds were established repeatedly using up/down staircase algorithms with stimuli of varying diameter (luminance 20 cd/m 2 , duration 200 ms, background luminance 10 cd/m 2 ). Relationships between threshold and age were determined along with measures of intra- and intersubject variability. The Game-based visual field test was able to establish threshold estimates in the full range of children tested. Threshold size reduced with increasing age in children. Intrasubject variability and intersubject variability were inversely related to age in children. Normal visual field thresholds were established for specific locations in children using a novel game-based visual field test. These could be used as a foundation for developing a game-based perimetry screening test for children.

Learning Projectile Motion with the Computer Game ``Scorched 3D``

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurcevic, John S.

2008-01-01

For most of our students, video games are a normal part of their lives. We should take advantage of this medium to teach physics in a manner that is engrossing for our students. In particular, modern video games incorporate accurate physics in their game engines, and they allow us to visualize the physics through flashy and captivating graphics. I recently used the game "Scorched 3D" to help my students understand projectile motion.

Immersive Learning Simulations in Aircraft Maintenance Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-15

do not have a chance to use in normal, daily activities. Like training, video games are a huge business. The video game industry recorded over...18 billion in sales last year.1 What if you could combine the engaging aspects of video gaming with the requirements of a training program? You...interaction.”4 In other words, a video game that trains. This definition of ILS will be used throughout this paper, since discussing serious games

Learning Projectile Motion with the Computer Game "Scorched 3D"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jurcevic, John S.

2008-01-01

For most of our students, video games are a normal part of their lives. We should take advantage of this medium to teach physics in a manner that is engrossing for our students. In particular, modern video games incorporate accurate physics in their game engines, and they allow us to visualize the physics through flashy and captivating graphics. I…

Testing the Impact of a Pre-Instructional Digital Game on Middle-Grade Students' Understanding of Photosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culp, Katherine McMillan; Martin, Wendy; Clements, Margaret; Lewis Presser, Ashley

2015-01-01

Rigorous studies of the impact of digital games on student learning remain relatively rare, as do studies of games as supports for learning difficult, core curricular concepts in the context of normal classroom practices. This study uses a blocked, cluster randomized controlled trial design to test the impact of a digital game, played as homework…

Association of autonomic nervous system and EEG scalp potential during playing 2D Grand Turismo 5.

PubMed

Subhani, Ahmad Rauf; Likun, Xia; Saeed Malik, Aamir

2012-01-01

Cerebral activation and autonomic nervous system have importance in studies such as mental stress. The aim of this study is to analyze variations in EEG scalp potential which may influence autonomic activation of heart while playing video games. Ten healthy participants were recruited in this study. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were measured simultaneously during playing video game and rest conditions. Sympathetic and parasympathetic innervations of heart were evaluated from heart rate variability (HRV), derived from the ECG. Scalp potential was measured by the EEG. The results showed a significant upsurge in the value theta Fz/alpha Pz (p<0.001) while playing game. The results also showed tachycardia while playing video game as compared to rest condition (p<0.005). Normalized low frequency power and ratio of low frequency/high frequency power were significantly increased while playing video game and normalized high frequency power sank during video games. Results showed synchronized activity of cerebellum and sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation of heart.

Acute effects of violent video-game playing on blood pressure and appetite perception in normal-weight young men: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Siervo, M; Sabatini, S; Fewtrell, M S; Wells, J C K

2013-12-01

Watching television and playing video game being seated represent sedentary behaviours and increase the risk of weight gain and hypertension. We investigated the acute effects of violent and non-violent video-game playing on blood pressure (BP), appetite perception and food preferences. Forty-eight young, normal-weight men (age: 23.1±1.9 years; body mass index: 22.5±1.9 kg/m(2)) participated in a three-arm, randomized trial. Subjects played a violent video game, a competitive, non-violent video game or watched TV for 1 h. Measurements of BP, stress and appetite perception were recorded before a standardized meal (∼300 kcal) and then repeated every 15 min throughout the intervention. Violent video-game playing was associated with a significant increase in diastolic BP (Δ±s.d.=+7.5±5.8 mm Hg; P=0.04) compared with the other two groups. Subjects playing violent video games felt less full (P=0.02) and reported a tendency towards sweet food consumption. Video games involving violence appear to be associated with significant effects on BP and appetite perceptions compared with non-violent gaming or watching TV.

Computer Programming Games and Gender Oriented Cultural Forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlSulaiman, Sarah Abdulmalik

I present the design and evaluation of two games designed to help elementary and middle school students learn computer programming concepts. The first game was designed to be "gender neutral", aligning with might be described as a consensus opinion on best practices for computational learning environments. The second game, based on the cultural form of dress up dolls was deliberately designed to appeal to females. I recruited 70 participants in an international two-phase study to investigate the relationship between games, gender, attitudes towards computer programming, and learning. My findings suggest that while the two games were equally effective in terms of learning outcomes, I saw differences in motivation between players of the two games. Specifically, participants who reported a preference for female- oriented games were more motivated to learn about computer programming when they played a game that they perceived as designed for females. In addition, I describe how the two games seemed to encourage different types of social activity between players in a classroom setting. Based on these results, I reflect on the strategy of exclusively designing games and activities as "gender neutral", and suggest that employing cultural forms, including gendered ones, may help create a more productive experience for learners.

Replaying the game: hypnagogic images in normals and amnesics.

PubMed

Stickgold, R; Malia, A; Maguire, D; Roddenberry, D; O'Connor, M

2000-10-13

Participants playing the computer game Tetris reported intrusive, stereotypical, visual images of the game at sleep onset. Three amnesic patients with extensive bilateral medial temporal lobe damage produced similar hypnagogic reports despite being unable to recall playing the game, suggesting that such imagery may arise without important contribution from the declarative memory system. In addition, control participants reported images from previously played versions of the game, demonstrating that remote memories can influence the images from recent waking experience.

Expert Approaches to Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

of epistemic forms and games , which can form the basis for building a tool to support expert analyses. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Expert analysis Epistemic...forms Epistemic games SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF 16. REPORT Unclassified 17. ABSTRACT Unclassified 18. THIS PAGE Unclassified 19. LIMITATION OF...1998 Principal Investigators: Allan Collins & William Ferguson BBN Technologies Introduction 1 Prior Work 2 Structural-Analysis Games 2 Functional

Effects of Normal and Perturbed Social Play on the Duration and Amplitude of Different Types of Infant Smiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogel, Alan; Hsu, Hui-Chin; Shapiro, Alyson F.; Nelson-Goens, G. Christina; Secrist, Cory

2006-01-01

Different types of smiling varying in amplitude of lip corner retraction were investigated during 2 mother-infant games--peekaboo and tickle--at 6 and 12 months and during normally occurring and perturbed games. Using Facial Action Coding System (FACS), infant smiles were coded as simple (lip corner retraction only), Duchenne (simple plus cheek…

Reasoning Abilities in Primary School: A Pilot Study on Poor Achievers vs. Normal Achievers in Computer Game Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dagnino, Francesca Maria; Ballauri, Margherita; Benigno, Vincenza; Caponetto, Ilaria; Pesenti, Elia

2013-01-01

This paper presents the results of preliminary research on the assessment of reasoning abilities in primary school poor achievers vs. normal achievers using computer game tasks. Subjects were evaluated by means of cognitive assessment on logical abilities and academic skills. The aim of this study is to better understand the relationship between…

Modeling Multiple Human-Automation Distributed Systems using Network-form Games

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume

2012-01-01

The paper describes at a high-level the network-form game framework (based on Bayes net and game theory), which can be used to model and analyze safety issues in large, distributed, mixed human-automation systems such as NextGen.

Smoking in Video Games: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Forsyth, Susan R; Malone, Ruth E

2016-06-01

Video games are played by a majority of adolescents, yet little is known about whether and how video games are associated with smoking behavior and attitudes. This systematic review examines research on the relationship between video games and smoking. We searched MEDLINE, psycINFO, and Web of Science through August 20, 2014. Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Studies were synthesized qualitatively in four domains: the prevalence and incidence of smoking imagery in video games (n = 6), video game playing and smoking behavior (n = 11), video game addiction and tobacco addiction (n = 5) and genre-specific game playing and smoking behavior (n = 3). Tobacco content was present in a subset of video games. The literature is inconclusive as to whether exposure to video games as a single construct is associated with smoking behavior. Four of five studies found an association between video game addiction and smoking. For genre-specific game playing, studies suggest that the type of game played affected association with smoking behavior. Research on how playing video games influences adolescents' perceptions of smoking and smoking behaviors is still in its nascence. Further research is needed to understand how adolescents respond to viewing and manipulating tobacco imagery, and whether engaging in game smoking translates into changes in real-world attitudes or behavior. Smoking imagery in video games may contribute to normalizing adolescent smoking. A large body of research has shown that smoking imagery in a variety of media types contributes to adolescent smoking uptake and the normalization of smoking behavior, and almost 90% of adolescents play video games, yet there has never been a published systematic review of the literature on this important topic. This is the first systematic review to examine the research on tobacco and video games.We found that tobacco imagery is indeed present in video games, the relationship between video game playing and smoking remains unclear, there appears to be a correlation between problem gaming and smoking and the genre of games may play a role in adolescent smoking behavior. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Implementation of quantum game theory simulations using Python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madrid S., A.

2013-05-01

This paper provides some examples about quantum games simulated in Python's programming language. The quantum games have been developed with the Sympy Python library, which permits solving quantum problems in a symbolic form. The application of these methods of quantum mechanics to game theory gives us more possibility to achieve results not possible before. To illustrate the results of these methods, in particular, there have been simulated the quantum battle of the sexes, the prisoner's dilemma and card games. These solutions are able to exceed the classic bottle neck and obtain optimal quantum strategies. In this form, python demonstrated that is possible to do more advanced and complicated quantum games algorithms.

Collective Information Literacy in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Crystle; Steinkuehler, Constance

2010-01-01

This article explores the forms of information literacy that arise in commercial entertainment games like "World of Warcraft." Using examples culled from eight months of online ethnographic data, the authors detail the forms of information literacy that arise as a regular part of in-game social interaction, emphasizing (ironically) the…

Fleet Arctic Operations Game: Game Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

By: Director: CDR Christopher Gray Designer : Prof. Leif Bergey Analyst: Prof. Walter A. Berbrick Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No...7 II. GAME DESIGN & RESEARCH...METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... 9 Discussion of Game Design

Defining Learning Space in a Serious Game in Terms of Operative and Resultant Actions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Michael W.; Shen, Yuzhong

2012-01-01

This paper explores the distinction between operative and resultant actions in games, and proposes that the learning space created by a serious game is a function of these actions. Further, it suggests a possible relationship between these actions and the forms of cognitive load imposed upon the game player. Association of specific types of cognitive load with respective forms of actions in game mechanics also presents some heuristics for integrating learning content into serious games. Research indicates that different balances of these types of actions are more suitable for novice or experienced learners. By examining these relationships, we can develop a few basic principles of game design which have an increased potential to promote positive learning outcomes.

Short-Term Effects of Playing Computer Games on Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tahiroglu, Aysegul Yolga; Celik, Gonca Gul; Avci, Ayse; Seydaoglu, Gulsah; Uzel, Mehtap; Altunbas, Handan

2010-01-01

Objective: The main aim of the present study is to investigate the short-term cognitive effects of computer games in children with different psychiatric disorders and normal controls. Method: One hundred one children are recruited for the study (aged between 9 and 12 years). All participants played a motor-racing game on the computer for 1 hour.…

New Directions for Academic Video Game Collections: Strategies for Acquiring, Supporting, and Managing Online Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robson, Diane; Durkee, Patrick

2012-01-01

The work of collection development in academic video game collections is at a crucial point of transformation--gaming librarians are ready to expand beyond console games collected in disc and cartridge format to the world of Internet games. At the same time, forms and genres of video games such as serious and independent games are increasingly…

76 FR 43337 - Proposed Information Collection; Hunting and Fishing Application Forms and Activity Reports for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-20

... and avoid confusion for applicants. The currently approved forms are available online at http://www.../Upland Game Hunt Application). FWS Form 3-2357 (Migratory Bird Hunt Application). FWS Form 3-2358... seasons, as determined by State or Federal regulations. FWS Form 3-2359 (Big Game Harvest Report). FWS...

An Online Game Approach for Improving Students' Learning Performance in Web-Based Problem-Solving Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Wu, Po-Han; Chen, Chi-Chang

2012-01-01

In this paper, an online game was developed in the form of a competitive board game for conducting web-based problem-solving activities. The participants of the game determined their move by throwing a dice. Each location of the game board corresponds to a gaming task, which could be a web-based information-searching question or a mini-game; the…

Game Design & Development: Using Computer Games as Creative and Challenging Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seals, Cheryl; Hundley, Jacqueline; Montgomery, Lacey Strange

2008-01-01

This paper describes a game design and development course. The rationale for forming this class was to use student excitement with video games as an intrinsic motivation over traditional courses. Today's students have grown up exposed to gaming, interactive environments, and vivid 3D. Computer gaming has the capacity to attract many new students…

Game Board Artists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szekely, George

2000-01-01

Explores children's fascination with creating their own unique games as an art form. Focuses on different games, such as chess, checkers, pogs, and monopoly. States that observing children playing games offers a firsthand lesson in how children create. Discusses what it means to be an art teacher who promotes creative play with games. (CMK)

Dynamic Pervasive Storytelling in Long Lasting Learning Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pløhn, Trygve; Louchart, Sandy; Aalberg, Trond

2015-01-01

Pervasive gaming is a reality-based gaming genre originating from alternative theatrical forms in which the performance becomes a part of the players' everyday life. In recent years much research has been done on pervasive gaming and its potential applications towards specific domains. Pervasive games have been effective with regards to…

The Semiotic Ecology and Linguistic Complexity of an Online Game World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorne, Steven L.; Fischer, Ingrid; Lu, Xiaofei

2012-01-01

Multiplayer online games form complex semiotic ecologies that include game-generated texts, player-to-player communication and collaboration, and associated websites that support in-game play. This article describes an exploratory study of the massively multiplayer online game (MMO) "World of Warcraft" ("WoW"), with specific…

Games as Text, Games as Action: Video Games in the English Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beavis, Catherine

2014-01-01

Contemporary views of literacy, and of English and Language Arts curriculum recognise the importance of digital culture and communication forms in many young people's lives and the multiple forms of literacy students engage with as they work, interact and play. Amongst these, videogames, whether played on PCs, laptops, wiis, or on mobile devices…

The cost of virtual wins: An examination of gambling-related risks in youth who spend money on social casino games

PubMed Central

King, Daniel L.; Russell, Alex; Gainsbury, Sally; Delfabbro, Paul H.; Hing, Nerilee

2016-01-01

Background and aims Social casino games (SCGs) are not technically considered a form of gambling but they do enable players to spend money in a game that is gambling themed or structurally approximate to gambling. It has been theorized that SCGs could be a gateway to gambling activities or otherwise normalize the experience of gambling for young people, particularly when money becomes involved. The aim of this study was to investigate whether adolescents’ financial expenditure in SCGs was associated with broader gambling activity, including level of participation, expenditure, and problem gambling symptoms. Methods An online survey was administered to 555 adolescents, including 130 SCG players (78 non-paying and 52 paying users). Results Paying SCG users tended to be employed males who play more frequently and engage in more SCG activities, who report more symptoms of problem gambling and higher psychological distress than non-paying SCG users. Paying SCG users reported more frequent engagement and spending in monetary gambling activities, and two-thirds of SCG payers recalled that their SCG use had preceded involvement in financial gambling. Discussion and conclusions Spending in simulated gambling activities by adolescents may be a risk factor for problem gambling. Although SCGs may currently defy classification as a form of gambling, these activities will likely continue to be scrutinized by regulators for the use of dubious or exploitative payment features offered in a gambling-themed format that is available to persons of all ages. PMID:27648743

The cost of virtual wins: An examination of gambling-related risks in youth who spend money on social casino games.

PubMed

King, Daniel L; Russell, Alex; Gainsbury, Sally; Delfabbro, Paul H; Hing, Nerilee

2016-09-01

Background and aims Social casino games (SCGs) are not technically considered a form of gambling but they do enable players to spend money in a game that is gambling themed or structurally approximate to gambling. It has been theorized that SCGs could be a gateway to gambling activities or otherwise normalize the experience of gambling for young people, particularly when money becomes involved. The aim of this study was to investigate whether adolescents' financial expenditure in SCGs was associated with broader gambling activity, including level of participation, expenditure, and problem gambling symptoms. Methods An online survey was administered to 555 adolescents, including 130 SCG players (78 non-paying and 52 paying users). Results Paying SCG users tended to be employed males who play more frequently and engage in more SCG activities, who report more symptoms of problem gambling and higher psychological distress than non-paying SCG users. Paying SCG users reported more frequent engagement and spending in monetary gambling activities, and two-thirds of SCG payers recalled that their SCG use had preceded involvement in financial gambling. Discussion and conclusions Spending in simulated gambling activities by adolescents may be a risk factor for problem gambling. Although SCGs may currently defy classification as a form of gambling, these activities will likely continue to be scrutinized by regulators for the use of dubious or exploitative payment features offered in a gambling-themed format that is available to persons of all ages.

Active Games: An Examination of User Engagement to Define Design Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Pamela N.

2017-01-01

Active gaming is a form of video gaming that requires full body motion or varying degrees of physical activity to play a game. While active gaming has gained momentum, there is a lack of studies that provide insight on how they should be designed, specifically components of active games make them engaging. This study identifies, analyzes and…

Tabletop Games: Platforms, Experimental Games and Design Recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haller, Michael; Forlines, Clifton; Koeffel, Christina; Leitner, Jakob; Shen, Chia

While the last decade has seen massive improvements in not only the rendering quality, but also the overall performance of console and desktop video games, these improvements have not necessarily led to a greater population of video game players. In addition to continuing these improvements, the video game industry is also constantly searching for new ways to convert non-players into dedicated gamers. Despite the growing popularity of computer-based video games, people still love to play traditional board games, such as Risk, Monopoly, and Trivial Pursuit. Both video and board games have their strengths and weaknesses, and an intriguing conclusion is to merge both worlds. We believe that a tabletop form-factor provides an ideal interface for digital board games. The design and implementation of tabletop games will be influenced by the hardware platforms, form factors, sensing technologies, as well as input techniques and devices that are available and chosen. This chapter is divided into three major sections. In the first section, we describe the most recent tabletop hardware technologies that have been used by tabletop researchers and practitioners. In the second section, we discuss a set of experimental tabletop games. The third section presents ten evaluation heuristics for tabletop game design.

Neither action nor phonological video games make dyslexic children read better.

PubMed

Łuniewska, Magdalena; Chyl, Katarzyna; Dębska, Agnieszka; Kacprzak, Agnieszka; Plewko, Joanna; Szczerbiński, Marcin; Szewczyk, Jakub; Grabowska, Anna; Jednoróg, Katarzyna

2018-01-11

The prevalence and long-term consequences of dyslexia make it crucial to look for effective and efficient ways of its therapy. Action video games (AVG) were implied as a possible remedy for difficulties in reading in Italian and English-speaking children. However, the studies examining the effectiveness of AVG application in dyslexia suffered from significant methodological weaknesses such as small sample sizes and lack of a control group with no intervention. In our study, we tested how two forms of training: based on AVG and on phonological non-action video games (PNAVG), affect reading in a group of fifty-four Polish children with dyslexia. Both speed and accuracy of reading increased in AVG as much as in PNAVG group. Moreover, both groups improved in phonological awareness, selective attention and rapid naming. Critically, the reading progress in the two groups did not differ from a dyslexic control group which did not participate in any training. Thus, the observed improvement in reading in AVG and PNAVG can be attributed either to the normal reading development related to schooling or to test practice effect. Overall, we failed to replicate previous studies: Neither AVG nor PNAVG remedy difficulties in reading in school children.

Games for the Foreign Language Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillan, Nancy; Madaras, Susan W.

Two marketing games are described, "Le Marche Francais" and "El Mercado: The Mexican Market Comes to Life in the Spanish Classroom." Both are patterned after a published game entitled "Market: A Simulation Game." The adaptation in each instance relied on simplifying the original game and presenting it in a form understandable to middle school…

Argoball: A Dynamic-Rules Game for Teaching Striking-and-Fielding Game Tactics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todorovich, John R.; Fox, James P.; Ryan, Stuart; Todorovich, Sarah W.

2008-01-01

Physical educators using the teaching games for understanding (TGFU) approach employ modified game forms to teach children skills and tactics. Inspired by Danish Longball, "Argoball" is a dynamic-rules game that teachers interested in the TGFU model use to help their students develop effective skills and tactics to better participate in…

Designing Science Learning with Game-Based Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Min; Rosenblum, Jason A.; Horton, Lucas; Kang, Jina

2014-01-01

Given the growing popularity of digital games as a form of entertainment, educators are interested in exploring using digital games as a tool to facilitate learning. In this study, we examine game-based learning by describing a learning environment that combines game elements, play, and authenticity in the real world for the purpose of engaging…

Summary of Research 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

Tutorial on Their Data Sharing," The International Journal on Very Large Data Bases (VLDB Journal ), Vol. 1, No. 1, July 1992. Hsiao, D. K., "Federated...Databases and Systems: A Tutorial on Their Resource Consolidation," The International Journal on Very Large Data Bases (VLDB Journal ), Vol. 1, No. 2...Game: Normal Approximation," accepted extensions of games and considers for publication by International possible applications. Journal of Game Theory

The Effects of the Size and Weight of a Mobile Device on an Educational Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furio, David; Gonzalez-Gancedo, Santiago; Juan, M.-Carmen; Segui, Ignacio; Costa, Maria

2013-01-01

In this paper, we present an educational game for an iPhone and a Tablet PC. The main objective of the game was to reinforce children's knowledge about the water cycle. The game included different interaction forms like the touch screen and the accelerometer and combined AR mini-games with non-AR mini-games for better gameplay immersion. The main…

Using Game-Based Cooperative Learning to Improve Learning Motivation: A Study of Online Game Use in an Operating Systems Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jong, Bin-Shyan; Lai, Chien-Hung; Hsia, Yen-Teh; Lin, Tsong-Wuu; Lu, Cheng-Yu

2013-01-01

Many researchers have studied the use of game-based learning. Game-based learning takes many forms, including virtual reality, role playing, and performing tasks. For students to learn specific course content, it is important that the selected game be suited to the course. Thus far, no studies have investigated the use of game-based cooperative…

To Learn Is To Grow, I: Aldo Leopold, Predator Eradication, and Games Refuges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolph, Gary E.

1998-01-01

Follows the evolution in the thinking of Aldo Leopold, a game manager who was initially an advocate of predator eradication but who came to see predators as playing an important role in normally functioning ecosystems. (DDR)

Game theory and reciprocity in some extensive form experimental games.

PubMed

McCabe, K A; Rassenti, S J; Smith, V L

1996-11-12

We examine decision making in two-person extensive form game trees using nine treatments that vary matching protocol, payoffs, and payoff information. Our objective is to establish replicable principles of cooperative versus noncooperative behavior that involve the use of signaling, reciprocity, and backward induction strategies, depending on the availability of dominated direct punishing strategies and the probability of repeated interaction with the same partner. Contrary to the predictions of game theory, we find substantial support for cooperation under complete information even in various single-play treatments.

Alternate Reality Games as Learning Environments for Student Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitton, Nicola; Jones, Rosie; Wilson, Scott; Whitton, Peter

2014-01-01

Alternate reality games (ARGs) are a relatively new form of collaborative game that make use of both the virtual and real worlds to engage players in a series of challenges within a compelling narrative. The Alternate Reality Games for Orientation, Socialisation and Induction (ARGOSI) project aimed to use this game format to provide an alternative…

No Selling the Genie Lamp: A Game Literacy Practice in "The Sims"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Elisabeth R.; Gee, James Paul

2010-01-01

Drawing on the New Literacy Studies, the authors argue that game literacy takes multiple forms and is embedded in different practices associated with particular games and gaming communities. They examine one specific game literacy practice that involves players of "The Sims" creating challenges for other players, and they identify how playing and…

Conceptual model for the design of a serious video game promoting self-management among youth with type 1 diabetes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Video games are a popular form of entertainment. Serious video games for health attempt to use entertainment to promote health behavior change. When designed within a framework informed by behavioral science and supported by commercial game-design principles, serious video games for health have the ...

German Eagle vs. Russian Bear: A World War II Russian Front Boardgame Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coatney, Louis R.

This board game encourages junior and senior high school student analysis of the German campaign against the USSR and gauges student decision-making skills. The World War II Russo-German Front is simulated in a standard board game format. A key element of the game is its analysis and results form. Using this form compels students to analyze and…

Spies in the minority game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, You-Yang; Xu, Chen; Gu, Guo-Qing; Hui, Pak Ming

2008-01-01

We study the effects of the existence of another type of agents, called spies, in the minority game (MG). Unlike the normal agents in the MG, the spies do not carry any strategy. Instead, they decide their action by scouting some normal agents and take the minority action of the spied group. For a few spies and when there is useful information in the normal agents’ actions, the spies can avoid the crowd effect of the normal agents and win more readily. When information becomes less useful and when more spies are present, the spies’ crowd effect hurts the success rate of the spies themselves, and the normal agents could have a higher success rate than the spies. More spies actually assist more normal agents to win, as the spies also provide more winning quotas. This leads to a nonmonotonic behavior in the total success rate of the population as a function of the fraction of spies.

Natural games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anttila, Jani; Annila, Arto

2011-10-01

A course of a game is formulated as a physical process that will consume free energy in the least time. Accordingly, the rate of entropy increase is the payoff function that will subsume all forms of free energy that motivate diverse decisions. Also other concepts of game theory are related to their profound physical counterparts. When the physical portrayal of behavior is mathematically analyzed, the course of a game is found to be inherently unpredictable because each move affects motives in the future. Despite the non-holonomic character of the natural process, the objective of consuming free energy in the least time will direct an extensive-form game toward a Lyapunov-stable point that satisfies the minimax theorem.

Dance-Based ExerGaming: User Experience Design Implications for Maximizing Health Benefits Based on Exercise Intensity and Perceived Enjoyment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thin, Alasdair G.; Poole, Nicola

Dance is a form of exercise that is considered to have widespread popular appeal and in particular to adolescent females. Dance-based body-movement controlled video games are a popular form of ExerGaming that is being adopted for use in school-based physical activity health promotion programs. The results of this study indicate that the game play mechanics and skill demands of the dance-based ExerGames would appear to have limited the subjects' level of physical exertion over the period of study. After training there was an increase in enjoyment rating for the Step Aerobics game which appears related to a perceptible improvement in game performance. It is therefore recommended that ExerGames should be designed with very low initial skill demands in order to maximize the user's level of exertion and to realize and reward progress, thereby helping to promote an enjoyable exercise experience and counterbalance any sense of exertional discomfort. Keywords: exercise; health promotion; exergaming; user experience; design; video game; enjoyment.

Improving Mastery of Fractions by Blending Video Games into the Math Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masek, M.; Boston, J.; Lam, C. P.; Corcoran, S.

2017-01-01

Concepts from the Australian mathematics curriculum on fractions were used as core elements to design three computer games. In each game, the concepts were presented in the form of tangible puzzles, customized to a difficulty level based on student capability. The games were integrated into a single virtual game world, and a fantasy story was used…

Methodological Advances in Political Gaming: The One-Person Computer Interactive, Quasi-Rigid Rule Game.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shubik, Martin

The main problem in computer gaming research is the initial decision of choosing the type of gaming method to be used. Free-form games lead to exciting open-ended confrontations that generate much information. However, they do not easily lend themselves to analysis because they generate far too much information and their results are seldom…

Active video-gaming effects on balance and mobility in individuals with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Fritz, Stacy L; Peters, Denise M; Merlo, Angela M; Donley, Jonathan

2013-01-01

Treatments that provide feedback, increase practice with multiple repetitions, and motivate patients are essential to rehabilitation post stroke. To determine whether playing active video games results in improved balance and mobility post stroke. Thirty participants with chronic (time since stroke = 3.0 [2.9] years) hemiparesis post stroke were randomly assigned to a gaming group or normal activity control group. Gaming systems provided participants with an interactive interface of real-time movement of either themselves or an avatar on the screen. Participants played games 50-60 minutes/day, 4 days/week, for 5 weeks. The intervention was strictly game-play, in standing position, without physical therapy. The control group received no special intervention and continued with normal activity. Both groups were tested prior to, following the 5 weeks (post test), and 3 months following the completion of the study. Outcome measures included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, Timed Up & Go, 6-minute walk test, 3-meter walk (self-selected and fast), and perception of recovery. No statistically significant differences between or within groups were found through analysis of covariance (covaried for side of hemiparesis) at post test or follow-up. Although the within-group effect sizes were primarily indexed as "small" (< .36), the gaming group exhibited higher within-group effect sizes before and after testing than did the control group on all 7 dependent variables analyzed. Even though the only intervention was game-play, there were small positive effects. Therapist assistance in making more optimum movement choices may be needed before significant improvements are seen with commercially available, general purpose games.

Active Gaming: The Future of Play?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witherspoon, Lisa; Manning, John P.

2012-01-01

The authors examine technology-driven games--especially active gaming--as an evolving form of children's play. They offer an overview of play and its developmental benefits, describe the literature on the emergence of technology-driven play, and reflect on the diminishment of physical play in contemporary culture. They suggest that active gaming,…

Trajectories of problem video gaming among adult regular gamers: an 18-month longitudinal study.

PubMed

King, Daniel L; Delfabbro, Paul H; Griffiths, Mark D

2013-01-01

A three-wave, longitudinal study examined the long-term trajectory of problem gaming symptoms among adult regular video gamers. Potential changes in problem gaming status were assessed at two intervals using an online survey over an 18-month period. Participants (N=117) were recruited by an advertisement posted on the public forums of multiple Australian video game-related websites. Inclusion criteria were being of adult age and having a video gaming history of at least 1 hour of gaming every week over the past 3 months. Two groups of adult video gamers were identified: those players who did (N=37) and those who did not (N=80) identify as having a serious gaming problem at the initial survey intake. The results showed that regular gamers who self-identified as having a video gaming problem at baseline reported more severe problem gaming symptoms than normal gamers, at all time points. However, both groups experienced a significant decline in problem gaming symptoms over an 18-month period, controlling for age, video gaming activity, and psychopathological symptoms.

Scholars’ open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal

PubMed Central

Aarseth, Espen; Bean, Anthony M.; Boonen, Huub; Colder Carras, Michelle; Coulson, Mark; Das, Dimitri; Deleuze, Jory; Dunkels, Elza; Edman, Johan; Ferguson, Christopher J.; Haagsma, Maria C.; Helmersson Bergmark, Karin; Hussain, Zaheer; Jansz, Jeroen; Kardefelt-Winther, Daniel; Kutner, Lawrence; Markey, Patrick; Nielsen, Rune Kristian Lundedal; Prause, Nicole; Przybylski, Andrew; Quandt, Thorsten; Schimmenti, Adriano; Starcevic, Vladan; Stutman, Gabrielle; Van Looy, Jan; Van Rooij, Antonius J.

2017-01-01

Concerns about problematic gaming behaviors deserve our full attention. However, we claim that it is far from clear that these problems can or should be attributed to a new disorder. The empirical basis for a Gaming Disorder proposal, such as in the new ICD-11, suffers from fundamental issues. Our main concerns are the low quality of the research base, the fact that the current operationalization leans too heavily on substance use and gambling criteria, and the lack of consensus on symptomatology and assessment of problematic gaming. The act of formalizing this disorder, even as a proposal, has negative medical, scientific, public-health, societal, and human rights fallout that should be considered. Of particular concern are moral panics around the harm of video gaming. They might result in premature application of diagnosis in the medical community and the treatment of abundant false-positive cases, especially for children and adolescents. Second, research will be locked into a confirmatory approach, rather than an exploration of the boundaries of normal versus pathological. Third, the healthy majority of gamers will be affected negatively. We expect that the premature inclusion of Gaming Disorder as a diagnosis in ICD-11 will cause significant stigma to the millions of children who play video games as a part of a normal, healthy life. At this point, suggesting formal diagnoses and categories is premature: the ICD-11 proposal for Gaming Disorder should be removed to avoid a waste of public health resources as well as to avoid causing harm to healthy video gamers around the world. PMID:28033714

Scholars' open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal.

PubMed

Aarseth, Espen; Bean, Anthony M; Boonen, Huub; Colder Carras, Michelle; Coulson, Mark; Das, Dimitri; Deleuze, Jory; Dunkels, Elza; Edman, Johan; Ferguson, Christopher J; Haagsma, Maria C; Helmersson Bergmark, Karin; Hussain, Zaheer; Jansz, Jeroen; Kardefelt-Winther, Daniel; Kutner, Lawrence; Markey, Patrick; Nielsen, Rune Kristian Lundedal; Prause, Nicole; Przybylski, Andrew; Quandt, Thorsten; Schimmenti, Adriano; Starcevic, Vladan; Stutman, Gabrielle; Van Looy, Jan; Van Rooij, Antonius J

2017-09-01

Concerns about problematic gaming behaviors deserve our full attention. However, we claim that it is far from clear that these problems can or should be attributed to a new disorder. The empirical basis for a Gaming Disorder proposal, such as in the new ICD-11, suffers from fundamental issues. Our main concerns are the low quality of the research base, the fact that the current operationalization leans too heavily on substance use and gambling criteria, and the lack of consensus on symptomatology and assessment of problematic gaming. The act of formalizing this disorder, even as a proposal, has negative medical, scientific, public-health, societal, and human rights fallout that should be considered. Of particular concern are moral panics around the harm of video gaming. They might result in premature application of diagnosis in the medical community and the treatment of abundant false-positive cases, especially for children and adolescents. Second, research will be locked into a confirmatory approach, rather than an exploration of the boundaries of normal versus pathological. Third, the healthy majority of gamers will be affected negatively. We expect that the premature inclusion of Gaming Disorder as a diagnosis in ICD-11 will cause significant stigma to the millions of children who play video games as a part of a normal, healthy life. At this point, suggesting formal diagnoses and categories is premature: the ICD-11 proposal for Gaming Disorder should be removed to avoid a waste of public health resources as well as to avoid causing harm to healthy video gamers around the world.

Electronic gaming machines: are they the 'crack-cocaine' of gambling?

PubMed

Dowling, Nicki; Smith, David; Thomas, Trang

2005-01-01

There is a general view that electronic gaming is the most 'addictive' form of gambling, in that it contributes more to causing problem gambling than any other gambling activity. As such, electronic gaming machines have been referred to as the 'crack-cocaine' of gambling. While this analogy has popular appeal, it is only recently that the scientific community has begun to investigate its validity. In line with the belief that electronic gambling has a higher 'addictive' potential than other forms of gambling, research has also begun to focus on identifying the characteristics of gaming machines that may be associated with problem gambling behaviour. This paper will review the different types of modern electronic gaming machines, and will use the introduction of gaming machines to Australia to examine the association between electronic gaming and problem gambling, with particular reference to the characteristics of modern electronic gaming machines. Despite overwhelming acceptance that gaming machines are associated with the highest level of problem gambling, the empirical literature provides inconclusive evidence to support the analogy linking electronic gaming to 'crack-cocaine'. Rigorous and systematic evaluation is required to establish definitively the absolute 'addictive' potential of gaming machines and the degree to which machine characteristics influence the development and maintenance of problem gambling behaviour.

Towards effective payoffs in the prisoner’s dilemma game on scale-free networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž; Danku, Zsuzsa

2008-03-01

We study the transition towards effective payoffs in the prisoner's dilemma game on scale-free networks by introducing a normalization parameter guiding the system from accumulated payoffs to payoffs normalized with the connectivity of each agent. We show that during this transition the heterogeneity-based ability of scale-free networks to facilitate cooperative behavior deteriorates continuously, eventually collapsing with the results obtained on regular graphs. The strategy donations and adaptation probabilities of agents with different connectivities are studied. Results reveal that strategies generally spread from agents with larger towards agents with smaller degree. However, this strategy adoption flow reverses sharply in the fully normalized payoff limit. Surprisingly, cooperators occupy the hubs even if the averaged cooperation level due to partly normalized payoffs is moderate.

On Free-Form Gaming,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-01

which the competitive interactions can occur simultaneously in several "arenas" (political, military, etc.). This gaming format has been used to...10 E . Post- Game Analysis .. ..................................... 13 F. Limitations ... ............................................ 15 III...preparation of game papers and an electronic message handling system for moving papers from room to room. This satisfies the requirement for legible, multiple

Characteristics of Internet use in relation to game genre in Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Moon-Soo; Ko, Young-Hoon; Song, Hyoung-Seok; Kwon, Ku-Hyung; Lee, Hyeon-Soo; Nam, Min; Jung, In-Kwa

2007-04-01

As the number of internet users increases, a new game genre using the internet as a networking tool is emerging. Some game genres are regarded as having greater addiction potentials than others. Games and the internet are closely related. We investigated games frequently used by adolescents and classified each of them with the help of game professionals. We also examined internet use patterns to identify relationships between game genre and internet use patterns. 627 middle school and high school students (male 488, female 139) completed questionnaires concerning computer and game use patterns and Korean internet addiction scales. Game genres were divided into eight criteria (simulation, role playing game, web board, community, action, adventure, shooting, and sports). Using Korean internet addiction scales, 627 participants were divided into a normal group (474), a potential risk group (128), and a high-risk group (25). Each group showed significant differences in total internet addiction scores. We classified players into specific game users based upon the game types they most prefer. Role playing game users showed significantly higher internet addiction scores than web board and sports game users. Game and internet addictions are also connected with interpersonal relationship patterns. We suggest that users of some game genre have unique psychological addiction potentials that are different from others and that this influences both game selection and internet use.

The ecology of cancer from an evolutionary game theory perspective.

PubMed

Pacheco, Jorge M; Santos, Francisco C; Dingli, David

2014-08-06

The accumulation of somatic mutations, to which the cellular genome is permanently exposed, often leads to cancer. Analysis of any tumour shows that, besides the malignant cells, one finds other 'supporting' cells such as fibroblasts, immune cells of various types and even blood vessels. Together, these cells generate the microenvironment that enables the malignant cell population to grow and ultimately lead to disease. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of tumour growth and response to therapy is incomplete unless the interactions between the malignant cells and normal cells are investigated in the environment in which they take place. The complex interactions between cells in such an ecosystem result from the exchange of information in the form of cytokines- and adhesion-dependent interactions. Such processes impose costs and benefits to the participating cells that may be conveniently recast in the form of a game pay-off matrix. As a result, tumour progression and dynamics can be described in terms of evolutionary game theory (EGT), which provides a convenient framework in which to capture the frequency-dependent nature of ecosystem dynamics. Here, we provide a tutorial review of the central aspects of EGT, establishing a relation with the problem of cancer. Along the way, we also digress on fitness and of ways to compute it. Subsequently, we show how EGT can be applied to the study of the various manifestations and dynamics of multiple myeloma bone disease and its preceding condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. We translate the complex biochemical signals into costs and benefits of different cell types, thus defining a game pay-off matrix. Then we use the well-known properties of the EGT equations to reduce the number of core parameters that characterize disease evolution. Finally, we provide an interpretation of these core parameters in terms of what their function is in the ecosystem we are describing and generate predictions on the type and timing of interventions that can alter the natural history of these two conditions.

Novel Approaches to Obesity Prevention: Effects of Game Enjoyment and Game Type on Energy Expenditure in Active Video Games

PubMed Central

Lyons, Elizabeth J.; Tate, Deborah F.; Komoski, Stephanie E.; Carr, Philip M.; Ward, Dianne S.

2012-01-01

Background Some active video games have been found to promote physical activity adherence because of enjoyment. However, many active games are exercise themed, which may interfere with the distracting properties that make game-based exercise more enjoyable than traditional exercise. This study compared exercise-themed and game-themed active games to investigate differences in energy expenditure and enjoyment. Method Young adults (N = 100, 50 female, 55 overweight, aged 18–35 years) played two of four Wii Fit games (one aerobic game and one balance game per person) for 10 min each. Of the two aerobic games, one was exercise themed (jogging) and the other was game themed (hula hooping). Both balance games were game themed. Energy expenditure and enjoyment were measured. Results After adjustment for gender and weight, aerobic games produced 2.70 kcal/kg-1/h-1 (95% confidence interval 2.41, 3.00) greater energy expenditure than balance games (p < .001), but balance games were more enjoyable (p < .001). In aerobic games, jogging produced greater energy expenditure than hula hooping in normal-weight and male participants (p < .001); in overweight and female participants, no differences were found (p > .17). Hula hooping was enjoyed more than jogging (p = .008). Enjoyment predicted energy expenditure in aerobic games (B = 0.767, p = .010). Conclusions Aerobic games produced greater energy expenditure but lower enjoyment than balance games, and a game-themed aerobic game was found more enjoyable than an exercise-themed aerobic game. Integrating more strenuous activity into entertaining games instead of games that simply simulate exercise may be a fruitful avenue for active game development. PMID:22920810

Novel approaches to obesity prevention: effects of game enjoyment and game type on energy expenditure in active video games.

PubMed

Lyons, Elizabeth J; Tate, Deborah F; Komoski, Stephanie E; Carr, Philip M; Ward, Dianne S

2012-07-01

Some active video games have been found to promote physical activity adherence because of enjoyment. However, many active games are exercise themed, which may interfere with the distracting properties that make game-based exercise more enjoyable than traditional exercise. This study compared exercise-themed and game-themed active games to investigate differences in energy expenditure and enjoyment. Young adults (N = 100, 50 female, 55 overweight, aged 18-35 years) played two of four Wii Fit games (one aerobic game and one balance game per person) for 10 min each. Of the two aerobic games, one was exercise themed (jogging) and the other was game themed (hula hooping). Both balance games were game themed. Energy expenditure and enjoyment were measured. After adjustment for gender and weight, aerobic games produced 2.70 kcal/kg(-1)/h(-1) (95% confidence interval 2.41, 3.00) greater energy expenditure than balance games (p < .001), but balance games were more enjoyable (p < .001). In aerobic games, jogging produced greater energy expenditure than hula hooping in normal-weight and male participants (p < .001); in overweight and female participants, no differences were found (p > .17). Hula hooping was enjoyed more than jogging (p = .008). Enjoyment predicted energy expenditure in aerobic games (B = 0.767, p = .010). Aerobic games produced greater energy expenditure but lower enjoyment than balance games, and a game-themed aerobic game was found more enjoyable than an exercise-themed aerobic game. Integrating more strenuous activity into entertaining games instead of games that simply simulate exercise may be a fruitful avenue for active game development. © 2012 Diabetes Technology Society.

Training Effectiveness Evaluation of the Full Spectrum Command Game

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

Fifty-four officers in the Infantry Captains Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, participated in a training effectiveness evaluation of a video ... game named Full Spectrum Command (FSC). Half were assigned to play FSC and participate in normal course work for commanding a light Infantry company in

Games and Simulations in Developmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clavner, Jerry B.

Developmental education activities should attempt to provide experiences which do not hold the student back from the normal flow of learning and which utilize processes already in the student's repertoire. Virtually all areas of developmental instruction can be supplemented with games and simulations, that is, activities designed to show the…

Mixed Nash equilibria in Eisert-Lewenstein-Wilkens (ELW) games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolonek-Lasoń, Katarzyna; Kosiński, Piotr

2017-01-01

The classification of all mixed Nash equilibria for the original ELW game is presented. It is based on the quaternionic form of the game proposed by Landsburg (Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 139 (2011), 4423; Rochester Working Paper No 524 (2006); Wiley Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management Science (Wiley and Sons, New York, (2011)). This approach allows to reduce the problem of finding the Nash equilibria to relatively simple analysis of the extrema of certain quadratic forms.

Benefits of game-based leisure activities in normal aging and dementia.

PubMed

Narme, Pauline

2016-12-01

Given the increasing prevalence of dementia and the limited efficacy of pharmacological treatments, it is crucial to improve the knowledge of the factors that might delay the onset of dementia for developing non-pharmacological interventions. Recent studies have provided evidence that game-based interventions, especially the practice of video games, could improve the cognitive functioning (e.g. executive functions) in older adults and in demented patients. The positive effects of these games have also been demonstrated on physical health (e.g. improvement of balance and gait). Video gamed-based interventions may also alleviate mood or behavioral disorders, and increase interactions with friends, family, caregivers or other patients. The positive impact of games on these domains (cognitive and physical decline, social isolation) suggests that game-based interventions might contribute to delay the onset of dementia. Thus, playing games might be considered as a protective factor in dementia and even more as a potential non-pharmacological strategy in dementia rather than leisure activity.

Playing in the Past: A History of Games, Toys, and Puzzles in North American Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Scott

2013-01-01

Games and other forms of play are used in today's libraries to attract underserved patrons, to introduce patrons to other library resources and services, and to facilitate engagement between library patrons. While many perceive gaming as a new library service, gaming services have been part of librarianship since the nineteenth century through…

75 FR 6058 - Federal Sport Fish Restoration; California Department of Fish and Game Fish Hatchery and Stocking...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-05

...] Federal Sport Fish Restoration; California Department of Fish and Game Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program...) announces the availability of the final EIR/EIS for the California Department of Fish and Game's (CDFG) Fish.... This legislation called for the newly formed California State Fish and Game Commission to establish...

The University as an Infinite Game: Revitalising Activism in the Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harré, Niki; Grant, Barbara M.; Locke, Kirsten; Sturm, Sean

2017-01-01

We offer here a metaphor of the university as an "infinite game" in which we bring to life insight, imagination, and radical inclusion; and resist the "finite games" that can lead us astray. We suggest that keeping the infinite game alive within universities is a much-needed form of academic activism. We offer four vignettes…

Passion Play: Will Wright and Games for Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ching, Dixie

2012-01-01

Researchers and instructional designers are exploring the possibilities of using video games to support STEM education in the U.S., not only because they are a popular media form among youth, but also because well-designed games often leverage the best features of inquiry learning. Those interested in using games in an educational capacity may…

An Alternate Reality Game for Language Learning: ARGuing for Multilingual Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connolly, Thomas M.; Stansfield, Mark; Hainey, Thomas

2011-01-01

Over the last decade, Alternate Reality Games (ARGs), a form of narrative often involving multiple media and gaming elements to tell a story that might be affected by participants' actions, have been used in the marketing and promotion of a number of entertainment related products such as films, computer games and music. This paper discusses the…

Let the (Board) Games Begin: Creative Ways to Enhance Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sardone, Nancy B.; Devlin-Scherer, Roberta

2016-01-01

Gaming, in its many forms, is becoming a more active force in classrooms. To prepare preservice candidates for this trend, one teacher education program asked candidates (n = 60) to develop games in varied curricular fields tied to curriculum standards. This article describes the development of a model game, assignment requirements, provides a…

125 Brain Games for Babies: Simple Games To Promote Early Brain Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silberg, Jackie

Scientists believe that the stimulation that infants and young children receive determines which synapses form in the brain. This book presents 125 games for infants from birth to 12 months and is designed to nurture brain development. The book is organized chronologically in 3-month increments. Each game description includes information from…

Interactive Story Authoring: A Viable Form of Creative Expression for the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carbonaro, M.; Cutumisu, M.; Duff, H.; Gillis, S.; Onuczko, C.; Siegel, J.; Schaeffer, J.; Schumacher, A.; Szafron, D.; Waugh, K.

2008-01-01

The unprecedented growth in numbers of children playing computer games has stimulated discussion and research regarding what, if any, educational value these games have for teaching and learning. The research on this topic has primarily focused on children as players of computer games rather than builders/constructors of computer games. Recently,…

The Application of Cognitive Diagnostic Approaches via Neural Network Analysis of Serious Educational Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Serious Educational Games (SEGs) have been a topic of increased popularity within the educational realm since the early millennia. SEGs are generalized form of Serious Games to mean games for purposes other than entertainment but, that also specifically include training, educational purpose and pedagogy within their design. This rise in popularity…

Pleasure, Learning, Video Games, and Life: The Projective Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, James Paul

2005-01-01

This article addresses three questions. First, what is the deep pleasure that humans take from video games? Second, what is the relationship between video games and real life? Third, what do the answers to these questions have to do with learning? Good commercial video games are deep technologies for recruiting learning as a form of profound…

Epigenetic information in gametes: Gaming from before fertilization. Comment on ;Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition; by Qian Wang et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Junchao; Zhang, Xudong; Liu, Ying; Chen, Qi

2017-03-01

In their interesting article [1] Wang et al. proposed a mathematical model based on evolutionary game theory [2] to tackle the fundamental question in embryo development, that how sperm and egg interact with each other, through epigenetic processes, to form a zygote and direct successful embryo development. This work is based on the premise that epigenetic reprogramming (referring to the erasure and reconstruction of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications) after fertilization might be of paramount importance to maintain the normal development of embryos, a premise we fully agree, given the compelling experimental evidence reported [3]. Wang et al. have specifically chosen to employ the well-studied DNA methylation reprogramming process during mammalian early embryo development, as a basis to develop their mathematical model, namely epigenetic game theory (epiGame). They concluded that the DNA methylation pattern in mammalian early embryo could be formulated and quantified, and their model can be further used to quantify the interactions, such as competition and/or cooperation of expressed genes that maximize the fitness of embryos. The efforts by Wang et al. in quantitatively and systematically analyzing the beginning of life apparently hold value and represent a novel direction for future embryo development research from both theoretical and experimental biologists. On the other hand, we see their theory still at its infancy, because there are plenty more parameters to consider and there are spaces for debates, such as the cases of haploid embryo development [4]. Here, we briefly comment on the dynamic process of epigenetic reprogramming that goes beyond DNA methylation, a dynamic interplay that involves histone modifications, non-coding RNAs, transposable elements et al., as well as the potential input of the various types of 'hereditary' epigenetic information in the gametes - a game that has started before the fertilization.

Continuous model for the rock-scissors-paper game between bacteriocin producing bacteria.

PubMed

Neumann, Gunter; Schuster, Stefan

2007-06-01

In this work, important aspects of bacteriocin producing bacteria and their interplay are elucidated. Various attempts to model the resistant, producer and sensitive Escherichia coli strains in the so-called rock-scissors-paper (RSP) game had been made in the literature. The question arose whether there is a continuous model with a cyclic structure and admitting an oscillatory dynamics as observed in various experiments. The May-Leonard system admits a Hopf bifurcation, which is, however, degenerate and hence inadequate. The traditional differential equation model of the RSP-game cannot be applied either to the bacteriocin system because it involves positive interaction terms. In this paper, a plausible competitive Lotka-Volterra system model of the RSP game is presented and the dynamics generated by that model is analyzed. For the first time, a continuous, spatially homogeneous model that describes the competitive interaction between bacteriocin-producing, resistant and sensitive bacteria is established. The interaction terms have negative coefficients. In some experiments, for example, in mice cultures, migration seemed to be essential for the reinfection in the RSP cycle. Often statistical and spatial effects such as migration and mutation are regarded to be essential for periodicity. Our model gives rise to oscillatory dynamics in the RSP game without such effects. Here, a normal form description of the limit cycle and conditions for its stability are derived. The toxicity of the bacteriocin is used as a bifurcation parameter. Exact parameter ranges are obtained for which a stable (robust) limit cycle and a stable heteroclinic cycle exist in the three-species game. These parameters are in good accordance with the observed relations for the E. coli strains. The roles of growth rate and growth yield of the three strains are discussed. Numerical calculations show that the sensitive, which might be regarded as the weakest, can have the longest sojourn times.

Drinking game participation, gender performance and normalization of intoxication among Nigerian university students.

PubMed

Dumbili, Emeka; Williams, Clare

2017-06-01

Most research on drinking games (DGs) and the associated risks focuses on Western countries. In the Nigerian context, DGs activity has not attracted scholarly attention but growing media reports indicate that Nigerian youths play DGs, and that a number of gamers have died during or immediately after game-playing. Drawing on gender performance scripts, we explored the performance of gender through DGs practices and the factors that motivate DGs participation. Thirty-one in-depth interviews were conducted with male and female college students (aged 19-23 years) at a university in south-eastern Nigeria. The participants discussed the popularity of the DGs that students play on this campus, identifying the spaces where each game is played and the motivations for game-playing. Collective, contextual constructions of gender identities through 'Fastest-Drinker' DG were identified, and the participants also performed gender through 'Truth-or-Dare' and 'Endurance' DGs. Men dominated 'First-to-Finish' DGs, which are played at parties and bars, and consumed beer or stout, while women, who mainly played Truth-or-Dare games, drank spirits or sweetened alcoholic beverages. Boredom and fun seeking provoked game-playing among women while adherence to masculinity norms, which engendered the public performance of masculinity and gambling activities, motivated men to play DGs. To avoid 'collective shame', men's friendship groups provided support/care for inebriated game-playing members, but the immediacy of this support/care varied according to DGs type. DGs appear to normalize heavy drinking and the culture of intoxication on this campus. Measures to monitor alcohol sales outlets around campuses and interventions that target students' leisure spaces should be developed.

Smartphone use and smartphone addiction in middle school students in Korea: Prevalence, social networking service, and game use.

PubMed

Cha, Seong-Soo; Seo, Bo-Kyung

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine smartphone use patterns, smartphone addiction characteristics, and the predictive factors of the smartphone addiction in middle school students in South Korea. According to the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale scores, 563 (30.9%) were classified as a risk group for smartphone addiction and 1261 (69.1%) were identified as a normal user group. The adolescents used mobile messengers for the longest, followed by Internet surfing, gaming, and social networking service use. The two groups showed significant differences in smartphone use duration, awareness of game overuse, and purposes of playing games. The predictive factors of smartphone addiction were daily smartphone and social networking service use duration, and the awareness of game overuse.

Smartphone use and smartphone addiction in middle school students in Korea: Prevalence, social networking service, and game use

PubMed Central

Cha, Seong-Soo; Seo, Bo-Kyung

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine smartphone use patterns, smartphone addiction characteristics, and the predictive factors of the smartphone addiction in middle school students in South Korea. According to the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale scores, 563 (30.9%) were classified as a risk group for smartphone addiction and 1261 (69.1%) were identified as a normal user group. The adolescents used mobile messengers for the longest, followed by Internet surfing, gaming, and social networking service use. The two groups showed significant differences in smartphone use duration, awareness of game overuse, and purposes of playing games. The predictive factors of smartphone addiction were daily smartphone and social networking service use duration, and the awareness of game overuse. PMID:29435355

Quantum game theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stohler, Michael Lehman

2002-01-01

Non-cooperative quantum games have received much attention recently. This thesis defines and divides current works into two major categories of gaming techniques with close attention paid to Nash equilibria, form and possibilities for the payoff functions, and the benefits of using a quantum strategy. In addition to comparing and contrasting these techniques, new applications and calculations are discussed. Finally, the techniques are expanded into 3 x 3 games which allows the study of non-transitive strategies in quantum games.

Existence of equilibria in quantum Bertrand-Edgeworth duopoly game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, Yohei; Sakahara, Kiri; Sato, Takashi

2012-12-01

Both classical and quantum version of two models of price competition in duopoly market, the one is realistic and the other is idealized, are investigated. The pure strategy Nash equilibria of the realistic model exists under stricter condition than that of the idealized one in the classical form game. This is the problem known as Edgeworth paradox in economics. In the quantum form game, however, the former converges to the latter as the measure of entanglement goes to infinity.

Extended Parrondo's game and Brownian ratchets: strong and weak Parrondo effect.

PubMed

Wu, Degang; Szeto, Kwok Yip

2014-02-01

Inspired by the flashing ratchet, Parrondo's game presents an apparently paradoxical situation. Parrondo's game consists of two individual games, game A and game B. Game A is a slightly losing coin-tossing game. Game B has two coins, with an integer parameter M. If the current cumulative capital (in discrete unit) is a multiple of M, an unfavorable coin p(b) is used, otherwise a favorable p(g) coin is used. Paradoxically, a combination of game A and game B could lead to a winning game, which is the Parrondo effect. We extend the original Parrondo's game to include the possibility of M being either M(1) or M(2). Also, we distinguish between strong Parrondo effect, i.e., two losing games combine to form a winning game, and weak Parrondo effect, i.e., two games combine to form a better-performing game. We find that when M(2) is not a multiple of M(1), the combination of B(M(1)) and B(M(2)) has strong and weak Parrondo effect for some subsets in the parameter space (p(b),p(g)), while there is neither strong nor weak effect when M(2) is a multiple of M(1). Furthermore, when M(2) is not a multiple of M(1), a stochastic mixture of game A may cancel the strong and weak Parrondo effect. Following a discretization scheme in the literature of Parrondo's game, we establish a link between our extended Parrondo's game with the analysis of discrete Brownian ratchet. We find a relation between the Parrondo effect of our extended model to the macroscopic bias in a discrete ratchet. The slope of a ratchet potential can be mapped to the fair game condition in the extended model, so that under some conditions, the macroscopic bias in a discrete ratchet can provide a good predictor for the game performance of the extended model. On the other hand, our extended model suggests a design of a ratchet in which the potential is a mixture of two periodic potentials.

Form One Students' Engagement with Computer Games and Its Effect on Their Academic Achievement in a Malaysian Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eow, Yee Leng; Wan Ali, Wan Zah bte; Mahmud, Rosnaini bt.; Baki, Roselan

2009-01-01

The main purpose of the study was to address the association between computer games and students' academic achievement. The exceptional growth in numbers of children playing computer games, the uneasiness and incomplete understanding foundation when starting the discussion on computer games have stimulated this study to be conducted. From a survey…

Mario Math with Millennials: The Impact of Playing the Nintendo DS on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelman, Adam

2010-01-01

One of the biggest innovations of the last century has been the invention of the video game. Video games are an extremely popular form of entertainment today. While some question the use of video games in education, others argue that video games are one innovation that if introduced into the classroom, might change how teachers effectively engage…

Cats and Portals: Video Games, Learning, and Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, James Paul

2008-01-01

The author builds on arguments he has made elsewhere that good commercial video games foster deep learning and problem solving and that such games in fact promote mastery as a form of play. Here he maintains that some good video games engage players with an important type of play, namely of play as discovery, of play as surmising new possibilities…

Periodic Table Target: A Game that Introduces the Biological Significance of Chemical Element Periodicity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevcik, Richard S.; McGinty, Ragan L.; Schultz, Linda D.; Alexander, Susan V.

2008-01-01

Periodic Table Target, a game for middle school or high school students, familiarizes students with the form of the periodic table and the biological significance of different elements. The Periodic Table Target game board is constructed as a class project, and the game is played to reinforce the content. Students are assigned several elements…

The Game of History: A Creative Review Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Christine

2005-01-01

About eight days before final exams, teacher, Christine Bell, gives her students a study guide and a new assignment: to create their own board game. She groups students into threes. They have a week or so to prepare their game, the form of which should be based on anything of interest. The key is that the content of their game must include one…

Teaching Intelligent Design or Sparking Interest in Science? What Players Do with Will Wright's Spore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Trevor

2012-01-01

The 2008 commercial video game "Spore" allowed more than a million players to design their own life forms. Starting from single-celled organisms players played through a caricature of natural history. Press coverage of the game's release offer two frames for thinking about the implications of the game. Some scientists and educators saw the game as…

Using Biometric Measurement in Real-Time as a Sympathetic System in Computer Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charij, Stephanie; Oikonomou, Andreas

2013-01-01

With the increasing potential for gaming hardware and peripherals to support biometrics, their application within the games industry for software and design should be considered. This paper assesses the ability to use a form of biometric measurement, heart rate, in real-time to improve the challenge and enjoyment of a game by catering it to…

Predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use using a decision tree model

PubMed Central

Rho, Mi Jung; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Chun, Ji-Won; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Choi, In Young; Kim, Dai-Jin

2016-01-01

Background and aims Problematic Internet game use is an important social issue that increases social expenditures for both individuals and nations. This study identified predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use. Methods Data were collected from online surveys between November 26 and December 26, 2014. We identified 3,881 Internet game users from a total of 5,003 respondents. A total of 511 participants were assigned to the problematic Internet game user group according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Internet gaming disorder criteria. From the remaining 3,370 participants, we used propensity score matching to develop a normal comparison group of 511 participants. In all, 1,022 participants were analyzed using the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm. Results According to the CHAID algorithm, six important predictors were found: gaming costs (50%), average weekday gaming time (23%), offline Internet gaming community meeting attendance (13%), average weekend and holiday gaming time (7%), marital status (4%), and self-perceptions of addiction to Internet game use (3%). In addition, three patterns out of six classification rules were explored: cost-consuming, socializing, and solitary gamers. Conclusion This study provides direction for future work on the screening of problematic Internet game use in adults. PMID:27499227

Predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use using a decision tree model.

PubMed

Rho, Mi Jung; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Chun, Ji-Won; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Choi, In Young; Kim, Dai-Jin

2016-09-01

Background and aims Problematic Internet game use is an important social issue that increases social expenditures for both individuals and nations. This study identified predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use. Methods Data were collected from online surveys between November 26 and December 26, 2014. We identified 3,881 Internet game users from a total of 5,003 respondents. A total of 511 participants were assigned to the problematic Internet game user group according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Internet gaming disorder criteria. From the remaining 3,370 participants, we used propensity score matching to develop a normal comparison group of 511 participants. In all, 1,022 participants were analyzed using the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm. Results According to the CHAID algorithm, six important predictors were found: gaming costs (50%), average weekday gaming time (23%), offline Internet gaming community meeting attendance (13%), average weekend and holiday gaming time (7%), marital status (4%), and self-perceptions of addiction to Internet game use (3%). In addition, three patterns out of six classification rules were explored: cost-consuming, socializing, and solitary gamers. Conclusion This study provides direction for future work on the screening of problematic Internet game use in adults.

Board Game in Physics Classes—a Proposal for a New Method of Student Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dziob, Daniel

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of assessing students' achievements in a physics course in the form of a group board game. Research was conducted in two groups of 131 high school students in Poland. In each school, the research sample was divided into experimental and control groups. Each group was taught by the same teacher and participated in the same courses and tests before the game. Just after finishing the course on waves and vibrations (school 1) and optics (school 2), experimental groups took part in a group board game to assess their knowledge. One week after the game, the experimental and control groups (not involved in the game) took part in the post-tests. Students from the experimental groups performed better in the game than in the tests given before the game. As well their results in the post-tests were significantly higher statistically than students from the control groups. Simultaneously, student's opinions in the experimental groups about the board game as an assessment method were collected in an open-descriptive form and in a short questionnaire, and analyzed. Results showed that students experienced a positive attitude toward the assessment method, a reduction of test anxiety and an increase in their motivation for learning.

METRO-APEX Volume 1.1: Game Overall Director's Manual. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Southern California, Los Angeles. COMEX Research Project.

The Game Overall Director's Manual is one of a set of twenty-one manuals used in METRO-APEX 1974, a computerized college and professional level, computer-supported, role-play, simulation exercise of a community with "normal" problems. Stress is placed on environmental quality considerations. APEX 1974 is an expansion of APEX--Air…

PET imaging and quantitation of Internet-addicted patients and normal controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Ha-Kyu; Kim, Hee-Joung; Jung, Haijo; Son, Hye-Kyung; Kim, Dong-Hyeon; Yun, Mijin; Shin, Yee-Jin; Lee, Jong-Doo

2002-04-01

Internet addicted patients (IAPs) have widely been increased, as Internet games are becoming very popular in daily life. The purpose of this study was to investigate regional brain activation patterns associated with excessive use of Internet games in adolescents. Six normal controls (NCs) and eight IAPs who were classified as addiction group by adapted version of DSM-IV for pathologic gambling were participated. 18F-FDG PET studies were performed for all adolescents at their rest and activated condition after 20 minutes of each subject's favorite Internet game. To investigate quantitative metabolic differences in both groups, all possible combinations of group comparison were carried out using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM 99). Regional brain activation foci were identified on Talairach coordinate. SPM results showed increased metabolic activation in occipital lobes for both groups. Higher metabolisms were seen at resting condition in IAPs than that of in NCs. In comparison to both groups, IAPs showed different patterns of regional brain metabolic activation compared with that of NCs. It suggests that addictive use of Internet games may result in functional alteration of developing brain in adolescents.

Energy cost of exergaming: a comparison of the energy cost of 6 forms of exergaming.

PubMed

Bailey, Bruce W; McInnis, Kyle

2011-07-01

To determine the relative effect of interactive digital exercise that features player movement (ie, exergames) on energy expenditure among children of various body mass indexes (BMIs; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). Comparison study. GoKids Boston, a youth fitness research and training center located at University of Massachusetts, Boston. Thirty-nine boys and girls (mean [SD] age, 11.5 [2.0] years) recruited from local schools and after-school programs. Six forms of exergaming as well as treadmill walking. In addition to treadmill walking at 3 miles per hour (to convert miles to kilometers, multiply by 1.6), energy expenditure of the following exergames were examined: Dance Dance Revolution, LightSpace (Bug Invasion), Nintendo Wii (Boxing), Cybex Trazer (Goalie Wars), Sportwall, and Xavix (J-Mat). Energy expenditure was measured using the CosMed K4B2 portable metabolic cart. All forms of interactive gaming evaluated in our study increased energy expenditure above rest, with no between-group differences among normal (BMI < 85th percentile) and "at-risk" or overweight (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) children (P ≥ .05). Walking at 3 miles per hour resulted in a mean (SD) metabolic equivalent task value of 4.9 (0.7), whereas the intensity of exergaming resulted in mean (SD) metabolic equivalent task values of 4.2 (1.6) for Wii, 5.4 (1.8) for Dance Dance Revolution, 6.4 (1.6) for LightSpace, 7.0 (1.8) for Xavix, 5.9 (1.5) for Cybex Trazer, and 7.1 (1.7) for Sportwall. Enjoyment of the games was generally high but was highest for children with BMIs in the highest percentiles. All games used in our study elevated energy expenditure to moderate or vigorous intensity. Exergaming has the potential to increase physical activity and have a favorable influence on energy balance, and may be a viable alternative to traditional fitness activities for children of various BMI levels.

Good clean fun? A content analysis of profanity in video games and its prevalence across game systems and ratings.

PubMed

Ivory, James D; Williams, Dmitri; Martins, Nicole; Consalvo, Mia

2009-08-01

Although violent video game content and its effects have been examined extensively by empirical research, verbal aggression in the form of profanity has received less attention. Building on preliminary findings from previous studies, an extensive content analysis of profanity in video games was conducted using a sample of the 150 top-selling video games across all popular game platforms (including home consoles, portable consoles, and personal computers). The frequency of profanity, both in general and across three profanity categories, was measured and compared to games' ratings, sales, and platforms. Generally, profanity was found in about one in five games and appeared primarily in games rated for teenagers or above. Games containing profanity, however, tended to contain it frequently. Profanity was not found to be related to games' sales or platforms.

Gamble While You Gamble: Electronic Games in Ontario Charitable Gaming Centres.

PubMed

Harrigan, Kevin; Brown, Dan; MacLaren, Vance

Electronic Bingo games have recently appeared in Ontario Charitable Gaming Centres. Here we summarize the characteristics of this novel form of electronic gambling, and give a detailed characterization of one game. We contend that these games have structural characteristics that make them similar to modern Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) that feature multiline slots games. These features include a fast and continuous gaming experience, with player adjustable win size and reinforcement rate, a high frequency of losses disguised as wins, and highly salient near misses. Some of these games also have bonus rounds and provide players with a list of recent wins. We conclude that provincial and state gaming authorities should be aware that the placement of Bingo EGMs in existing Bingo facilities may increase problem gambling among an already well-established community of Bingo enthusiasts.

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement.

PubMed

Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-03-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students' game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students' development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students' Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students' Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of the game forms played by students either inhibited or enabled their game-play development.

Designing Business Games for the Service Industries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sculli, Domenic; Ng, Wing Cheong

1985-01-01

Presents a conceptual framework for design of business games in which output is in the form of service. The framework is presented as three separate systems--the physical, the financial, and the external environment. A hotel management game is used to illustrate the discussion. (Author/MBR)

Energy expenditure and enjoyment during video game play: differences by game type.

PubMed

Lyons, Elizabeth J; Tate, Deborah F; Ward, Dianne S; Bowling, J Michael; Ribisl, Kurt M; Kalyararaman, Sriram

2011-10-01

Play of physically active video games may be a way to increase physical activity and/or decrease sedentary behavior, but games are not universally active or enjoyable. Active games may differ from traditional games on important attributes, which may affect frequency and intensity of play. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in energy expenditure and enjoyment across four game types: shooter (played with traditional controllers), band simulation (guitar or drum controller), dance simulation (dance mat controller), and fitness (balance board controller). Energy expenditure (METs) and enjoyment were measured across 10 games in 100 young adults age 18-35 yr (50 women). All games except shooter games significantly increased energy expenditure over rest (P < 0.001). Fitness and dance games increased energy expenditure by 322% (mean ± SD = 3.10 ± 0.89 METs) and 298% (2.91 ± 0.87 METs), which was greater than that produced by band simulation (73%, 1.28 ± 0.28 METs) and shooter games (23%, 0.91 ± 0.16 METs). However, enjoyment was higher in band simulation games than in other types (P < 0.001). Body mass-corrected energy expenditure was greater in normal weight than in overweight participants in the two most active game types (P < 0.001). Active video games can significantly increase energy expended during screen time, but these games are less enjoyable than other more sedentary games, suggesting that they may be less likely to be played over time. Less active but more enjoyable video games may be a promising method for decreasing sedentary behavior.

Energy Expenditure and Enjoyment during Video Game Play: Differences by Game Type

PubMed Central

Lyons, Elizabeth J.; Tate, Deborah F.; Ward, Dianne S.; Bowling, J. Michael; Ribisl, Kurt M.; Kalyararaman, Sriram

2012-01-01

Purpose Play of physically active video games may be a way to increase physical activity and/or decrease sedentary behavior, but games are not universally active or enjoyable. Active games may differ from traditional games on important attributes, which may affect frequency and intensity of play. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in energy expenditure and enjoyment across four game types: shooter (played with traditional controllers), band simulation (guitar or drum controller), dance simulation (dance mat controller), and fitness (balance board controller). Methods Energy expenditure (metabolic equivalents [METs]) and enjoyment were measured across ten games in 100 young adults aged 18 to 35 (50 females). Results All games except shooter games significantly increased energy expenditure over rest (P < .001). Fitness and dance games increased energy expenditure by 322 (mean [SD] 3.10 [0.89] METs) and 298 (2.91 [0.87] METs) percent, which was greater than that produced by band simulation (73%, 1.28 [0.28] METs) and shooter games (23%, 0.91 [0.16] METs). However, enjoyment was higher in band simulation games than in other types (P < .001). Body mass-corrected energy expenditure was greater in normal weight than overweight participants in the two most active game types (P < .001). Conclusions Active video games can significantly increase energy expended during screen time, but these games are less enjoyable than other more sedentary games, suggesting that they may be less likely to be played over time. Less active but more enjoyable video games may be a promising method for decreasing sedentary behavior. PMID:21364477

Analysis of Biosignals During Immersion in Computer Games.

PubMed

Yeo, Mina; Lim, Seokbeen; Yoon, Gilwon

2017-11-17

The number of computer game users is increasing as computers and various IT devices in connection with the Internet are commonplace in all ages. In this research, in order to find the relevance of behavioral activity and its associated biosignal, biosignal changes before and after as well as during computer games were measured and analyzed for 31 subjects. For this purpose, a device to measure electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram and skin temperature was developed such that the effect of motion artifacts could be minimized. The device was made wearable for convenient measurement. The game selected for the experiments was League of Legends™. Analysis on the pulse transit time, heart rate variability and skin temperature showed increased sympathetic nerve activities during computer game, while the parasympathetic nerves became less active. Interestingly, the sympathetic predominance group showed less change in the heart rate variability as compared to the normal group. The results can be valuable for studying internet gaming disorder.

Choice of Human-Computer Interaction Mode in Stroke Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Mousavi Hondori, Hossein; Khademi, Maryam; Dodakian, Lucy; McKenzie, Alison; Lopes, Cristina V; Cramer, Steven C

2016-03-01

Advances in technology are providing new forms of human-computer interaction. The current study examined one form of human-computer interaction, augmented reality (AR), whereby subjects train in the real-world workspace with virtual objects projected by the computer. Motor performances were compared with those obtained while subjects used a traditional human-computer interaction, that is, a personal computer (PC) with a mouse. Patients used goal-directed arm movements to play AR and PC versions of the Fruit Ninja video game. The 2 versions required the same arm movements to control the game but had different cognitive demands. With AR, the game was projected onto the desktop, where subjects viewed the game plus their arm movements simultaneously, in the same visual coordinate space. In the PC version, subjects used the same arm movements but viewed the game by looking up at a computer monitor. Among 18 patients with chronic hemiparesis after stroke, the AR game was associated with 21% higher game scores (P = .0001), 19% faster reaching times (P = .0001), and 15% less movement variability (P = .0068), as compared to the PC game. Correlations between game score and arm motor status were stronger with the AR version. Motor performances during the AR game were superior to those during the PC game. This result is due in part to the greater cognitive demands imposed by the PC game, a feature problematic for some patients but clinically useful for others. Mode of human-computer interface influences rehabilitation therapy demands and can be individualized for patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

Evolution of cooperation among tumor cells.

PubMed

Axelrod, Robert; Axelrod, David E; Pienta, Kenneth J

2006-09-05

The evolution of cooperation has a well established theoretical framework based on game theory. This approach has made valuable contributions to a wide variety of disciplines, including political science, economics, and evolutionary biology. Existing cancer theory suggests that individual clones of cancer cells evolve independently from one another, acquiring all of the genetic traits or hallmarks necessary to form a malignant tumor. It is also now recognized that tumors are heterotypic, with cancer cells interacting with normal stromal cells within the tissue microenvironment, including endothelial, stromal, and nerve cells. This tumor cell-stromal cell interaction in itself is a form of commensalism, because it has been demonstrated that these nonmalignant cells support and even enable tumor growth. Here, we add to this theory by regarding tumor cells as game players whose interactions help to determine their Darwinian fitness. We marshal evidence that tumor cells overcome certain host defenses by means of diffusible products. Our original contribution is to raise the possibility that two nearby cells can protect each other from a set of host defenses that neither could survive alone. Cooperation can evolve as by-product mutualism among genetically diverse tumor cells. Our hypothesis supplements, but does not supplant, the traditional view of carcinogenesis in which one clonal population of cells develops all of the necessary genetic traits independently to form a tumor. Cooperation through the sharing of diffusible products raises new questions about tumorigenesis and has implications for understanding observed phenomena, designing new experiments, and developing new therapeutic approaches.

Enhancement of allergic skin wheal responses in patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome by playing video games or by a frequently ringing mobile phone.

PubMed

Kimata, H

2003-06-01

Playing video games causes physical and psychological stress, including increased heart rate and blood pressure and aggression-related feelings. Use of mobile phones is very popular in Japan, and frequent ringing is a common and intrusive part of Japanese life. Atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome is often exacerbated by stress. Stress increases serum IgE levels, skews cytokine pattern towards Th2 type, enhances allergen-induced skin wheal responses, and triggers mast cell degranulation via substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor. (1). In the video game study, normal subjects (n = 25), patients with allergic rhinitis (n = 25) or atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (n = 25) played a video game (STREET FIGHTER II) for 2 h. Before and after the study, allergen-induced wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor, and in vitro production of total IgE, antihouse dust mite IgE and cytokines were measured. (2). In the mobile phone study, normal subjects (n = 27), patients with allergic rhinitis (n = 27) or atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (n = 27) were exposed to 30 incidences of ringing mobile phones during 30 min. Before and after the study, allergen-induced wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor were measured. Playing video games had no effect on the normal subjects or the patients with allergic rhinitis. In contrast, playing video games significantly enhanced allergen-induced skin wheal responses and increased plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factors in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. Moreover, playing video games enhanced in vitro production of total IgE and anti-house dust mite IgE with concomitant increased production of IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 and decreased production of IFN-gamma and IL-12 in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. However, exposure to frequently ringing mobile phones significantly enhanced allergen-induced skin wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factors in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome, but not in the normal subjects or the patients with allergic rhinitis. Playing video games enhanced allergic responses with a concomitant increased release of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor, and skewing of the cytokine pattern toward Th2 type in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. In addition, exposure to frequently ringing mobile phones also enhanced allergic responses with a concomitant increased release of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor Collectively, high technology causes stress, which in turn may aggravate symptoms of atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome.

Emergence of Super Cooperation of Prisoner’s Dilemma Games on Scale-Free Networks

PubMed Central

Li, Angsheng; Yong, Xi

2015-01-01

Recently, the authors proposed a quantum prisoner’s dilemma game based on the spatial game of Nowak and May, and showed that the game can be played classically. By using this idea, we proposed three generalized prisoner’s dilemma (GPD, for short) games based on the weak Prisoner’s dilemma game, the full prisoner’s dilemma game and the normalized Prisoner’s dilemma game, written by GPDW, GPDF and GPDN respectively. Our games consist of two players, each of which has three strategies: cooperator (C), defector (D) and super cooperator (denoted by Q), and have a parameter γ to measure the entangled relationship between the two players. We found that our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games have new Nash equilibrium principles, that entanglement is the principle of emergence and convergence (i.e., guaranteed emergence) of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games on scale-free networks, that entanglement provides a threshold for a phase transition of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games on scale-free networks, that the role of heterogeneity of the scale-free networks in cooperations and super cooperations is very limited, and that well-defined structures of scale-free networks allow coexistence of cooperators and super cooperators in the evolutions of the weak version of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games. PMID:25643279

Does playing blindfold chess reduce the quality of game: comments on chabris and hearst (2003).

PubMed

Jeremic, Veljko; Vukmirovic, Dragan; Radojicic, Zoran

2010-01-01

Blindfold chess is a special type of chess game where both the board and pieces are not visible to its players. This paper aims to determine whether the quality of the game played blindfolded is lower than when played under normal conditions. The best chess program was used to analyze games played by the world's top Grandmasters under both conditions. We have analyzed the Monaco 1993-1998 data set introduced by Chabris and Hearst (2003). The results showed that although a larger number of mistakes occurred while playing blindfolded, no significant statistical difference between the rapid and blindfold games has been found. Nevertheless, by applying the same methodology to the Monaco 2002-2007 data set a substantial difference between the blindfold and the rapid chess game was noticed. In this paper, we have addressed the possible improvement of the chess game quality and the advances in chess programs that may be responsible for detecting more blunders. Copyright © 2009 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Effects of Varied Enhancement Strategies (Chunking, Feedback, Gaming) in Complementing Animated Instruction in Facilitating Different Types of Learning Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munyofu, Mine

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the instructional effectiveness of different levels of chunking (simple visual/text and complex visual/text), different forms of feedback (item-by-item feedback, end-of-test feedback and no feedback), and use of instructional gaming (game and no game) in complementing animated programmed instruction on a…

Keys to Successful Interactive Storytelling: A Study of the Booming "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" Video Game Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyndale, Eric; Ramsoomair, Franklin

2016-01-01

Video gaming has become a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to capture the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of millions of gamers who span all ages. Narrative and interactive games form part of this market. The popularity of tablet computers and the technological advances of video games have led to a renaissance in the genre for both youth…

The Growth of the Native American Gaming Industry: What Has the Past Provided, and What Does the Future Hold?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaap, James I.

2010-01-01

This article presents a review which embodies a general inquiry about the growth of the Native American gaming industry and possibilities the future may hold for America's indigenous people. Tribal gaming is different from other forms of gaming. It is conducted by Native American governments as a way to carry out their natural self-governing…

The Differences in Motivations of Online Game Players and Offline Game Players: A Combined Analysis of Three Studies at Higher Education Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hainey, Tom; Connolly, Thomas; Stansfield, Mark; Boyle, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Computer games have become a highly popular form of entertainment and have had a large impact on how University students spend their leisure time. Due to their highly motivating properties computer games have come to the attention of educationalists who wish to exploit these highly desirable properties for educational purposes. Several studies…

Uncovering Young Children's Transformative Digital Game Play through the Exploration of Three-Year-Old Children's Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huh, Youn Jung

2017-01-01

In contrast to studies focusing on digital games as learning tools, this study shows how young children use digital games as a means of facilitating spontaneous play in their everyday lives. This article highlights how 4 three-year-old children's play with digital games revealed their ability to create new forms of play by mixing their digital…

Football league win prediction based on online and league table data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Par, Prateek; Gupt, Ankit Kumar; Singh, Samarth; Khare, Neelu; Bhattachrya, Sweta

2017-11-01

As we are proceeding towards an internet driven world, the impact of internet is increasing in our day to lives. This not only gives impact on the virtual world but also leave a mark in the real world. The social media sites contains huge amount of information, the only thing is to collect the relevant data and analyse the data to form a real world prediction and it can do far more than that. In this paper we study the relationship between the twitter data and the normal data analysis to predict the winning team in the NFL (National Football League).The prediction is based on the data collected on the on-going league which includes performance of each player and their previous statistics. Alongside with the data available online we are combining the twitter data which we extracted by the tweets pertaining to specific teams and games in the NFL season and use them alongside statistical game data to build predictive models for future or the outcome of the game i.e. which team will lose or win depending upon the statistical data available. Specifically the tweets within the 24 hours of match will be considered and the main focus of twitter data will be upon the last hours of tweets i.e. pre-match twitter data and post-match twitter data. We are experimenting on the data and using twitter data we are trying to increase the performance of the existing predictive models that uses only the game stats to predict the future.

Can motivation normalize working memory and task persistence in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? The effects of money and computer-gaming.

PubMed

Dovis, Sebastiaan; Van der Oord, Saskia; Wiers, Reinout W; Prins, Pier J M

2012-07-01

Visual-spatial Working Memory (WM) is the most impaired executive function in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Some suggest that deficits in executive functioning are caused by motivational deficits. However, there are no studies that investigate the effects of motivation on the visual-spatial WM of children with- and without ADHD. Studies examining this in executive functions other than WM, show inconsistent results. These inconsistencies may be related to differences in the reinforcement used. The effects of different reinforcers on WM performance were investigated in 30 children with ADHD and 31 non-ADHD controls. A visual-spatial WM task was administered in four reinforcement conditions: Feedback-only, 1 euro, 10 euros, and a computer-game version of the task. In the Feedback-only condition, children with ADHD performed worse on the WM measure than controls. Although incentives significantly improved the WM performance of children with ADHD, even the strongest incentives (10 euros and Gaming) were unable to normalize their performance. Feedback-only provided sufficient reinforcement for controls to reach optimal performance, while children with ADHD required extra reinforcement. Only children with ADHD showed a decrease in performance over time. Importantly, the strongest incentives (10 euros and Gaming) normalized persistence of performance in these children, whereas 1 euro had no such effect. Both executive and motivational deficits give rise to visual-spatial WM deficits in ADHD. Problems with task-persistence in ADHD result from motivational deficits. In ADHD-reinforcement studies and clinical practice (e.g., assessment), reinforcement intensity can be a confounding factor and should be taken into account. Gaming can be a cost-effective way to maximize performance in ADHD.

Working Memory Training in the Form of Structured Games in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Khalili Kermani, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Yadegari, Fariba; Haresabadi, Fatemeh; Sadeghi, Seyed Mehdi

2016-01-01

Objective: In this study, a new training method of working memory (WM) was used in the form of structured games, and the effect of training was evaluated with a controlled design. The training method of WM in the form of structured games includes 20 sets of structured games that can improve WM and performance of executive functions. Method: Sixty children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aged 8.5 to 11.2 years (35 boys), using no stimulant medication were selected. We randomly assigned 30 participants to the experimental group and provided them with WM training. The training was in the form of structured games and was offered to the participants in two 60-minute sessions weekly for 12 weeks. Other participants were assigned to the control group, receiving no treatment. All the participants were also evaluated at follow-up 6 months later. The main measures were the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Digit Span and Symbol Search B subscale of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV); and scores of dictation and mathematics were used in terms of pre and post-test. Results: The results of the t-test revealed a significant improvement in the post-test measures as well as a significant reduction of parents’ reports of inattentiveness, and improvement in academic performance in the experimental group. However, no significant changes were found in the control group. Conclusion: The academic and working memory improvements were primarily due to the training method of WM. Our findings suggest that the training method of WM in the form of structured games may be a practical method for treating children with ADHD, but it needs to be further investigated. PMID:28050182

Working Memory Training in the Form of Structured Games in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Khalili Kermani, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Yadegari, Fariba; Haresabadi, Fatemeh; Sadeghi, Seyed Mehdi

2016-10-01

Objective: In this study, a new training method of working memory (WM) was used in the form of structured games, and the effect of training was evaluated with a controlled design. The training method of WM in the form of structured games includes 20 sets of structured games that can improve WM and performance of executive functions. Method: Sixty children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aged 8.5 to 11.2 years (35 boys), using no stimulant medication were selected. We randomly assigned 30 participants to the experimental group and provided them with WM training. The training was in the form of structured games and was offered to the participants in two 60-minute sessions weekly for 12 weeks. Other participants were assigned to the control group, receiving no treatment. All the participants were also evaluated at follow-up 6 months later. The main measures were the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Digit Span and Symbol Search B subscale of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV); and scores of dictation and mathematics were used in terms of pre and post-test. Results: The results of the t-test revealed a significant improvement in the post-test measures as well as a significant reduction of parents' reports of inattentiveness, and improvement in academic performance in the experimental group. However, no significant changes were found in the control group. Conclusion : The academic and working memory improvements were primarily due to the training method of WM. Our findings suggest that the training method of WM in the form of structured games may be a practical method for treating children with ADHD, but it needs to be further investigated.

Problematic Gaming Behavior Among Finnish Junior High School Students: Relation to Socio-Demographics and Gaming Behavior Characteristics.

PubMed

Männikkö, Niko; Ruotsalainen, Heidi; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Lopez-Fernandez, Olatz; Myllymäki, Laura; Miettunen, Jouko; Kääriäinen, Maria

2017-09-14

Multiplatform digital media use and gaming have been increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to examine associations between sociodemographics and digital gaming behavior characteristics (i.e., gaming time, medium, and genres) with problematic gaming behavior in adolescents. A convenience sample of Finnish junior high school students (n = 560; mean age 14 years, ranging from 12 to 16 years) participated in the cross-sectional survey, of which, 83% (n = 465) reported having played digital games regularly. Sociodemographic data, different forms of digital media use, gaming behavior characteristics and problematic gaming behavior was assessed. Study participants spent on average one hour per day playing digital games; casual games (23.9%), shooting games (19.8%), and sport games (12.9%), were the most popular games among participants. By using regression analysis, a blended family structure and gaming time related positively to problematic gaming behavior. Preferences for game genres such as solo, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing and strategy-management games were also positively associated with problematic use of digital games. These findings provide knowledge that can be utilized in the prevention of the possible negative consequences of digital gaming.

Unfavorable Individuals in Social Gaming Networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Yichao; Chen, Guanrong; Guan, Jihong; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Zhou, Shuigeng

2015-12-09

In social gaming networks, the current research focus has been on the origin of widespread reciprocal behaviors when individuals play non-cooperative games. In this paper, we investigate the topological properties of unfavorable individuals in evolutionary games. The unfavorable individuals are defined as the individuals gaining the lowest average payoff in a round of game. Since the average payoff is normally considered as a measure of fitness, the unfavorable individuals are very likely to be eliminated or change their strategy updating rules from a Darwinian perspective. Considering that humans can hardly adopt a unified strategy to play with their neighbors, we propose a divide-and-conquer game model, where individuals can interact with their neighbors in the network with appropriate strategies. We test and compare a series of highly rational strategy updating rules. In the tested scenarios, our analytical and simulation results surprisingly reveal that the less-connected individuals in degree-heterogeneous networks are more likely to become the unfavorable individuals. Our finding suggests that the connectivity of individuals as a social capital fundamentally changes the gaming environment. Our model, therefore, provides a theoretical framework for further understanding the social gaming networks.

Unfavorable Individuals in Social Gaming Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yichao; Chen, Guanrong; Guan, Jihong; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Zhou, Shuigeng

2015-12-01

In social gaming networks, the current research focus has been on the origin of widespread reciprocal behaviors when individuals play non-cooperative games. In this paper, we investigate the topological properties of unfavorable individuals in evolutionary games. The unfavorable individuals are defined as the individuals gaining the lowest average payoff in a round of game. Since the average payoff is normally considered as a measure of fitness, the unfavorable individuals are very likely to be eliminated or change their strategy updating rules from a Darwinian perspective. Considering that humans can hardly adopt a unified strategy to play with their neighbors, we propose a divide-and-conquer game model, where individuals can interact with their neighbors in the network with appropriate strategies. We test and compare a series of highly rational strategy updating rules. In the tested scenarios, our analytical and simulation results surprisingly reveal that the less-connected individuals in degree-heterogeneous networks are more likely to become the unfavorable individuals. Our finding suggests that the connectivity of individuals as a social capital fundamentally changes the gaming environment. Our model, therefore, provides a theoretical framework for further understanding the social gaming networks.

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement

PubMed Central

Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-01-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students’ game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students’ development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students’ Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students’ Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of the game forms played by students either inhibited or enabled their game-play development. Key points The effect of time fostered by the extended participation of students in consecutive seasons of the model was paramount to promote effective gains in Game Performance and Game Involvement. Specific modifications imposed on the game, such as asymmetric attack-defense game configurations had a positive effect on the development of the learning outcomes. The persistent membership that was extended across sequential units of invasion games helped players build more sophisticated game-play routines and problem-solving. PMID:29535578

Efficacy of Computer Games on Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klimova, Blanka; Kacet, Jaroslav

2017-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become an inseparable part of people's lives. For children the use of ICT is as natural as breathing and therefore they find the use of ICT in school education as normal as the use of textbooks. The purpose of this review study is to explore the efficacy of computer games on language learning…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Teixeira De Queiroz, F.

There is a game called languages and dreams. It is a game for a programmer alone. The sole objective is to determine which computing resources a programmer would most like to see become part of the language that he uses. Obviously every programmer wants new possibilities, but normally they do not get put down on paper. The author proposes a nesting system for parallel processing. 4 references.

Cell Selection Game for Densely-Deployed Sensor and Mobile Devices In 5G Networks Integrating Heterogeneous Cells and the Internet of Things.

PubMed

Wang, Lusheng; Wang, Yamei; Ding, Zhizhong; Wang, Xiumin

2015-09-18

With the rapid development of wireless networking technologies, the Internet of Things and heterogeneous cellular networks (HCNs) tend to be integrated to form a promising wireless network paradigm for 5G. Hyper-dense sensor and mobile devices will be deployed under the coverage of heterogeneous cells, so that each of them could freely select any available cell covering it and compete for resource with others selecting the same cell, forming a cell selection (CS) game between these devices. Since different types of cells usually share the same portion of the spectrum, devices selecting overlapped cells can experience severe inter-cell interference (ICI). In this article, we study the CS game among a large amount of densely-deployed sensor and mobile devices for their uplink transmissions in a two-tier HCN. ICI is embedded with the traditional congestion game (TCG), forming a congestion game with ICI (CGI) and a congestion game with capacity (CGC). For the three games above, we theoretically find the circular boundaries between the devices selecting the macrocell and those selecting the picocells, indicated by the pure strategy Nash equilibria (PSNE). Meanwhile, through a number of simulations with different picocell radii and different path loss exponents, the collapse of the PSNE impacted by severe ICI (i.e., a large number of picocell devices change their CS preferences to the macrocell) is profoundly revealed, and the collapse points are identified.

Cell Selection Game for Densely-Deployed Sensor and Mobile Devices In 5G Networks Integrating Heterogeneous Cells and the Internet of Things

PubMed Central

Wang, Lusheng; Wang, Yamei; Ding, Zhizhong; Wang, Xiumin

2015-01-01

With the rapid development of wireless networking technologies, the Internet of Things and heterogeneous cellular networks (HCNs) tend to be integrated to form a promising wireless network paradigm for 5G. Hyper-dense sensor and mobile devices will be deployed under the coverage of heterogeneous cells, so that each of them could freely select any available cell covering it and compete for resource with others selecting the same cell, forming a cell selection (CS) game between these devices. Since different types of cells usually share the same portion of the spectrum, devices selecting overlapped cells can experience severe inter-cell interference (ICI). In this article, we study the CS game among a large amount of densely-deployed sensor and mobile devices for their uplink transmissions in a two-tier HCN. ICI is embedded with the traditional congestion game (TCG), forming a congestion game with ICI (CGI) and a congestion game with capacity (CGC). For the three games above, we theoretically find the circular boundaries between the devices selecting the macrocell and those selecting the picocells, indicated by the pure strategy Nash equilibria (PSNE). Meanwhile, through a number of simulations with different picocell radii and different path loss exponents, the collapse of the PSNE impacted by severe ICI (i.e., a large number of picocell devices change their CS preferences to the macrocell) is profoundly revealed, and the collapse points are identified. PMID:26393617

Gaming in Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Aaron C.; Ernst, Jeremy V.

2009-01-01

The authors have devoted a considerable amount of time evaluating the role that gaming and game development plays in the form of curricula integration and as a future career focus for students interested in this field. From the research conducted through the completed National Science Foundation (NSF) project, VisTE: Visualization in Technology…

A Game-Theoretic Model of Grounding for Referential Communication Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, William

2009-01-01

Conversational grounding theory proposes that language use is a form of rational joint action, by which dialog participants systematically and collaboratively add to their common ground of shared knowledge and beliefs. Following recent work applying "game theory" to pragmatics, this thesis develops a game-theoretic model of grounding that…

Digital Games: Changing Education, One Raid at a Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pivec, Paul; Pivec, Maja

2011-01-01

Digital Games are becoming a new form of interactive content and game playing provides an interactive and collaborative platform for learning purposes. Collaborative learning allows participants to produce new ideas as well as to exchange information, simplify problems, and resolve the tasks. Context based collaborative learning method is based on…

eSports Gaming and You

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engerman, Jason A.; Hein, Robert J.

2017-01-01

Digital gaming communities are nuanced and developing. The eSports community has advanced in noticeable ways and represents the highest form of online competitive play for digital gaming environments. Due to the high stakes nature of eSports, its participants sit on the very edge of strategic planning boundaries and push the ceiling of…

Terminological Ambiguity: Game and Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klabbers, Jan H. G.

2009-01-01

Since its introduction in academia and professional practice during the 1950s, gaming has been linked to simulation. Although both fields have a few important characteristics in common, they are distinct in their form and underlying theories of knowledge and methodology. Nevertheless, in the literature, hybrid terms such as "gaming/simulation" and…

Inuit Games.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keewatin Regional Education Authority, Rankin Inlet (Northwest Territories).

The purpose of this publication is to record the traditional games played by the Inuit and to preserve a unique form of sports and recreation found in northern Canada. Written in English and Inupiaq, this manual contains descriptions of games played throughout the Arctic with special emphasis on the Keewatin Region, suggestions for teaching Inuit…

Gamers' insights into the phenomenology of normal gaming and game "addiction": A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Colder Carras, Michelle; Porter, Anne Marie; Van Rooij, Antonius J; King, Daniel; Lange, Amanda; Carras, Matthew; Labrique, Alain

2018-02-01

In response to calls for further research into the phenomenology of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), we used a community-engaged consensus development approach to evaluate how members of the "gamer culture" describe problematic gaming and the relationship of these descriptions to the proposed IGD criteria. Two focus groups of gamers were recruited at a video game convention. Participants were asked to submit suggestions for signs of game "addiction". Participants discussed and ranked the criteria in order of conceptual importance. The rankings were analyzed quantitatively, and then a multidisciplinary team compared the ranked criteria to the DSM-5 IGD proposed criteria. The strongest agreement between participants' rankings and IGD symptomatology was found for harms/functional impairment due to gaming, continued use despite problems, unsuccessful attempts to control gaming, and loss of interest in previous hobbies and entertainment. There was less support for other IGD criteria. Participants also offered new content domains. These findings suggest that collaborative knowledge-building approaches may help researchers and policymakers understand the characteristics and processes specific to problematic video game play and improve content validity of IGD criteria. Future efforts may benefit from multi-stakeholder approaches to refine IGD criteria and inform theory, measurement and intervention.

Why Darwin would have loved evolutionary game theory

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Humans have marvelled at the fit of form and function, the way organisms' traits seem remarkably suited to their lifestyles and ecologies. While natural selection provides the scientific basis for the fit of form and function, Darwin found certain adaptations vexing or particularly intriguing: sex ratios, sexual selection and altruism. The logic behind these adaptations resides in frequency-dependent selection where the value of a given heritable phenotype (i.e. strategy) to an individual depends upon the strategies of others. Game theory is a branch of mathematics that is uniquely suited to solving such puzzles. While game theoretic thinking enters into Darwin's arguments and those of evolutionists through much of the twentieth century, the tools of evolutionary game theory were not available to Darwin or most evolutionists until the 1970s, and its full scope has only unfolded in the last three decades. As a consequence, game theory is applied and appreciated rather spottily. Game theory not only applies to matrix games and social games, it also applies to speciation, macroevolution and perhaps even to cancer. I assert that life and natural selection are a game, and that game theory is the appropriate logic for framing and understanding adaptations. Its scope can include behaviours within species, state-dependent strategies (such as male, female and so much more), speciation and coevolution, and expands beyond microevolution to macroevolution. Game theory clarifies aspects of ecological and evolutionary stability in ways useful to understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics, niche construction and ecosystem engineering. In short, I would like to think that Darwin would have found game theory uniquely useful for his theory of natural selection. Let us see why this is so. PMID:27605503

Why Darwin would have loved evolutionary game theory.

PubMed

Brown, Joel S

2016-09-14

Humans have marvelled at the fit of form and function, the way organisms' traits seem remarkably suited to their lifestyles and ecologies. While natural selection provides the scientific basis for the fit of form and function, Darwin found certain adaptations vexing or particularly intriguing: sex ratios, sexual selection and altruism. The logic behind these adaptations resides in frequency-dependent selection where the value of a given heritable phenotype (i.e. strategy) to an individual depends upon the strategies of others. Game theory is a branch of mathematics that is uniquely suited to solving such puzzles. While game theoretic thinking enters into Darwin's arguments and those of evolutionists through much of the twentieth century, the tools of evolutionary game theory were not available to Darwin or most evolutionists until the 1970s, and its full scope has only unfolded in the last three decades. As a consequence, game theory is applied and appreciated rather spottily. Game theory not only applies to matrix games and social games, it also applies to speciation, macroevolution and perhaps even to cancer. I assert that life and natural selection are a game, and that game theory is the appropriate logic for framing and understanding adaptations. Its scope can include behaviours within species, state-dependent strategies (such as male, female and so much more), speciation and coevolution, and expands beyond microevolution to macroevolution. Game theory clarifies aspects of ecological and evolutionary stability in ways useful to understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics, niche construction and ecosystem engineering. In short, I would like to think that Darwin would have found game theory uniquely useful for his theory of natural selection. Let us see why this is so. © 2016 The Author(s).

Non-Digital Game Playing by Older Adults.

PubMed

Mortenson, W Ben; Sixsmith, Andrew; Kaufman, David

2017-09-01

Research on video games' effect on cognition and behaviour has been extensive, yet little research has explored non-digital forms of game playing, especially among older adults. As part of a larger survey on game playing, 886 respondents (≥ age 55) filled out questionnaires about non-digital game play. The study aims were to determine perceived benefits of non-digital game play and to determine socio-demographic factors that might predict perceived benefits. Survey results indicate that non-digital game playing is social in nature and common (73% of respondents) among older adults. Older adults play for fun, but also to help maintain their cognition. Regression analyses indicated various socio-demographic factors - age, education, gender, and race - were independently associated with perceived benefits from game playing. The results thus emphasize the importance of non-digital game playing in this population and suggest that efforts to facilitate game playing may improve social interactions and quality of life.

A model for treating voice disorders in school-age children within a video gaming environment.

PubMed

King, Suzanne N; Davis, Larry; Lehman, Jeffrey J; Ruddy, Bari Hoffman

2012-09-01

Clinicians use a variety of approaches to motivate children with hyperfunctional voice disorders to comply with voice therapy in a therapeutic session and improve the motivation of children to practice home-based exercises. Utilization of current entertainment technology in such approaches may improve participation and motivation in voice therapy. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using an entertainment video game as a therapy device. Prospective cohort and case-control study. Three levels of game testing were conducted to an existing entertainment video game for use as a voice therapy protocol. The game was tested by two computer programmers and five normal participants. The third level of testing was a case study with a child diagnosed with a hyperfunctional voice disorder. Modifications to the game were made after each feasibility test. Errors with the video game performance were modified, including the addition of a time stamp directory and game controller. Resonance voice exercises were modified to accommodate the gaming environment and unique competitive situation, including speech rate, acoustic parameters, game speed, and point allocations. The development of video games for voice therapeutic purposes attempt to replicate the high levels of engagement and motivation attained with entertainment video games, stimulating a more productive means of learning while doing. This case study found that a purely entertainment video game can be implemented as a voice therapeutic protocol based on information obtained from the case study. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. All rights reserved.

Prediction of stock markets by the evolutionary mix-game model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fang; Gou, Chengling; Guo, Xiaoqian; Gao, Jieping

2008-06-01

This paper presents the efforts of using the evolutionary mix-game model, which is a modified form of the agent-based mix-game model, to predict financial time series. Here, we have carried out three methods to improve the original mix-game model by adding the abilities of strategy evolution to agents, and then applying the new model referred to as the evolutionary mix-game model to forecast the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index. The results show that these modifications can improve the accuracy of prediction greatly when proper parameters are chosen.

Video Gaming and Children's Psychosocial Wellbeing: A Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Lobel, Adam; Engels, Rutger C M E; Stone, Lisanne L; Burk, William J; Granic, Isabela

2017-04-01

The effects of video games on children's psychosocial development remain the focus of debate. At two timepoints, 1 year apart, 194 children (7.27-11.43 years old; male = 98) reported their gaming frequency, and their tendencies to play violent video games, and to game (a) cooperatively and (b) competitively; likewise, parents reported their children's psychosocial health. Gaming at time one was associated with increases in emotion problems. Violent gaming was not associated with psychosocial changes. Cooperative gaming was not associated with changes in prosocial behavior. Finally, competitive gaming was associated with decreases in prosocial behavior, but only among children who played video games with high frequency. Thus, gaming frequency was related to increases in internalizing but not externalizing, attention, or peer problems, violent gaming was not associated with increases in externalizing problems, and for children playing approximately 8 h or more per week, frequent competitive gaming may be a risk factor for decreasing prosocial behavior. We argue that replication is needed and that future research should better distinguish between different forms of gaming for more nuanced and generalizable insight.

Cost Allocation of Multiagency Water Resource Projects: Game Theoretic Approaches and Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lejano, Raul P.; Davos, Climis A.

1995-05-01

Water resource projects are often jointly carried out by a number of communities and agencies. Participation in a joint project depends on how costs are allocated among the participants and how cost shares compare with the cost of independent projects. Cooperative N-person game theory offers approaches which yield cost allocations that satisfy rationality conditions favoring participation. A new solution concept, the normalized nucleolus, is discussed and applied to a water reuse project in southern California. Results obtained with the normalized nucleolus are compared with those derived with more traditional solution concepts, namely, the nucleolus and the Shapley value.

Children's Perspectives on Conceptual Games Teaching: A Value-Adding Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Joan Marian; Tan, Clara Wee Keat; McNeill, Michael; Wright, Steven

2010-01-01

Background: Revisions of the Singaporean physical education (PE) syllabus in 1999 and 2006 included a conceptual approach to teaching games. The games concept approach (GCA), a form of constructivist pedagogy, was a distinct departure from the direct teaching methods traditionally used in the country. Following the GCA's introduction into a PE…

Game for Anything: Multi-Cultural Games and Activities for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Anna Rita

A collection of Native and newcomer Canadian children's activities and games have been gleaned from various cultural sources for children to benefit from Alberta's diversity of ethnic groups. The handbook forms a framework for the teacher/parent to organize activities for children allowing change and modification if necessary. The first section…

Batter's Choice: Lessons for Teaching Tactics in a Modified Striking/Fielding Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, Christina

2004-01-01

When played in their standard form, striking/fielding games are often a favorite among elementary students; yet they allow for only limited participation, which is contradictory to quality physical education. This article presents a sequence of lessons leading to Batter's Choice, a modified striking/fielding game, designed to maximize the…

Strategic Game Moves Mediate Implicit Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Elizabeth; Baker, Ryan S.; Asbell-Clarke, Jodi

2015-01-01

Educational games have the potential to be innovative forms of learning assessment, by allowing us to not just study their knowledge but the process that takes students to that knowledge. This paper examines the mediating role of players' moves in digital games on changes in their pre-post classroom measures of implicit science learning. We…

Games for Boys: A Qualitative Study of Experiences with Commercial off the Shelf Gaming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engerman, Jason A.; MacAllan, Monique; Carr-Chellman, Alison A.

2018-01-01

Boys are less likely to receive praise and recognition for good schoolwork, to consider school important, and have fewer opportunities to do the things that they do best (Lopez and Calderon in How America's boys become psychological dropouts. The gallup blog, 2013). Traditional school cultures have come in conflict with the normal and natural ways…

The Games Analysis Intervention: A Procedure to Increase the Peer Acceptance and Social Adjustment of a Retarded Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marlowe, Mike

1979-01-01

A study investigated the effectiveness of a therapeutic motor development program in increasing the social adjustment and peer acceptance of a mainstreamed 10-year-old educable mentally retarded boy. The motor development program was based on the games analysis model and involved the S and 13 of his normal classmates. (Author/DLS)

Acute cardiovascular responses while playing virtual games simulated by Nintendo Wii®

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Gusthavo Augusto Alves; Felipe, Danilo De Souza; Silva, Elisangela; De Freitas, Wagner Zeferino; Higino, Wonder Passoni; Da Silva, Fabiano Fernandes; De Carvalho, Wellington Roberto Gomes; Aparecido de Souza, Renato

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This investigation evaluated the acute cardiovascular responses that occur while playing virtual games (aerobic and balance) emulated by Nintendo Wii®. [Subjects] Nineteen healthy male volunteers were recruited. [Methods] The ergospirometric variables of maximum oxygen consumption, metabolic equivalents, and heart rate were obtained during the aerobic (Obstacle Course, Hula Hoop, and Free Run) and balance (Soccer Heading, Penguin Slide, and Table Tilt) games of Wii Fit Plus® software. To access and analyze the ergospirometric information, a VO2000 analyzer was used. Normalized data (using maximum oxygen consumption and heart rate) were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Scheffe’s test. [Results] Significant differences were found among the balance and aerobic games in all variables analyzed. In addition, the Wii exercises performed were considered to be of light (balance games) and moderate (aerobic games) intensity in accordance with American College Sports Medicine exercise stratification. [Conclusion] Physical activity in a virtual environment emulated by Nintendo Wii® can change acute cardiovascular responses, primarily when Wii aerobic games are performed. These results support the use of the Nintendo Wii® in physical activity programs. PMID:26504308

Acute cardiovascular responses while playing virtual games simulated by Nintendo Wii(®).

PubMed

Rodrigues, Gusthavo Augusto Alves; Felipe, Danilo De Souza; Silva, Elisangela; De Freitas, Wagner Zeferino; Higino, Wonder Passoni; Da Silva, Fabiano Fernandes; De Carvalho, Wellington Roberto Gomes; Aparecido de Souza, Renato

2015-09-01

[Purpose] This investigation evaluated the acute cardiovascular responses that occur while playing virtual games (aerobic and balance) emulated by Nintendo Wii(®). [Subjects] Nineteen healthy male volunteers were recruited. [Methods] The ergospirometric variables of maximum oxygen consumption, metabolic equivalents, and heart rate were obtained during the aerobic (Obstacle Course, Hula Hoop, and Free Run) and balance (Soccer Heading, Penguin Slide, and Table Tilt) games of Wii Fit Plus(®) software. To access and analyze the ergospirometric information, a VO2000 analyzer was used. Normalized data (using maximum oxygen consumption and heart rate) were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Scheffe's test. [Results] Significant differences were found among the balance and aerobic games in all variables analyzed. In addition, the Wii exercises performed were considered to be of light (balance games) and moderate (aerobic games) intensity in accordance with American College Sports Medicine exercise stratification. [Conclusion] Physical activity in a virtual environment emulated by Nintendo Wii(®) can change acute cardiovascular responses, primarily when Wii aerobic games are performed. These results support the use of the Nintendo Wii(®) in physical activity programs.

Prevalence and Predictors of Video Game Addiction: A Study Based on a National Representative Sample of Gamers.

PubMed

Wittek, Charlotte Thoresen; Finserås, Turi Reiten; Pallesen, Ståle; Mentzoni, Rune Aune; Hanss, Daniel; Griffiths, Mark D; Molde, Helge

Video gaming has become a popular leisure activity in many parts of the world, and an increasing number of empirical studies examine the small minority that appears to develop problems as a result of excessive gaming. This study investigated prevalence rates and predictors of video game addiction in a sample of gamers, randomly selected from the National Population Registry of Norway ( N  = 3389). Results showed there were 1.4 % addicted gamers, 7.3 % problem gamers, 3.9 % engaged gamers, and 87.4 % normal gamers. Gender (being male) and age group (being young) were positively associated with addicted-, problem-, and engaged gamers. Place of birth (Africa, Asia, South- and Middle America) were positively associated with addicted- and problem gamers. Video game addiction was negatively associated with conscientiousness and positively associated with neuroticism. Poor psychosomatic health was positively associated with problem- and engaged gaming. These factors provide insight into the field of video game addiction, and may help to provide guidance as to how individuals that are at risk of becoming addicted gamers can be identified.

Psychometric properties of the problematic online gaming questionnaire short-form and prevalence of problematic online gaming in a national sample of adolescents.

PubMed

Pápay, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Farkas, Judit; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Felvinczi, Katalin; Oláh, Attila; Elekes, Zsuzsanna; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2013-05-01

The rise and growing popularity of online games has led to the appearance of excessive gaming that in some cases can lead to physical and psychological problems. Several measures have been developed to explore the nature and the scale of the phenomenon. However, few measures have been validated psychometrically. The aim of the present study was to test the psychometric properties of the 12-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF) and to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming. Data collection was carried out to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming in a national representative adolescent sample by using an offline (pen and pencil) method. A total of 5,045 secondary school students were assessed (51% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years) of which 2,804 were gamers (65.4% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years). Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test the measurement model of problematic online gaming, and latent profile analysis was used to identify the proportion of gamers whose online game use can be considered problematic. Results showed that the original six-factor model yielded appropriate fit to the data, and thus the POGQ-SF has appropriate psychometric properties. Latent profile analysis revealed that 4.6% of the adolescents belong to a high risk group and an additional 13.3% to a low risk group. Due to its satisfactory psychometric characteristics, the 12-item POGQ-SF appears to be an adequate tool for the assessment of problematic online gaming.

Analysis of the expected density of internal equilibria in random evolutionary multi-player multi-strategy games.

PubMed

Duong, Manh Hong; Han, The Anh

2016-12-01

In this paper, we study the distribution and behaviour of internal equilibria in a d-player n-strategy random evolutionary game where the game payoff matrix is generated from normal distributions. The study of this paper reveals and exploits interesting connections between evolutionary game theory and random polynomial theory. The main contributions of the paper are some qualitative and quantitative results on the expected density, [Formula: see text], and the expected number, E(n, d), of (stable) internal equilibria. Firstly, we show that in multi-player two-strategy games, they behave asymptotically as [Formula: see text] as d is sufficiently large. Secondly, we prove that they are monotone functions of d. We also make a conjecture for games with more than two strategies. Thirdly, we provide numerical simulations for our analytical results and to support the conjecture. As consequences of our analysis, some qualitative and quantitative results on the distribution of zeros of a random Bernstein polynomial are also obtained.

Parasocial interaction with my avatar: effects of interdependent self-construal and the mediating role of self-presence in an avatar-based console game, Wii.

PubMed

Jin, Seung-A Annie; Park, Namkee

2009-12-01

The "self" concept has grown increasingly important in interactive media environments. This study investigated self-related processes in an avatar-based game console, Wii. A key feature of the Wii is its motion-sensing capability that empowers players to manipulate and interact with items on-screen via movement. The present study examined the effects of video game players' self-construal on parasocial interaction with their avatars and feelings of self-presence. In this study, parasocial interaction was operationally defined as the extent of game players' interpersonal involvement with their avatar and the extent to which game players perceive themselves as interacting with the avatar. Self-presence was defined as the degree to which video game players feel as if their avatar on the screen were their real self. Based on an experiment, the study discovered that game players with high interdependent self-construal showed closer parasocial interaction and higher level of self-presence than those with low interdependent self-construal. Results also showed that self-presence mediated the effects of interdependent self-construal on the parasocial relationship with game players' avatars. Thus, the study discovered an important individual difference factor, interdependent self-construal, affecting the degree to which people form a parasocial relationship with their virtual self that is visually manifested in the form of an avatar. In addition, the present study added empirical evidence about the mediating role played by self-presence in avatar-based video games.

Correlates of problematic gaming - Is there support for proneness to risky behaviour?

PubMed

Šincek, Daniela; Humer, Jasmina Tomašić; Duvnjak, Ivana

2017-09-01

This paper explores problematic Internet gaming in the context of other forms of risky behaviour. The basic premise is that children and adolescents at risk will display different types of risky behaviour in various settings. Children and adolescents (N=1150) were surveyed about (cyber)violence, problematic gaming (habits, motives and symptoms), self-disclosure via Facebook and self-esteem. Regular gamers were more violent both face-to-face and via the Internet, and were more prone to problematic gaming than occasional gamers. Those who played games for more than five hours per day (9% of respondents) were classified as potentially problematic gamers. They experienced and committed more violence both face-to-face and via the Internet, were more involved in self-disclosure and had more problematic gaming symptoms than those who played for less than five hours a day, but these groups did not differ in self-esteem. Participants could choose from a list of eight different motives for their gaming; those motivated by peer communication, a sense of control, relaxation, conformism, self-efficacy and to distract from problems reported more symptoms of problematic gaming than those not motivated by these factors. Gender, age, self-esteem, self-disclosure and committing violence contributed to explaining the variance in problematic gaming, accounting for about 26% of its variance. Boys, lower self-esteem, more self-disclosure and committing both types of violence more regularly were connected with reporting more symptoms of problematic gaming. The results will be discussed in the context of a general proneness to risky behaviour. Committing violence against peers (both traditional and cyber) predicts significantly problematic gaming. This supports the premise that children and adolescents at risk are prone to exhibiting different forms of risky behaviour in different settings.

Development of Trivia Game for speech understanding in background noise.

PubMed

Schwartz, Kathryn; Ringleb, Stacie I; Sandberg, Hilary; Raymer, Anastasia; Watson, Ginger S

2015-01-01

Listening in noise is an everyday activity and poses a challenge for many people. To improve the ability to understand speech in noise, a computerized auditory rehabilitation game was developed. In Trivia Game players are challenged to answer trivia questions spoken aloud. As players progress through the game, the level of background noise increases. A study using Trivia Game was conducted as a proof-of-concept investigation in healthy participants. College students with normal hearing were randomly assigned to a control (n = 13) or a treatment (n = 14) group. Treatment participants played Trivia Game 12 times over a 4-week period. All participants completed objective (auditory-only and audiovisual formats) and subjective listening in noise measures at baseline and 4 weeks later. There were no statistical differences between the groups at baseline. At post-test, the treatment group significantly improved their overall speech understanding in noise in the audiovisual condition and reported significant benefits in their functional listening abilities. Playing Trivia Game improved speech understanding in noise in healthy listeners. Significant findings for the audiovisual condition suggest that participants improved face-reading abilities. Trivia Game may be a platform for investigating changes in speech understanding in individuals with sensory, linguistic and cognitive impairments.

Risk Factors for Internet Gaming Disorder: Psychological Factors and Internet Gaming Characteristics.

PubMed

Rho, Mi Jung; Lee, Hyeseon; Lee, Taek-Ho; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, In Young

2017-12-27

Background : Understanding the risk factors associated with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is important to predict and diagnose the condition. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors that predict IGD based on psychological factors and Internet gaming characteristics; Methods : Online surveys were conducted between 26 November and 26 December 2014. There were 3568 Korean Internet game users among a total of 5003 respondents. We identified 481 IGD gamers and 3087 normal Internet gamers, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify significant risk factors for IGD; Results : The following eight risk factors were found to be significantly associated with IGD: functional and dysfunctional impulsivity (odds ratio: 1.138), belief self-control (1.034), anxiety (1.086), pursuit of desired appetitive goals (1.105), money spent on gaming (1.005), weekday game time (1.081), offline community meeting attendance (2.060), and game community membership (1.393; p < 0.05 for all eight risk factors); Conclusions : These risk factors allow for the prediction and diagnosis of IGD. In the future, these risk factors could also be used to inform clinical services for IGD diagnosis and treatment.

Risk Factors for Internet Gaming Disorder: Psychological Factors and Internet Gaming Characteristics

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyeseon; Lee, Taek-Ho; Cho, Hyun; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, In Young

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding the risk factors associated with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is important to predict and diagnose the condition. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors that predict IGD based on psychological factors and Internet gaming characteristics; Methods: Online surveys were conducted between 26 November and 26 December 2014. There were 3568 Korean Internet game users among a total of 5003 respondents. We identified 481 IGD gamers and 3087 normal Internet gamers, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify significant risk factors for IGD; Results: The following eight risk factors were found to be significantly associated with IGD: functional and dysfunctional impulsivity (odds ratio: 1.138), belief self-control (1.034), anxiety (1.086), pursuit of desired appetitive goals (1.105), money spent on gaming (1.005), weekday game time (1.081), offline community meeting attendance (2.060), and game community membership (1.393; p < 0.05 for all eight risk factors); Conclusions: These risk factors allow for the prediction and diagnosis of IGD. In the future, these risk factors could also be used to inform clinical services for IGD diagnosis and treatment. PMID:29280953

Evaluation of cardiovascular demands of game play and practice in women's ice hockey.

PubMed

Spiering, Barry A; Wilson, Meredith H; Judelson, Daniel A; Rundell, Kenneth W

2003-05-01

Preparation for the physical demands of competition often involves game simulation during practice. This paradigm is thought to promote physiological adaptations that enhance maximal performance. However, a mismatch between practice intensity and actual competition intensity may not provide adequate training to achieve optimal game-play fitness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of practice in meeting the cardiovascular demands of a women's ice hockey game. Heart rate (HR) data from 11 U.S. National Women's Ice Hockey team members were collected (5-second intervals) during a game and a typical practice session. Data was normalized to individual HRmax determined during Vo(2)max testing. Working time was defined as a game shift or practice-working interval. Mean working HR was greater during the game than the practice, 90 +/- 2% and 76 +/- 3% of HRmax, respectively (p < 0.05). Mean percent session time (game or practice) >90% HRmax was also longer during the game than the practice, 10.5 +/- 4.1% and 5.6 +/- 3.5% (p < 0.05), respectively. Mean session HR, percent time >80% HRmax, and mean resting HR were not different between game and practice (68 +/- 7% vs. 69 +/- 5%, 23.2 +/- 5.3% vs. 26.1 +/- 9.2%, and 59 +/- 8% vs. 56 +/- 5%, respectively). Elite women hockey players experience significantly greater cardiovascular load during game play than during practice. This mismatch in cardiovascular demand may prevent players from achieving "game shape," thus affecting competition play.

Symmetric Decomposition of Asymmetric Games.

PubMed

Tuyls, Karl; Pérolat, Julien; Lanctot, Marc; Ostrovski, Georg; Savani, Rahul; Leibo, Joel Z; Ord, Toby; Graepel, Thore; Legg, Shane

2018-01-17

We introduce new theoretical insights into two-population asymmetric games allowing for an elegant symmetric decomposition into two single population symmetric games. Specifically, we show how an asymmetric bimatrix game (A,B) can be decomposed into its symmetric counterparts by envisioning and investigating the payoff tables (A and B) that constitute the asymmetric game, as two independent, single population, symmetric games. We reveal several surprising formal relationships between an asymmetric two-population game and its symmetric single population counterparts, which facilitate a convenient analysis of the original asymmetric game due to the dimensionality reduction of the decomposition. The main finding reveals that if (x,y) is a Nash equilibrium of an asymmetric game (A,B), this implies that y is a Nash equilibrium of the symmetric counterpart game determined by payoff table A, and x is a Nash equilibrium of the symmetric counterpart game determined by payoff table B. Also the reverse holds and combinations of Nash equilibria of the counterpart games form Nash equilibria of the asymmetric game. We illustrate how these formal relationships aid in identifying and analysing the Nash structure of asymmetric games, by examining the evolutionary dynamics of the simpler counterpart games in several canonical examples.

Learning to Deflect: Conceptual Change in Physics during Digital Game Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sengupta, Pratim; Krinks, Kara D.; Clark, Douglas B.

2015-01-01

How does deep conceptual change occur when students play well-designed educational games? To answer this question, we present a case study in the form of a microgenetic analysis of a student's processes of knowledge construction as he played a conceptually-integrated digital game (SURGE Next) designed to support learning about Newtonian mechanics.…

Effect of Self-Worth and Parenting Style on the Planned Behavior in an Online Moral Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Wang, Chun-Kai; Hsu, Tsui-Fang; Chen, Yu-Ju; Chan, Chiung-Hua

2011-01-01

This idea of integrating moral education to digital gaming platform had been discussed since digital and online approaches were used in teaching. Online interactive instruction was one of moral teaching forms to assist moral instruction. However, most moral-related interactive online games lacked functions for players to explore themselves while…

Game-Based Practice versus Traditional Practice in Computer-Based Writing Strategy Training: Effects on Motivation and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proske, Antje; Roscoe, Rod D.; McNamara, Danielle S.

2014-01-01

Achieving sustained student engagement with practice in computer-based writing strategy training can be a challenge. One potential solution is to foster engagement by embedding practice in educational games; yet there is currently little research comparing the effectiveness of game-based practice versus more traditional forms of practice. In this…

The Art of Video Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Mark M.

2012-01-01

The Smithsonian American Art Museum has created and will tour an exhibition on a most unusual but extremely popular art form--"The Art of Video Games." As one of the largest and first of its type, this exhibition will document and explore a 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the…

Human Evolution, Movement, and Intelligence: Why Playing Games Counts as Smart

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kretchmar, R. Scott

2018-01-01

The article investigates several ways in which creating, entering, and playing games requires uniquely human levels of intelligence. It examines an element of our evolutionary heritage and the possibility that games (particularly in the form of sport) were among the first elements of culture. It describes sport as a "way of knowing," a…

Multimodality and the Multiliteracies Pedagogy: "Design" and "Recruitment" in South African Children's Musical Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrop-Allin, Susan

2017-01-01

Drawing on a study of children's musical games in urban South Africa, this article employs two theoretical frames: that of multimodality and the multiliteracies pedagogy. These are applied to a contextual analysis of the forms of musicality that musical games embody and to ways of incorporating children's play into pedagogy. Based on ethnographic…

A Video Game-Based Framework for Analyzing Human-Robot Interaction: Characterizing Interface Design in Real-Time Interactive Multimedia Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

segments video game interaction into domain-independent components which together form a framework that can be used to characterize real-time interactive...multimedia applications in general and HRI in particular. We provide examples of using the components in both the video game and the Unmanned Aerial

"Minecraft," Teachers, Parents, and Learning: What They Need to Know and Understand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Tisha Lewis; Evans, Jessica N.

2016-01-01

This article explores six effective principles for teachers to use to understand and apply "Minecraft" in today's classrooms. Video games have become one of the fastest growing forms of media for youth and adult consumers. "Minecraft," a multiplayer online game (MOG), is one of the most popular video games to date. By allowing…

Understanding Attention to Adaptive Hints in Educational Games: An Eye-Tracking Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conati, Cristina; Jaques, Natasha; Muir, Mary

2013-01-01

This paper presents a user study that investigates the factors affecting student attention to user-adaptive hints during interaction with an educational computer game. The study focuses on Prime Climb, an educational game designed to provide individualized support for learning number factorization skills in the form of textual hints based on a…

Forms of Participation and Semiotic Mediation in Board Games for Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luk, Jasmine C. M.

2013-01-01

This article discusses a study on how language use and language development can be promoted through engaging students in different participation roles in board games. Theoretically, the study is grounded in sociocultural perspectives of activity theory and the role of play as a form of human motivation. A group of Grade 4 primary students learning…

Neuroeconomic approaches to mental disorders

PubMed Central

Kishida, Kenneth T.; King-Casas, Brooks; Montague, P. Read

2010-01-01

The pervasiveness of decision-making in every area of human endeavor highlights the importance of understanding choice mechanisms and their detailed relationship to underlying neurobiological function. This review surveys the recent and productive application of game theoretic probes (economic games) to mental disorders. Such games typically possess concrete concepts of optimal play, thus providing quantitative ways to track when subjects’ choices match or deviate from optimal. This feature equips economic games with natural classes of control signals that should guide learning and choice in the agents that play them. These signals and their underlying physical correlates in the brain are now being used to generate objective biomarkers that may prove useful for exposing and understanding the neurogenetic basis of normal and pathological human cognition. Thus, game theoretic probes represent some of the first steps toward producing computationally principled, objective measures of cognitive function and dysfunction useful for the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of mental disorders. PMID:20797532

Using game theory to investigate the epigenetic control mechanisms of embryo development. Comment on: ;Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition; by Qian Wang et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Le; Zhang, Shaoxiang

2017-03-01

A body of research [1-7] has already shown that epigenetic reprogramming plays a critical role in maintaining the normal development of embryos. However, the mechanistic quantitation of the epigenetic interactions between sperms and oocytes and the related impact on embryo development are still not clear [6,7]. In this study, Wang et al., [8] develop a modeling framework that addresses this question by integrating game theory and the latest discoveries of the epigenetic control of embryo development.

Passion play: Will Wright and games for science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ching, Dixie

2012-12-01

Researchers and instructional designers are exploring the possibilities of using video games to support STEM education in the U.S., not only because they are a popular media form among youth, but also because well-designed games often leverage the best features of inquiry learning. Those interested in using games in an educational capacity may benefit from an examination of the work of video game designer Will Wright. Wright designs through a constructivist lens and his open-ended, sandbox games ( SimCity, The Sims, Spore) present wide "possibility spaces" that allow players to exercise their critical thinking and problem solving skills. His games invoke a delight in discovery that inspire creative acts and interest-driven learning both during and outside of the game. Finally, he reminds us that failure-based learning is a viable strategy for building expertise and understanding.

Caffeine use in a Super Rugby game and its relationship to post-game sleep.

PubMed

Dunican, Ian C; Higgins, Charles C; Jones, Maddison J; Clarke, Michael W; Murray, Kevin; Dawson, Brian; Caldwell, John A; Halson, Shona L; Eastwood, Peter R

2018-05-01

To examine the relationship between regular game-related caffeine consumption on sleep after an evening Super Rugby game. Twenty elite rugby union players wore a wrist-activity monitor to measure sleep for three days before, three days after and on the night of an evening Super Rugby game (19:00-21:00). Players ingested caffeine as they would normally (i.e. before and sometimes during a game) and saliva samples were collected before (17:00) and after (21:30) the game for caffeine concentration. Compared to the nights leading up to the game, on the night of the game, players went to bed 3 h later (23:08 ± 66 min vs 02:11 ± 114 min; p < .001) and had 1:30 hh:mm less sleep (5:54 ± 2:59 vs 8:02 ± 1:24 hh:mm; p < .05) and four players did not sleep after the game. Post-game caffeine saliva concentrations were greater than pre-game levels in 17 players (Pre-game 0.40 µg/mL vs Post-game 2.77 µg/mL; p < .001). The increase in caffeine saliva concentrations was moderately associated with an increase in sleep latency (p < .05), a decrease in sleep efficiency (p < .05), and a trend for a decrease in sleep duration (p = .06) on game night. Caffeine consumption before a Super Rugby game markedly increases post-game saliva caffeine levels. This may contribute to the observed 3.5 h delay in time at sleep onset and the 1.5 h reduction in sleep duration on the night of the game. This study highlights the need for a strategic approach to the use of caffeine within a Super Rugby team considering the potential effect on post-game sleep.

Let the Games Begin. Video Games, Once Confiscated in Class, Are Now a Key Teaching Tool. If They're Done Right

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shreve, Jenn

2005-01-01

Kurt Squire knew something unusual was happening in his after-school Western civ program. His normally lackluster middle and high school students, who'd failed the course once already, were coming to class armed with strategies to topple colonial dictators. Heated debates were erupting over the impact of germs on national economies. Kids who…

"Seems I'm not alone at being alone:" contributing factors and interventions for drinking games in the college setting.

PubMed

Kilmer, Jason R; Cronce, Jessica M; Logan, Diane E

2014-09-01

Alcohol use among college students is prevalent and sometimes takes the form of drinking games, in which players are required to drink in accordance with a set of pre-defined rules. Drinking games are typically associated with elevated alcohol consumption and risk to the individual. This perspective piece considers the potential role of social anxiety in motivating participation in drinking games, perceived norms surrounding drinking games (including ways they are portrayed and discussed in popular media), and the role of competitiveness. Implications for skills training-based prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.

Brain Training for Seniors

MedlinePlus

... than 65, stimulating your brain with activities and games can keep your mind sharp later in life ( ... you currently have some form of dementia, brain games and “active mind” activity can still help. There ...

The Effect of Regular-Season Rest on Playoff Performance Among Players in the National Basketball Association.

PubMed

Belk, John W; Marshall, Hayden A; McCarty, Eric C; Kraeutler, Matthew J

2017-10-01

There has been speculation that rest during the regular season for players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) improves player performance in the postseason. To determine whether there is a correlation between the amount of regular-season rest among NBA players and playoff performance and injury risk in the same season. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. The Basketball Reference and Pro Sports Transactions archives were searched from the 2005 to 2015 seasons. Data were collected on players who missed fewer than 5 regular-season games because of rest (group A) and 5 to 9 regular-season games because of rest (group B) during each season. Inclusion criteria consisted of players who played a minimum of 20 minutes per game and made the playoffs that season. Players were excluded if they missed ≥10 games because of rest or suspension or missed ≥20 games in a season for any reason. Matched pairs were formed between the groups based on the following criteria: position, mean age at the start of the season within 2 years, regular-season minutes per game within 5 minutes, same playoff seeding, and player efficiency rating (PER) within 2 points. The following data from the playoffs were collected and compared between matched pairs at each position (point guard, shooting guard, forward/center): points per game, assists per game, PER, true shooting percentage, blocks, steals, and number of playoff games missed because of injury. A total of 811 players met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (group A: n = 744 players; group B: n = 67 players). Among all eligible players, 27 matched pairs were formed. Within these matched pairs, players in group B missed significantly more regular-season games because of rest than players in group A (6.0 games vs 1.3 games, respectively; P < .0001). There were no significant differences between the groups at any position in terms of points per game, assists per game, PER, true shooting percentage, blocks, steals, or number of playoff games missed because of injury. Rest during the NBA regular season does not improve playoff performance or affect the injury risk during the playoffs in the same season.

Conflict and coordination in the provision of public goods: a conceptual analysis of continuous and step-level games.

PubMed

Abele, Susanne; Stasser, Garold; Chartier, Christopher

2010-11-01

Conflicts between individual and collective interests are ubiquitous in social life. Experimental studies have investigated the resolution of such conflicts using public goods games with either continuous or step-level payoff functions. Game theory and social interdependence theory identify consequential differences between these two types of games. Continuous function games are prime examples of social dilemmas because they always contain a conflict between individual and collective interests, whereas step-level games can be construed as social coordination games. Step-level games often provide opportunities for coordinated solutions that benefit both the collective and the individuals. For this and other reasons, the authors conclude that one cannot safely generalize results obtained from step-level to continuous-form games (or vice versa). Finally, the authors identify specific characteristics of the payoff function in public goods games that conceptually mark the transition from a pure dilemma to a coordination problem nested within a dilemma.

Nonlinear Signal Processing and Team Differential Games.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-03-01

w can be viewed as a control variable belonging to a mythical mini- mizing third party, such that (33) is a Nash strategy. It can be shown that the...Morgenstern [2] the discrete game analysis embodied most of the prin- ciples of the game theory yet recognized as important. But it is not until the...more common variety. Nor can it be treated as a second phase of a bargaining game with coalitions already formed, such as studied by Von Netman and

Beyond the Black Box: An Assessment of Strategic War Gaming

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

they are frequently expressed in the form of a model. In contrast, gaming is process-oriented. R ~pication may not be as important as realism, so games...will base its decisions in part on knowledge of opponent attitudes, intentions, and resources. 38 -I . r & VLPIL- A.’K. * % % N. Thus the flow of...Institute Press, 1987. Bennett, Bruce W. and Davis, Paul K., The Role of Automated War Gaming in Strategic Analysis, Rand Corporation Report P-7053, December

Stochastic Differential Games with Complexity Constrained Strategies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

Stochastic Differential Game ..... . 39 2.-1 A b.mp.C mcamp e ..... .... ................ . ..... qu CHAPTER 3 - PROBLEM OF STATE ESTDAATION IN TWO...similar to that used vith the differential game , e vould find that the optimal K has the form K T[T* + ( 2.58) This is not a surprising ansver in viev...Examle Example: Discrete-time, one-stage scalar game Transition equation: Y X + U - V P-offtfuntinl: J E + {5 2 CV Cc~ c>a> 0 Observation equations: Z x

75 FR 9277 - Proposed Information Collection (VA National Rehabilitation Special Events, Event Registration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... Clinic Application, VA Form 0928--53 hours. f. National Veterans Creative Arts Festival Application, VA... Games, National Veterans Golden Age Games, National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, National Veterans...

Using Android-Based Educational Game for Learning Colloid Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, S.; Anjani, R.; Farida, I.; Ramdhani, M. A.

2017-09-01

This research is based on the importance of the development of student’s chemical literacy on Colloid material using Android-based educational game media. Educational game products are developed through research and development design. In the analysis phase, material analysis is performed to generate concept maps, determine chemical literacy indicators, game strategies and set game paths. In the design phase, product packaging is carried out, then validation and feasibility test are performed. Research produces educational game based on Android that has the characteristics that is: Colloid material presented in 12 levels of game in the form of questions and challenges, presents visualization of discourse, images and animation contextually to develop the process of thinking and attitude. Based on the analysis of validation and trial results, the product is considered feasible to use.

Games of life and death: antibiotic resistance and production through the lens of evolutionary game theory.

PubMed

Conlin, Peter L; Chandler, Josephine R; Kerr, Benjamin

2014-10-01

In this review, we demonstrate how game theory can be a useful first step in modeling and understanding interactions among bacteria that produce and resist antibiotics. We introduce the basic features of evolutionary game theory and explore model microbial systems that correspond to some classical games. Each game discussed defines a different category of social interaction with different resulting population dynamics (exclusion, coexistence, bistability, cycling). We then explore how the framework can be extended to incorporate some of the complexity of natural microbial communities. Overall, the game theoretical perspective helps to guide our expectations about the evolution of some forms of antibiotic resistance and production because it makes clear the precise nature of social interaction in this context. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active video games as a tool to prevent excessive weight gain in adolescents: rationale, design and methods of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Simons, Monique; Chinapaw, Mai J M; van de Bovenkamp, Maaike; de Boer, Michiel R; Seidell, Jacob C; Brug, Johannes; de Vet, Emely

2014-03-24

Excessive body weight, low physical activity and excessive sedentary time in youth are major public health concerns. A new generation of video games, the ones that require physical activity to play the games--i.e. active games--may be a promising alternative to traditional non-active games to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors in youth. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the design of a study evaluating the effects of a family oriented active game intervention, incorporating several motivational elements, on anthropometrics and health behaviors in adolescents. The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT), with non-active gaming adolescents aged 12-16 years old randomly allocated to a ten month intervention (receiving active games, as well as an encouragement to play) or a waiting-list control group (receiving active games after the intervention period). Primary outcomes are adolescents' measured BMI-SDS (SDS=adjusted for mean standard deviation score), waist circumference-SDS, hip circumference and sum of skinfolds. Secondary outcomes are adolescents' self-reported time spent playing active and non-active games, other sedentary activities and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In addition, a process evaluation is conducted, assessing the sustainability of the active games, enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived barriers for active game play, game context, injuries from active game play, activity replacement and intention to continue playing the active games. This is the first adequately powered RCT including normal weight adolescents, evaluating a reasonably long period of provision of and exposure to active games. Next, strong elements are the incorporating motivational elements for active game play and a comprehensive process evaluation. This trial will provide evidence regarding the potential contribution of active games in prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents. Dutch Trial register NTR3228.

Active video games as a tool to prevent excessive weight gain in adolescents: rationale, design and methods of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Excessive body weight, low physical activity and excessive sedentary time in youth are major public health concerns. A new generation of video games, the ones that require physical activity to play the games –i.e. active games- may be a promising alternative to traditional non-active games to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors in youth. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the design of a study evaluating the effects of a family oriented active game intervention, incorporating several motivational elements, on anthropometrics and health behaviors in adolescents. Methods/Design The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT), with non-active gaming adolescents aged 12 – 16 years old randomly allocated to a ten month intervention (receiving active games, as well as an encouragement to play) or a waiting-list control group (receiving active games after the intervention period). Primary outcomes are adolescents’ measured BMI-SDS (SDS = adjusted for mean standard deviation score), waist circumference-SDS, hip circumference and sum of skinfolds. Secondary outcomes are adolescents’ self-reported time spent playing active and non-active games, other sedentary activities and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In addition, a process evaluation is conducted, assessing the sustainability of the active games, enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived barriers for active game play, game context, injuries from active game play, activity replacement and intention to continue playing the active games. Discussion This is the first adequately powered RCT including normal weight adolescents, evaluating a reasonably long period of provision of and exposure to active games. Next, strong elements are the incorporating motivational elements for active game play and a comprehensive process evaluation. This trial will provide evidence regarding the potential contribution of active games in prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents. Trial registration Dutch Trial register NTR3228. PMID:24661535

Epigenetic game theory and its application in plants. Comment on: ;Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition; by Qian Wang et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuan-Ming; Zhang, Yinghao; Guo, Mingyue

2017-03-01

Wang's et al. article [1] is the first to integrate game theory (especially evolutionary game theory) with epigenetic modification of zygotic genomes. They described and assessed a modeling framework based on evolutionary game theory to quantify, how sperms and oocytes interact through epigenetic processes, to determine embryo development. They also studied the internal mechanisms for normal embryo development: 1) evolutionary interactions between DNA methylation of the paternal and maternal genomes, and 2) the application of game theory to formulate and quantify how different genes compete or cooperate to regulate embryogenesis through methylation. Although it is not very comprehensive and profound regarding game theory modeling, this article bridges the gap between evolutionary game theory and the epigenetic control of embryo development by powerful ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The epiGame framework includes four aspects: 1) characterizing how epigenetic game theory works by the strategy matrix, in which the pattern and relative magnitude of the methylation effects on embryogenesis, are described by the cooperation and competition mechanisms, 2) quantifying the game that the direction and degree of P-M interactions over embryo development can be explained by the sign and magnitude of interaction parameters in model (2), 3) modeling epigenetic interactions within the morula, especially for two coupled nonlinear ODEs, with explicit functions in model (4), which provide a good fit to the observed data for the two sexes (adjusted R2 = 0.956), and 4) revealing multifactorial interactions in embryogenesis from the coupled ODEs in model (2) to triplet ODEs in model (6). Clearly, this article extends game theory from evolutionary game theory to epigenetic game theory.

The effect of deliberate play on tactical performance in basketball.

PubMed

Greco, Pablo; Memmert, Daniel; Morales, Juan C P

2010-06-01

This field-based study analyzed effects of a deliberate-play training program in basketball on tactical game intelligence and tactical creativity. 22 youth basketball players, ages 10 to 12 years, completed basketball training in one of two equal-sized groups. The deliberate-play training program contained unstructured game forms in basketball. The placebo group played in traditional structured basketball game forms. Tactical intelligence and creativity was assessed before and after an 18-lesson intervention. Analysis showed significant training improvement only for the deliberate-play group. In addition, this outperformance of the placebo group was not only observed for tactical creativity but also for tactical intelligence.

Psychometric validation of the Persian nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form: Does gender and hours spent online gaming affect the interpretations of item descriptions?

PubMed Central

Wu, Tzu-Yi; Lin, Chung-Ying; Årestedt, Kristofer; Griffiths, Mark D.; Broström, Anders; Pakpour, Amir H.

2017-01-01

Background and aims The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form (IGDS-SF9) is brief and effective to evaluate Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) severity. Although its scores show promising psychometric properties, less is known about whether different groups of gamers interpret the items similarly. This study aimed to verify the construct validity of the Persian IGDS-SF9 and examine the scores in relation to gender and hours spent online gaming among 2,363 Iranian adolescents. Methods Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch analysis were used to examine the construct validity of the IGDS-SF9. The effects of gender and time spent online gaming per week were investigated by multigroup CFA and Rasch differential item functioning (DIF). Results The unidimensionality of the IGDS-SF9 was supported in both CFA and Rasch. However, Item 4 (fail to control or cease gaming activities) displayed DIF (DIF contrast = 0.55) slightly over the recommended cutoff in Rasch but was invariant in multigroup CFA across gender. Items 4 (DIF contrast = −0.67) and 9 (jeopardize or lose an important thing because of gaming activity; DIF contrast = 0.61) displayed DIF in Rasch and were non-invariant in multigroup CFA across time spent online gaming. Conclusions Given the Persian IGDS-SF9 was unidimensional, it is concluded that the instrument can be used to assess IGD severity. However, users of the instrument are cautioned concerning the comparisons of the sum scores of the IGDS-SF9 across gender and across adolescents spending different amounts of time online gaming. PMID:28571474

Psychometric validation of the Persian nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale - Short Form: Does gender and hours spent online gaming affect the interpretations of item descriptions?

PubMed

Wu, Tzu-Yi; Lin, Chung-Ying; Årestedt, Kristofer; Griffiths, Mark D; Broström, Anders; Pakpour, Amir H

2017-06-01

Background and aims The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale - Short Form (IGDS-SF9) is brief and effective to evaluate Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) severity. Although its scores show promising psychometric properties, less is known about whether different groups of gamers interpret the items similarly. This study aimed to verify the construct validity of the Persian IGDS-SF9 and examine the scores in relation to gender and hours spent online gaming among 2,363 Iranian adolescents. Methods Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch analysis were used to examine the construct validity of the IGDS-SF9. The effects of gender and time spent online gaming per week were investigated by multigroup CFA and Rasch differential item functioning (DIF). Results The unidimensionality of the IGDS-SF9 was supported in both CFA and Rasch. However, Item 4 (fail to control or cease gaming activities) displayed DIF (DIF contrast = 0.55) slightly over the recommended cutoff in Rasch but was invariant in multigroup CFA across gender. Items 4 (DIF contrast = -0.67) and 9 (jeopardize or lose an important thing because of gaming activity; DIF contrast = 0.61) displayed DIF in Rasch and were non-invariant in multigroup CFA across time spent online gaming. Conclusions Given the Persian IGDS-SF9 was unidimensional, it is concluded that the instrument can be used to assess IGD severity. However, users of the instrument are cautioned concerning the comparisons of the sum scores of the IGDS-SF9 across gender and across adolescents spending different amounts of time online gaming.

Psychometric Properties of the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form and Prevalence of Problematic Online Gaming in a National Sample of Adolescents

PubMed Central

Pápay, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D.; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Farkas, Judit; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Felvinczi, Katalin; Oláh, Attila; Elekes, Zsuzsanna

2013-01-01

Abstract The rise and growing popularity of online games has led to the appearance of excessive gaming that in some cases can lead to physical and psychological problems. Several measures have been developed to explore the nature and the scale of the phenomenon. However, few measures have been validated psychometrically. The aim of the present study was to test the psychometric properties of the 12-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF) and to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming. Data collection was carried out to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming in a national representative adolescent sample by using an offline (pen and pencil) method. A total of 5,045 secondary school students were assessed (51% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years) of which 2,804 were gamers (65.4% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years). Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test the measurement model of problematic online gaming, and latent profile analysis was used to identify the proportion of gamers whose online game use can be considered problematic. Results showed that the original six-factor model yielded appropriate fit to the data, and thus the POGQ-SF has appropriate psychometric properties. Latent profile analysis revealed that 4.6% of the adolescents belong to a high risk group and an additional 13.3% to a low risk group. Due to its satisfactory psychometric characteristics, the 12-item POGQ-SF appears to be an adequate tool for the assessment of problematic online gaming. PMID:23621688

Attitudes towards Instructional Games on Peace Education among Second Year Students in Junior Secondary Schools in South-West Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okanlawon, A. E.; Fakokunde, J. B.; Yusuf, F. A.; Abanikannda, M. O.; Oyelade, A. A.

2017-01-01

The popularity of games and their availability through both ICT and non ICT tools require the investigation of students' attitude towards the use in instructional delivery. The study therefore examined students' attitudes towards instructional games on peace education. A total of 360 students randomly selected from the six states forming the…

Enhancing Tele-robotics with Immersive Virtual Reality

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-03

graduate and undergraduate students within the Digital Gaming and Simulation, Computer Science, and psychology programs have actively collaborated...investigates the use of artificial intelligence and visual computing. Numerous fields across the human-computer interaction and gaming research areas...invested in digital gaming and simulation to cognitively stimulate humans by computers, forming a $10.5B industry [1]. On the other hand, cognitive

GRAB for Time: A Time Management Skills Board Game.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, James; Patterson, Aimee; Woody, Connie; Lewis, Kathy; Cook, Marian; Duckett, Steve

In addition to a brief introduction to time management, this document contains a training manual for teaching time management skills to workers at all levels in an organization. The training is offered in the form of a board game that takes approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours to play. Among the time management principles learned in the game are…

Technology and Curriculum Standards: How Well Do Internet-Based Learning Games Support Common Core Standards for Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bingham, Teri; Ray, Jan

2013-01-01

In an effort to keep up with the new generation of digital learners, educators are integrating multiple forms of technology into their teaching, including online learning game applications. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which internet-based learning game applications selected by preservice teachers were aligned with the…

Introducing "Cool School": Where Peace Rules and Conflict Resolution Can Be Fun

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Mark; Killen, Melanie; Lee-Kim, Jennie; Park, Yoonjung

2012-01-01

The need to play is primeval in human beings, at least as strong as the urge to fight. While the larger gaming community has traditionally focused on the fairly lucrative potential of exploiting the urge to fight in the form of violent and destructive war games, the "Serious Games" segment has become aware of the power of applying this…

Activity-Based Introduction to the Binary System: Nim Game Winning Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaninsky, A.

2007-01-01

The paper's aim is to demonstrate the utility of the well-known Nim game when it is used as a tool in teaching the binary system. A way to increase student comprehension, it also forms a basis for student projects and extracurricular activities on the topic. The paper offers descriptions of two versions of the game and the underlying mathematical…

Design and Evaluation of a Prompting Instrument to Support Learning within the Diffusion Simulation Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwon, Seolim; Lara, Miguel; Enfield, Jake; Frick, Theodore

2013-01-01

Conducting an iterative usability testing, a set of prompts used as a form of instructional support was developed in order to facilitate the comprehension of the diffusion of innovations theory (Rogers, 2003) in a simulation game called the Diffusion Simulation Game (DSG) (Molenda & Rice, 1979). The six subjects who participated in the study…

THE CIDOC CRM GAME: A Serious Game Approach to Ontology Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillem, A.; Bruseker, G.

2017-08-01

Formal ontologies such as CIDOC CRM (Conceptual Reference Model) form part of the central strategy for the medium and longterm integration of cultural heritage data to allow for its greater valorization and dissemination. Despite this, uptake of CIDOC CRM at the ground level of Cultural Heriage (CH) practice is limited. Part of the reason behind this lack of uptake lies in the fact that ontologies are considered too complicated and abstract for application in real life scenarios. This paper presents the rationale behind and the design of a CIDOC CRM game, the intent of which is to provide a learning mechanism to allow learners of wide backgrounds and interests to approach CIDOC CRM in a hands-on and interactive fashion. The CIDOC CRM game consist of decks of cards and game boards that allow players to engage with the concepts of a formal ontology in relation to real data in an entertaining and informative way. It is argued that the CIDOC CRM Game can form an important part of introducing the basic elements of formal ontology and this standard to a wider audience in order to aid wider understanding and adoption of the same.

[Technique-based game for daycare visitors with and without dementia : Effects, heuristics and correlates].

PubMed

Ehret, S; Putze, F; Miller-Teynor, H; Kruse, A; Schultz, T

2017-01-01

Playing of old people with or without dementia have not yet been substantially investigated. This study deals with the acceptance and impact of a tablet-based memory game, which was played on a weekly or semiweekly basis by visitors in two daycare units. Within the framework of focus groups the technical system was adapted for elderly users. The video-assisted data at the level of the game and the dynamics were investigated with respect to interaction and communication. The analysis of psychological observation forms and game protocols, which were conducted over a period of 3 months, indicated different effects of the game on psychosocial and cognitive activation. The individual memory cards in particular served as an intensification of communication and a stimulation of episodic memory. Finally, with video analysis during the whole game setting three theoretical relationship patterns of the spheres playing and speech could be depicted. Coherence, separation and incoherence of playing and speech are different forms of interaction in which individual and collaborative competences of people with and without dementia can be visualized. Furthermore, the study provides evidence for the cultural theory of playing by Huizinga.

PROFESSIONAL NEGOTIATION IN EDUCATION--A BARGAINING GAME WITH SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS. INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL. FIRST REVISED EDITION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HORVAT, JOHN J.

IN AN APPLICATION OF GAME THEORY TO PREPARE PARTICIPATING PERSONNEL FOR EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL NEGOTIATION IN EDUCATION, THREE FORMS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ARE SIMULATED--ONE FOR A FOUR- TO EIGHT-HOUR TIME PERIOD, A SECOND FOR A TWO- TO FOUR-DAY TIME PERIOD, AND A THIRD FOR A ONE- TO THREE-WEEK WORKSHOP OR SEMINAR. LONGER FORMS PRESENT MORE…

Evaluating the Impact of Player Experience in the Design of a Serious Game for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Cordeiro d'Ornellas, Marcos; Cargnin, Diego João; Cervi Prado, Ana Lúcia

2015-01-01

Video games have become a major entertainment industry and one of the most popular leisure forms, ranging from laboratory experiments to a mainstream cultural medium. Indeed, current games are multimodal and multidimensional products, relying on sophisticated features including not only a narrative-driven story but also impressive graphics and detailed settings. All of these elements helped to create a seamless and appealing product that have resulted in a growing number of players and in the number of game genres. Although video games have been used in education, simulation, and training, another application that exploits serious gaming is the exploration of player experience in the context of game research. Recent advances in the natural user interfaces and player experience have brought new perspectives on the in-game assessment of serious games. This paper evaluates the impact of player experience in the design of a serious game for upper extremity stroke rehabilitation. The game combines biofeedback and mirror neurons both in single and multiplayer mode. Results have shown that the game is a feasible solution to integrate serious games into the physical therapy routine.

Asymmetric Evolutionary Games.

PubMed

McAvoy, Alex; Hauert, Christoph

2015-08-01

Evolutionary game theory is a powerful framework for studying evolution in populations of interacting individuals. A common assumption in evolutionary game theory is that interactions are symmetric, which means that the players are distinguished by only their strategies. In nature, however, the microscopic interactions between players are nearly always asymmetric due to environmental effects, differing baseline characteristics, and other possible sources of heterogeneity. To model these phenomena, we introduce into evolutionary game theory two broad classes of asymmetric interactions: ecological and genotypic. Ecological asymmetry results from variation in the environments of the players, while genotypic asymmetry is a consequence of the players having differing baseline genotypes. We develop a theory of these forms of asymmetry for games in structured populations and use the classical social dilemmas, the Prisoner's Dilemma and the Snowdrift Game, for illustrations. Interestingly, asymmetric games reveal essential differences between models of genetic evolution based on reproduction and models of cultural evolution based on imitation that are not apparent in symmetric games.

Effects of contrarians in the minority game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Li-Xin; Zheng, Da-Fang; Zheng, Bo; Hui, P. M.

2005-08-01

We study the effects of the presence of contrarians in an agent-based model of competing populations. Contrarians are common in societies. These contrarians are agents who deliberately prefer to hold an opinion that is contrary to the prevailing idea of the commons or normal agents. Contrarians are introduced within the context of the minority game (MG), which is a binary model for an evolving and adaptive population of agents competing for a limited resource. The average success rate among the agents is found to have a nonmonotonic dependence on the fraction ac of contrarians. For small ac , the contrarians systematically outperform the normal agents by avoiding the crowd effect and enhance the overall success rate. For high ac , the antipersistent nature of the MG is disturbed and the few normal agents outperform the contrarians. Qualitative discussion and analytic results for the small ac and high ac regimes are presented, and the crossover behavior between the two regimes is discussed.

Evaluation of strength and conditioning measures with game success in Division I collegiate volleyball: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Bunn, Jennifer A; Ryan, Greg A; Button, Gabriel R; Zhang, S

2017-08-04

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess relationships between strength and conditioning (SC) measures and game performance in Division I volleyball. Five years of SC and game data were collected from one women's Division I collegiate team, n = 76. SC measures included: T-drill, 18.3 m sprint, back squat, hang clean, vertical jump, and broad jump. All game and SC stats were normalized to Z-scores. Analyses included assessing SC differences by position, and multiple stepwise regression to assess relationships between game and SC stats. There was a significant difference by position for broad jump (p =.002), 18.3 m sprint (p =.036), vertical (p <.001), and total strength (p =.019). Overall, game performance and SC measures were significantly correlated (r = .439, p <.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated significant relationships (p < .05) between SC measures and game success by position as follows: defensive specialist stats with squat and total strength; setters game stats with hang cleans, T-drill, and broad jump; pin hitter game stats with vertical, squat, and total strength; middle blockers game stats with broad jump. These data indicate that SC measures correlate well with game performance and are specific by position. These data could help SC coaches create a more precise training approach to focus on improving specific measures by position, which could then translate to improved game performance. These data could also help coaches with talent identification to determine playing time and rotations to maximize player ability and achieve success.

Universality, Limits and Predictability of Gold-Medal Performances at the Olympic Games

PubMed Central

Radicchi, Filippo

2012-01-01

Inspired by the Games held in ancient Greece, modern Olympics represent the world’s largest pageant of athletic skill and competitive spirit. Performances of athletes at the Olympic Games mirror, since 1896, human potentialities in sports, and thus provide an optimal source of information for studying the evolution of sport achievements and predicting the limits that athletes can reach. Unfortunately, the models introduced so far for the description of athlete performances at the Olympics are either sophisticated or unrealistic, and more importantly, do not provide a unified theory for sport performances. Here, we address this issue by showing that relative performance improvements of medal winners at the Olympics are normally distributed, implying that the evolution of performance values can be described in good approximation as an exponential approach to an a priori unknown limiting performance value. This law holds for all specialties in athletics–including running, jumping, and throwing–and swimming. We present a self-consistent method, based on normality hypothesis testing, able to predict limiting performance values in all specialties. We further quantify the most likely years in which athletes will breach challenging performance walls in running, jumping, throwing, and swimming events, as well as the probability that new world records will be established at the next edition of the Olympic Games. PMID:22808137

Business game using information technologies for the students of final courses to direction of telecommunication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khmelevskaya, A. V.; Klyuchnikova, O. E.; Golovin, P. V.; Yakushev, A. S.

2017-01-01

This article discusses the use of business games in the field of Infocommunications and information security. The authors consider the developed business game "Interview - rules of successful employment," "The tender to design Local Area Network," "Emergency situation in telecommunications company." This business games allows students to develop many skills and abilities. This games gives students the opportunity to take advantage of their theoretical knowledge and already in student years to begin them practically to realize and apply, producing own preparation the same for a further successful professional growth. The games is recommended for use as a new integrated form of organization-semester independent students work with a public defense of result and demonstration all professional competencies.

The impact of prolonged violent video-gaming on adolescent sleep: an experimental study.

PubMed

King, Daniel L; Gradisar, Michael; Drummond, Aaron; Lovato, Nicole; Wessel, Jason; Micic, Gorica; Douglas, Paul; Delfabbro, Paul

2013-04-01

Video-gaming is an increasingly prevalent activity among children and adolescents that is known to influence several areas of emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning. Currently there is insufficient experimental evidence about how extended video-game play may affect adolescents' sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term impact of adolescents' prolonged exposure to violent video-gaming on sleep. Seventeen male adolescents (mean age = 16 ± 1 years) with no current sleep difficulties played a novel, fast-paced, violent video-game (50 or 150 min) before their usual bedtime on two different testing nights in a sleep laboratory. Objective (polysomnography-measured sleep and heart rate) and subjective (single-night sleep diary) measures were obtained to assess the arousing effects of prolonged gaming. Compared with regular gaming, prolonged gaming produced decreases in objective sleep efficiency (by 7 ± 2%, falling below 85%) and total sleep time (by 27 ± 12 min) that was contributed by a near-moderate reduction in rapid eye movement sleep (Cohen's d = 0.48). Subjective sleep-onset latency significantly increased by 17 ± 8 min, and there was a moderate reduction in self-reported sleep quality after prolonged gaming (Cohen's d = 0.53). Heart rate did not differ significantly between video-gaming conditions during pre-sleep game-play or the sleep-onset phase. Results provide evidence that prolonged video-gaming may cause clinically significant disruption to adolescent sleep, even when sleep after video-gaming is initiated at normal bedtime. However, physiological arousal may not necessarily be the mechanism by which technology use affects sleep. © 2012 European Sleep Research Society.

Effect of a large gaming neighborhood and a strategy adaptation neighborhood for bolstering network reciprocity in a prisoner's dilemma game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogasawara, Takashi; Tanimoto, Jun; Fukuda, Eriko; Hagishima, Aya; Ikegaya, Naoki

2014-12-01

In 2 × 2 prisoner's dilemma (PD) games, network reciprocity is one mechanism for adding social viscosity, leading to a cooperative equilibrium. In this paper, we explain how gaming neighborhoods and strategy-adaptation neighborhoods affect network reciprocity independently in spatial PD games. We explore an appropriate range of strategy adaptation neighborhoods as opposed to the conventional method of making the gaming and strategy adaptation neighborhoods coincide to enhance the level of cooperation. In cases of expanding gaming neighborhoods, network reciprocity falls to a low level relative to the conventional setting. In the discussion below, which is based on the results of our simulation, we explore how these enhancements come about. Essentially, varying the range of the neighborhoods influences how cooperative clusters form and expand in the evolutionary process.

Gaming the System: Developing an Educational Game for Securing Principles of Arterial Blood Gases.

PubMed

Boyd, Cory Ann; Warren, Jonah; Glendon, Mary Ann

2016-01-01

This article describes the development process for creating a digital educational mini game prototype designed to provide practice opportunities for learning fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Mini games generally take less than an hour to play and focus on specific subject matter. An interdisciplinary team of faculty from two universities mentored student game developers to design a digital educational mini game prototype. Sixteen accelerated bachelor of science in nursing students collaborated with game development students and playtested the game prototype during the last semester of their senior year in nursing school. Playtesting is a form of feedback that supports an iterative design process that is critical to game development. A 10-question survey was coupled with group discussions addressing five broad themes of an archetypical digital educational mini game to yield feedback on game design, play, and content. Four rounds of playtesting and incorporating feedback supported the iterative process. Accelerated bachelor of science in nursing student playtester feedback suggests that the digital educational mini game prototype has potential for offering an engaging, playful game experience that will support securing the fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Next steps are to test the digital educational mini game for teaching and learning effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

So the Kids Are Busy, What Now? Teacher Perceptions of the Use of Hand-Held Game Consoles in West Australian Primary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Rourke, John; Main, Susan; Ellis, Michelle

2013-01-01

Games technology in the form of hand-held game consoles (HGCs) when focussed on specific academic skill development has the capacity to engage students in learning and in turn produce positive academic results. This current research explores teacher perceptions of the implementation of HGCs to enhance the development of mental maths skills (namely…

Conditional Belief Types

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-19

event is the same as conditioning on the event being certain, which formalizes the standard informal interpretation of conditional probability. The game ...theoretic application of our model, discussed within an example, sheds light on a number of issues in the analysis of extensive form games . Type...belief types Block 13: Supplementary Note © 2014 . Published in Games and Economic Behavior, Vol. Ed. 0 87, (0) (2014), (, (0). DoD Components

Measurement Invariance of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) between the United States of America, India and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Pontes, Halley M; Stavropoulos, Vasileios; Griffiths, Mark D

2017-11-01

The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) has been extensively used worldwide to assess Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) behaviors. Therefore, investigating cultural limitations and implications in its applicability is necessary. The cross-cultural feasibility of a test can be psychometrically evaluated with measurement invariance analyses. Thus, the present study used Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) to examine the IGDS9-SF measurement invariance across gamers from the United States of America (USA), India, and the United Kingdom (UK). A total of 1013 gamers from the USA (n = 405), India (n = 336), and the UK (n = 272) were recruited. Although the one-factor structure of the IGD construct was supported, cross-country variations were demonstrated considering the way that this was reflected on items assessing preoccupation/salience, tolerance, deception, gaming escapism/mood modification, as well as daily activities' impairment related to gaming. Furthermore, the same scores on items assessing withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, lack of control over gaming engagement, escapism/mood modification and daily activities impairment associated to gaming, have been found to reflect various levels of IGD severity across the three groups. The implications of these results are further discussed in the context of existing evidence regarding the assessment of IGD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selecting and Evaluating Software for Use in a Preschool Classroom: From the Young Child's and Researcher's Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vartuli, Sue; And Others

A 16-item evaluation form is presented to aid in selection of appropriate computerized game materials for preschool children. The form was derived from a 32-week-long study involving 66 children 3, 4, and 5 years of age who were allowed to play computer games during free play or work time while attending a modified Montessori preschool program. In…

Parrondo's game using a discrete-time quantum walk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrashekar, C. M.; Banerjee, Subhashish

2011-04-01

We present a new form of a Parrondo game using discrete-time quantum walk on a line. The two players A and B with different quantum coins operators, individually losing the game can develop a strategy to emerge as joint winners by using their coins alternatively, or in combination for each step of the quantum walk evolution. We also present a strategy for a player A ( B) to have a winning probability more than player B ( A). Significance of the game strategy in information theory and physical applications are also discussed.

Systems Defense Games: Colonel Blotto, Command and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-03-30

problems.* 2. SYST ~~EAS ? FRAI.217- E AX,, 2Z1E C4AE:7T :~C~ At. n-person game in coalitional form is described by a chara•ý•,r- i.s•;. fzr..’icn v...be described es (1) €,: - I-7 S b P l. .’[:, j ,- , S I Consider the 3-person game with a characteristic function as follows* Shapley (1959). e *The... game . Specifically, assume that t& e same outcome function f(-,’) de- scribes thesituationatall n targets (battlefields), and further assume that f Is

Teaching intelligent design or sparking interest in science? What players do with Will Wright's Spore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, Trevor

2012-12-01

The 2008 commercial video game Spore allowed more than a million players to design their own life forms. Starting from single-celled organisms players played through a caricature of natural history. Press coverage of the game's release offer two frames for thinking about the implications of the game. Some scientists and educators saw the game as a troubling teacher of intelligent design, while others suggested it might excite public interest in science. This paper explores the extent to which these two ways of thinking about the game are consistent with what players have done with the game in its online community. This analysis suggests that, at least for the players participating in this community, the game has not seduced them into believing in intelligent design. Instead the activities of these players suggest that the game has played a catalytic role in engaging the public with science. These findings indicate that designers of educational games may wish to consider more deeply tensions between prioritizing accuracy of content in educational games over player engagement.

The Effect of Regular-Season Rest on Playoff Performance Among Players in the National Basketball Association

PubMed Central

Belk, John W.; Marshall, Hayden A.; McCarty, Eric C.; Kraeutler, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

Background: There has been speculation that rest during the regular season for players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) improves player performance in the postseason. Purpose: To determine whether there is a correlation between the amount of regular-season rest among NBA players and playoff performance and injury risk in the same season. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The Basketball Reference and Pro Sports Transactions archives were searched from the 2005 to 2015 seasons. Data were collected on players who missed fewer than 5 regular-season games because of rest (group A) and 5 to 9 regular-season games because of rest (group B) during each season. Inclusion criteria consisted of players who played a minimum of 20 minutes per game and made the playoffs that season. Players were excluded if they missed ≥10 games because of rest or suspension or missed ≥20 games in a season for any reason. Matched pairs were formed between the groups based on the following criteria: position, mean age at the start of the season within 2 years, regular-season minutes per game within 5 minutes, same playoff seeding, and player efficiency rating (PER) within 2 points. The following data from the playoffs were collected and compared between matched pairs at each position (point guard, shooting guard, forward/center): points per game, assists per game, PER, true shooting percentage, blocks, steals, and number of playoff games missed because of injury. Results: A total of 811 players met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (group A: n = 744 players; group B: n = 67 players). Among all eligible players, 27 matched pairs were formed. Within these matched pairs, players in group B missed significantly more regular-season games because of rest than players in group A (6.0 games vs 1.3 games, respectively; P < .0001). There were no significant differences between the groups at any position in terms of points per game, assists per game, PER, true shooting percentage, blocks, steals, or number of playoff games missed because of injury. Conclusion: Rest during the NBA regular season does not improve playoff performance or affect the injury risk during the playoffs in the same season. PMID:29051897

Expansion of the Gaming Industry: Opportunities for Cooperative Extension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borden, George W.; And Others

1997-01-01

All but two states have some form of legalized gaming. However, survey responses from 28 of 50 extension agents indicated that only 2 have extension programming on the economic, social, and moral issues involved in gambling. (SK)

Prosocial Personality Traits Differentially Predict Egalitarianism, Generosity, and Reciprocity in Economic Games

PubMed Central

Zhao, Kun; Ferguson, Eamonn; Smillie, Luke D.

2016-01-01

Recent research has highlighted the role of prosocial personality traits—agreeableness and honesty-humility—in egalitarian distributions of wealth in the dictator game. Expanding on these findings, we ran two studies to examine individual differences in two other forms of prosociality—generosity and reciprocity—with respect to two major models of personality, the Big Five and the HEXACO. Participants (combined N = 560) completed a series of economic games in which allocations in the dictator game were compared with those in the generosity game, a non-constant-sum wealth distribution task where proposers with fixed payoffs selected the size of their partner’s payoff (“generosity”). We further examined positive and negative reciprocity by manipulating a partner’s previous move (“reciprocity”). Results showed clear evidence of both generosity and positive reciprocity in social preferences, with allocations to a partner greater in the generosity game than in the dictator game, and greater still when a player had been previously assisted by their partner. There was also a consistent interaction with gender, whereby men were more generous when this was costless and women were more egalitarian overall. Furthermore, these distinct forms of prosociality were differentially predicted by personality traits, in line with the core features of these traits and the theoretical distinctions between them. HEXACO honesty-humility predicted dictator, but not generosity allocations, while traits capturing tendencies toward irritability and anger predicted lower generosity, but not dictator allocations. In contrast, the politeness—but not compassion—aspect of Big Five agreeableness was uniquely and broadly associated with prosociality across all games. These findings support the discriminant validity between related prosocial constructs, and have important implications for understanding the motives and mechanisms taking place within economic games. PMID:27555824

Prosocial Personality Traits Differentially Predict Egalitarianism, Generosity, and Reciprocity in Economic Games.

PubMed

Zhao, Kun; Ferguson, Eamonn; Smillie, Luke D

2016-01-01

Recent research has highlighted the role of prosocial personality traits-agreeableness and honesty-humility-in egalitarian distributions of wealth in the dictator game. Expanding on these findings, we ran two studies to examine individual differences in two other forms of prosociality-generosity and reciprocity-with respect to two major models of personality, the Big Five and the HEXACO. Participants (combined N = 560) completed a series of economic games in which allocations in the dictator game were compared with those in the generosity game, a non-constant-sum wealth distribution task where proposers with fixed payoffs selected the size of their partner's payoff ("generosity"). We further examined positive and negative reciprocity by manipulating a partner's previous move ("reciprocity"). Results showed clear evidence of both generosity and positive reciprocity in social preferences, with allocations to a partner greater in the generosity game than in the dictator game, and greater still when a player had been previously assisted by their partner. There was also a consistent interaction with gender, whereby men were more generous when this was costless and women were more egalitarian overall. Furthermore, these distinct forms of prosociality were differentially predicted by personality traits, in line with the core features of these traits and the theoretical distinctions between them. HEXACO honesty-humility predicted dictator, but not generosity allocations, while traits capturing tendencies toward irritability and anger predicted lower generosity, but not dictator allocations. In contrast, the politeness-but not compassion-aspect of Big Five agreeableness was uniquely and broadly associated with prosociality across all games. These findings support the discriminant validity between related prosocial constructs, and have important implications for understanding the motives and mechanisms taking place within economic games.

Pediatric Obesity: Is There Room for Active Video Games in Prevention or Management?

PubMed

Thivel, David; OʼMalley, Grace

2016-01-01

Children and adolescents spend a considerable amount of time engaged in sedentary behaviors that have been shown to favor weight gain and impaired physical fitness. Active video games have been proposed to increase physical activity levels. Although active video games may offer an interesting alternative to reducing sedentary time for children, the present commentary aimed to determine whether there is adequate evidence that compared active video gaming to real-life play and exercise. Given the dearth of data, it is not possible at present to support the use of active video games as substitutes for traditional forms of active play and health-enhancing physical activity. Further research should be encouraged and therapists should not consider active video games exclusively for intervention in children with obesity.

Men's harassment behavior in online video games: Personality traits and game factors.

PubMed

Tang, Wai Yen; Fox, Jesse

2016-11-01

Online video games afford co-play and social interaction, often anonymous, among players from around the world. As predicted by the social identity model of deindividuation effects, undesirable behavior is not uncommon in online gaming environments, and online harassment has become a pervasive issue in the gaming community. In this study, we sought to determine what personality traits and game-related variables predicted two types of online aggression in video games: general harassment (e.g., skill-based taunting, insulting others' intelligence) and sexual harassment (e.g., sexist comments, rape threats). Men who play online video games (N = 425) participated in an anonymous online survey. Social dominance orientation and hostile sexism predicted higher levels of both sexual harassment and general harassment in online games. Game involvement and hours of weekly gameplay were additional predictors of general harassment. We discuss implications of online social aggression and online sexual harassment for online gaming. We also apply our findings to the broader understanding of online harassment, cyberaggression, cyberbullying, and other forms of online hostility in computer-mediated communication contexts. Aggr. Behav. 42:513-521, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Decision and Game Theory for Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpcan, Tansu; Buttyán, Levente; Baras, John S.

Attack--defense trees are used to describe security weaknesses of a system and possible countermeasures. In this paper, the connection between attack--defense trees and game theory is made explicit. We show that attack--defense trees and binary zero-sum two-player extensive form games have equivalent expressive power when considering satisfiability, in the sense that they can be converted into each other while preserving their outcome and their internal structure.

`Voyager': an educational card game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David Ryan

2003-01-01

`Voyager' is an educational card game involving scientific satellites, developed for use in schools with children aged 9 to 13 years. The idea of the game is to improve pupils' knowledge about the large number of scientific satellites there are in space in a fun way, while also practising numeracy skills. Several copies of the game were produced using funding obtained from the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) as a Public Understanding of Science (PUS) award. These initial `trial' versions of the game were taken to three different schools where feedback obtained from both pupils and staff was used to produce a final copy of the game that can be distributed to other schools along with a set of companion notes to form the basis of a science lesson. This article reports the findings of the school trials and indicates possible future developments of other scientific card games that could be beneficial to the classroom.

Asymmetric Evolutionary Games

PubMed Central

McAvoy, Alex; Hauert, Christoph

2015-01-01

Evolutionary game theory is a powerful framework for studying evolution in populations of interacting individuals. A common assumption in evolutionary game theory is that interactions are symmetric, which means that the players are distinguished by only their strategies. In nature, however, the microscopic interactions between players are nearly always asymmetric due to environmental effects, differing baseline characteristics, and other possible sources of heterogeneity. To model these phenomena, we introduce into evolutionary game theory two broad classes of asymmetric interactions: ecological and genotypic. Ecological asymmetry results from variation in the environments of the players, while genotypic asymmetry is a consequence of the players having differing baseline genotypes. We develop a theory of these forms of asymmetry for games in structured populations and use the classical social dilemmas, the Prisoner’s Dilemma and the Snowdrift Game, for illustrations. Interestingly, asymmetric games reveal essential differences between models of genetic evolution based on reproduction and models of cultural evolution based on imitation that are not apparent in symmetric games. PMID:26308326

Using Computer Games to Communicate Prevention and Preparedness Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerlow, I.

2012-12-01

Earth Girl: The Natural Disaster Fighter is a digital game about a girl who can save her family and friends from natural hazards. The scenario and game play are inspired by the challenges faced by communities living in the Asian regions prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding and volcano hazards. This paper focuses on the interdisciplinary issues and development, the user testing and refinement process and a brief demonstration of the final product. The Earth Girl game is meant to help players, particularly pre-teens worldwide, to gain a better understanding of natural hazards through imaginative and fun game play. The game offers three levels of side-scrolling action, plus factual information in the form of quizzes to enhance the players' knowledge. The correct answers provide players with extra health and/or super-powers. The game was developed in English, Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese. It runs on any Flash-enabled browser and has been successfully user-tested in Southeast Asia with positive results and feedback.Earth Girl, a game of preparedness and survival

Problematic game play: the diagnostic value of playing motives, passion, and playing time in men.

PubMed

Kneer, Julia; Rieger, Diana

2015-04-30

Internet gaming disorder is currently listed in the DSM-not in order to diagnose such a disorder but to encourage research to investigate this phenomenon. Even whether it is still questionable if Internet Gaming Disorder exists and can be judged as a form of addiction, problematic game play is already very well researched to cause problems in daily life. Approaches trying to predict problematic tendencies in digital game play have mainly focused on playing time as a diagnostic criterion. However, motives to engage in digital game play and obsessive passion for game play have also been found to predict problematic game play but have not yet been investigated together. The present study aims at (1) analyzing if obsessive passion can be distinguished from problematic game play as separate concepts, and (2) testing motives of game play, passion, and playing time for their predictive values for problematic tendencies. We found (N = 99 males, Age: M = 22.80, SD = 3.81) that obsessive passion can be conceptually separated from problematic game play. In addition, the results suggest that compared to solely playing time immersion as playing motive and obsessive passion have added predictive value for problematic game play. The implications focus on broadening the criteria in order to diagnose problematic playing.

Problematic Game Play: The Diagnostic Value of Playing Motives, Passion, and Playing Time in Men

PubMed Central

Kneer, Julia; Rieger, Diana

2015-01-01

Internet gaming disorder is currently listed in the DSM—not in order to diagnose such a disorder but to encourage research to investigate this phenomenon. Even whether it is still questionable if Internet Gaming Disorder exists and can be judged as a form of addiction, problematic game play is already very well researched to cause problems in daily life. Approaches trying to predict problematic tendencies in digital game play have mainly focused on playing time as a diagnostic criterion. However, motives to engage in digital game play and obsessive passion for game play have also been found to predict problematic game play but have not yet been investigated together. The present study aims at (1) analyzing if obsessive passion can be distinguished from problematic game play as separate concepts, and (2) testing motives of game play, passion, and playing time for their predictive values for problematic tendencies. We found (N = 99 males, Age: M = 22.80, SD = 3.81) that obsessive passion can be conceptually separated from problematic game play. In addition, the results suggest that compared to solely playing time immersion as playing motive and obsessive passion have added predictive value for problematic game play. The implications focus on broadening the criteria in order to diagnose problematic playing. PMID:25942516

Development and Evaluation of a Cognitive Training Game for Older People: A Design-based Approach.

PubMed

Lu, Ming-Hsin; Lin, Weijane; Yueh, Hsiu-Ping

2017-01-01

In the research field of cognitive aging, games have gained attention as training interventions to remediate age-related deficits. Cognitive training games on computer, video and mobile platforms have shown ample and positive support. However, the generalized effects are not agreed upon unanimously, and the game tasks are usually simple and decontextualized due to the limitations of measurements. This study adopted a qualitative approach of design-based research (DBR) to systematically review and pragmatically examine the regime, presentation and feedback design of a cognitive training game for older adults. An overview of the literature of cognitive aging and training games was conducted to form the theoretical conjectures of the design, and an iterative cycle and process were employed to develop a mobile game for older adults who are homebound or receiving care in a nursing home. Stakeholders, i.e., elderly users and institutional administrators, were invited to participate in the design process. Using two cycles of design and evaluation, a working prototype of an iPad-based app that accounted for the needs of elderly adults in terms of form, appearance and working function was developed and tested in the actual contexts of the participants' homes and an assisted living facility. The results showed that the cognitive training game developed in this study was accepted by the participants, and a high degree of satisfaction was noted. Moreover, the elements of the interface, including its size, layout and control flow, were tested and found to be suitable for use. This study contributes to the literature by providing design suggestions for such games, including the designs of the cognitive training structure, interface, interaction, instructions and feedback, based on empirical evidence collected in natural settings. This study further suggests that the effectiveness of cognitive training in mobile games be evaluated through field and physical testing on a larger scale in the future.

Development and Evaluation of a Cognitive Training Game for Older People: A Design-based Approach

PubMed Central

Lu, Ming-Hsin; Lin, Weijane; Yueh, Hsiu-Ping

2017-01-01

In the research field of cognitive aging, games have gained attention as training interventions to remediate age-related deficits. Cognitive training games on computer, video and mobile platforms have shown ample and positive support. However, the generalized effects are not agreed upon unanimously, and the game tasks are usually simple and decontextualized due to the limitations of measurements. This study adopted a qualitative approach of design-based research (DBR) to systematically review and pragmatically examine the regime, presentation and feedback design of a cognitive training game for older adults. An overview of the literature of cognitive aging and training games was conducted to form the theoretical conjectures of the design, and an iterative cycle and process were employed to develop a mobile game for older adults who are homebound or receiving care in a nursing home. Stakeholders, i.e., elderly users and institutional administrators, were invited to participate in the design process. Using two cycles of design and evaluation, a working prototype of an iPad-based app that accounted for the needs of elderly adults in terms of form, appearance and working function was developed and tested in the actual contexts of the participants' homes and an assisted living facility. The results showed that the cognitive training game developed in this study was accepted by the participants, and a high degree of satisfaction was noted. Moreover, the elements of the interface, including its size, layout and control flow, were tested and found to be suitable for use. This study contributes to the literature by providing design suggestions for such games, including the designs of the cognitive training structure, interface, interaction, instructions and feedback, based on empirical evidence collected in natural settings. This study further suggests that the effectiveness of cognitive training in mobile games be evaluated through field and physical testing on a larger scale in the future. PMID:29089914

DSM-5 diagnosis of Internet Gaming Disorder: Some ways forward in overcoming issues and concerns in the gaming studies field

PubMed Central

Kuss, Daria J.; Griffiths, Mark D.; Pontes, Halley M.

2017-01-01

Background and aims The current DSM-5 diagnosis of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) has led to a number of issues and concerns that we highlighted in our recent paper (Kuss, Griffiths, & Pontes, 2017). Experts in the field responded to our evaluation of these issues resulting in six commentaries. Methods In this paper, we offer responses to the six commentaries to move the scientific field forward. All of the responses to our original paper highlighted many conceptual, theoretical, and/or methodological problems with the proposed IGD diagnosis as outlined in the DSM-5. We outline some ways forward in overcoming issues and concerns in the gaming studies field. Results We argue that rather than stigmatizing gaming per se, the role of scientists and practitioners is to establish a clear-cut distinction between someone who may use games excessively but non-problematically and someone who is experiencing significant impairment in their daily lives as a consequence of their excessive gaming. This responsibility needs to be shared by popular media who are often quick to build a moral panic around gaming behaviors, often based on cherry-picking specific case studies and pieces of research which support their headlines. Conclusion Researchers, practitioners, gaming developers, and the media need to work together and collaboratively to build a realistic and comprehensive understanding of gaming as a normal, enjoyable, and often beneficial sociocultural practice, which for a small minority of excessive users may be associated with the experience of addiction-related symptoms that may require professional support. PMID:28662619

DSM-5 diagnosis of Internet Gaming Disorder: Some ways forward in overcoming issues and concerns in the gaming studies field.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D; Pontes, Halley M

2017-06-01

Background and aims The current DSM-5 diagnosis of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) has led to a number of issues and concerns that we highlighted in our recent paper (Kuss, Griffiths, & Pontes, 2017). Experts in the field responded to our evaluation of these issues resulting in six commentaries. Methods In this paper, we offer responses to the six commentaries to move the scientific field forward. All of the responses to our original paper highlighted many conceptual, theoretical, and/or methodological problems with the proposed IGD diagnosis as outlined in the DSM-5. We outline some ways forward in overcoming issues and concerns in the gaming studies field. Results We argue that rather than stigmatizing gaming per se, the role of scientists and practitioners is to establish a clear-cut distinction between someone who may use games excessively but non-problematically and someone who is experiencing significant impairment in their daily lives as a consequence of their excessive gaming. This responsibility needs to be shared by popular media who are often quick to build a moral panic around gaming behaviors, often based on cherry-picking specific case studies and pieces of research which support their headlines. Conclusion Researchers, practitioners, gaming developers, and the media need to work together and collaboratively to build a realistic and comprehensive understanding of gaming as a normal, enjoyable, and often beneficial sociocultural practice, which for a small minority of excessive users may be associated with the experience of addiction-related symptoms that may require professional support.

Heartbeat and economic decisions: observing mental stress among proposers and responders in the ultimatum bargaining game.

PubMed

Dulleck, Uwe; Schaffner, Markus; Torgler, Benno

2014-01-01

The ultimatum bargaining game (UBG), a widely used method in experimental economics, clearly demonstrates that motives other than pure monetary reward play a role in human economic decision making. In this study, we explore the behaviour and physiological reactions of both responders and proposers in an ultimatum bargaining game using heart rate variability (HRV), a small and nonintrusive technology that allows observation of both sides of an interaction in a normal experimental economics laboratory environment. We find that low offers by a proposer cause signs of mental stress in both the proposer and the responder; that is, both exhibit high ratios of low to high frequency activity in the HRV spectrum.

Using game theory to investigate the epigenetic control mechanisms of embryo development: Comment on: "Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition" by Qian Wang et al.

PubMed

Zhang, Le; Zhang, Shaoxiang

2017-03-01

A body of research [1-7] has already shown that epigenetic reprogramming plays a critical role in maintaining the normal development of embryos. However, the mechanistic quantitation of the epigenetic interactions between sperms and oocytes and the related impact on embryo development are still not clear [6,7]. In this study, Wang et al., [8] develop a modeling framework that addresses this question by integrating game theory and the latest discoveries of the epigenetic control of embryo development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

mRNA expression of dopamine receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes of computer game addicts.

PubMed

Vousooghi, Nasim; Zarei, Seyed Zeinolabedin; Sadat-Shirazi, Mitra-Sadat; Eghbali, Fatemeh; Zarrindast, Mohammad Reza

2015-10-01

Excessive playing of computer games like some other behaviors could lead to addiction. Addictive behaviors may induce their reinforcing effects through stimulation of the brain dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway. The status of dopamine receptors in the brain may be parallel to their homologous receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Here, we have investigated the mRNA expression of dopamine D3, D4 and D5 receptors in PBLs of computer game addicts (n = 20) in comparison to normal subjects (n = 20), using a real-time PCR method. The results showed that the expression level of D3 and D4 dopamine receptors in computer game addicts were not statistically different from the control group. However, the expression of the mRNA of D5 dopamine receptor was significantly down-regulated in PBLs of computer game addicts and reached 0.42 the amount of the control group. It is concluded that unlike with drug addiction, the expression levels of the D3 and D4 dopamine receptors in computer game addicts are not altered compared to the control group. However, reduced level of the D5 dopamine receptor in computer game addicts may serve as a peripheral marker in studies where the confounding effects of abused drugs are unwanted.

Economic games quantify diminished sense of guilt in patients with damage to the prefrontal cortex

PubMed Central

Krajbich, Ian; Adolphs, Ralph; Tranel, Daniel; Denburg, Natalie L.; Camerer, Colin F.

2009-01-01

Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) impairs concern for other people, as reflected in the dysfunctional real-life social behavior of patients with such damage, as well as their abnormal performances on tasks ranging from moral judgment to economic games. Despite these convergent data, we lack a formal model of how, and to what degree, VMPFC lesions affect an individual’s social decision-making. Here we provide a quantification of these effects using a formal economic model of choice that incorporates terms for the disutility of unequal payoffs, with parameters that index behaviors normally evoked by guilt and envy. Six patients with focal VMPFC lesions participated in a battery of economic games that measured concern about payoffs to themselves and to others: dictator, ultimatum, and trust games. We analyzed each task individually, but also derived estimates of the guilt and envy parameters from aggregate behavior across all of the tasks. Compared to control subjects, the patients donated significantly less and were less trustworthy, and overall our model found a significant insensitivity to guilt. Despite these abnormalities, the patients had normal expectations about what other people would do, and they also did not simply generate behavior that was more noisy. Instead, the findings argue for a specific insensitivity to guilt, an abnormality that we suggest characterizes a key contribution made by the VMPFC to social behavior. PMID:19228971

Economic games quantify diminished sense of guilt in patients with damage to the prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Krajbich, Ian; Adolphs, Ralph; Tranel, Daniel; Denburg, Natalie L; Camerer, Colin F

2009-02-18

Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) impairs concern for other people, as reflected in the dysfunctional real-life social behavior of patients with such damage, as well as their abnormal performances on tasks ranging from moral judgment to economic games. Despite these convergent data, we lack a formal model of how, and to what degree, VMPFC lesions affect an individual's social decision-making. Here we provide a quantification of these effects using a formal economic model of choice that incorporates terms for the disutility of unequal payoffs, with parameters that index behaviors normally evoked by guilt and envy. Six patients with focal VMPFC lesions participated in a battery of economic games that measured concern about payoffs to themselves and to others: dictator, ultimatum, and trust games. We analyzed each task individually, but also derived estimates of the guilt and envy parameters from aggregate behavior across all of the tasks. Compared with control subjects, the patients donated significantly less and were less trustworthy, and overall our model found a significant insensitivity to guilt. Despite these abnormalities, the patients had normal expectations about what other people would do, and they also did not simply generate behavior that was more noisy. Instead, the findings argue for a specific insensitivity to guilt, an abnormality that we suggest characterizes a key contribution made by the VMPFC to social behavior.

Playing with Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieyra, Rebecca; Edwards, Teon; Rowe, Elizabeth; Asbell-Clarke, Jodi

2015-01-01

Gaming is becoming an effective form of learning and assessment and shouldn't be overlooked in an increasingly technological world. The games described in this article ("Impulse," "Quantum Spectre," and "Ravenous"), entertaining enough to be played by the general public, are also appropriate and useful in a classroom…

An Evolutionary Game Theory Model of Revision-Resistant Motivations and Strategic Reasoning

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

The model also is consistent with a number of findings on the nature of emotions and related forms of motivation. 15. SUBJECT TERMS...because human beings have some kinds of motivations that are not reducible to the economist’s traditional notion of ordered preferences. These...simulation is designed in light of the most current human subject research on a widely studied game: the Ultimatum Game. This allows us to test

Video game playing increases food intake in adolescents: a randomized crossover study.

PubMed

Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Visby, Trine; Nyby, Signe; Klingenberg, Lars; Gregersen, Nikolaj T; Tremblay, Angelo; Astrup, Arne; Sjödin, Anders

2011-06-01

Video game playing has been linked to obesity in many observational studies. However, the influence of this sedentary activity on food intake is unknown. The objective was to examine the acute effects of sedentary video game play on various components of energy balance. With the use of a randomized crossover design, 22 healthy, normal-weight, male adolescents (mean ± SD age: 16.7 ± 1.1 y) completed two 1-h experimental conditions, namely video game play and rest in a sitting position, followed by an ad libitum lunch. The endpoints were spontaneous food intake, energy expenditure, stress markers, appetite sensations, and profiles of appetite-related hormones. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, sympathetic tone, and mental workload were significantly higher during the video game play condition than during the resting condition (P < 0.05). Although energy expenditure was significantly higher during video game play than during rest (mean increase over resting: 89 kJ; P < 0.01), ad libitum energy intake after video game play exceeded that measured after rest by 335 kJ (P < 0.05). A daily energy surplus of 682 kJ (163 kcal) over resting (P < 0.01) was observed in the video game play condition. The increase in food intake associated with video game play was observed without increased sensations of hunger and was not compensated for during the rest of the day. Finally, the profiles of glucose, insulin, cortisol, and ghrelin did not suggest an up-regulation of appetite during the video game play condition. A single session of video game play in healthy male adolescents is associated with an increased food intake, regardless of appetite sensations. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01013246.

Modelling and strategy optimisation for a kind of networked evolutionary games with memories under the bankruptcy mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Shihua; Li, Haitao; Zhao, Guodong

2018-05-01

This paper investigates the evolutionary dynamic and strategy optimisation for a kind of networked evolutionary games whose strategy updating rules incorporate 'bankruptcy' mechanism, and the situation that each player's bankruptcy is due to the previous continuous low profits gaining from the game is considered. First, by using semi-tensor product of matrices method, the evolutionary dynamic of this kind of games is expressed as a higher order logical dynamic system and then converted into its algebraic form, based on which, the evolutionary dynamic of the given games can be discussed. Second, the strategy optimisation problem is investigated, and some free-type control sequences are designed to maximise the total payoff of the whole game. Finally, an illustrative example is given to show that our new results are very effective.

The relationship between gaming disorder and addiction requires a behavioral analysis

PubMed Central

James, Richard J. E.; Tunney, Richard J.

2017-01-01

In their position paper, Aarseth et al. (2016) bring to light several timely issues concerning the categorization of gaming disorder as a form of addiction and as a discrete mental disorder. In our commentary, we welcome their caution toward this move and their discussion of the equivocal scientific data in its support and the potential negative consequences for gamers. We suggest that a more heterogeneous approach is required for understanding any behavioral addiction, as concepts from gambling appear to be more relevant for aspects of mobile gaming than for video games more generally. In addition to a greater need for clinical research, we argue that studying gaming at a different level of analysis than the epidemiological study is required to gain a meaningful understanding of the harm video games may or may not entail. PMID:28816498

Online-offline activities and game-playing behaviors of avatars in a massive multiplayer online role-playing game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhi-Qiang; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Tan, Qun-Zhao

2009-11-01

Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are very popular in China, which provides a potential platform for scientific research. We study the online-offline activities of avatars in an MMORPG to understand their game-playing behavior. The statistical analysis unveils that the active avatars can be classified into three types. The avatars of the first type are owned by game cheaters who go online and offline in preset time intervals with the online duration distributions dominated by pulses. The second type of avatars is characterized by a Weibull distribution in the online durations, which is confirmed by statistical tests. The distributions of online durations of the remaining individual avatars differ from the above two types and cannot be described by a simple form. These findings have potential applications in the game industry.

Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qian; Gosik, Kirk; Xing, Sujuan; Jiang, Libo; Sun, Lidan; Chinchilli, Vernon M.; Wu, Rongling

2017-03-01

Epigenetic reprogramming is thought to play a critical role in maintaining the normal development of embryos. How the methylation state of paternal and maternal genomes regulates embryogenesis depends on the interaction and coordination of the gametes of two sexes. While there is abundant research in exploring the epigenetic interactions of sperms and oocytes, a knowledge gap exists in the mechanistic quantitation of these interactions and their impact on embryo development. This review aims at formulating a modeling framework to address this gap through the integration and synthesis of evolutionary game theory and the latest discoveries of the epigenetic control of embryo development by next-generation sequencing. This framework, named epigenetic game theory or epiGame, views embryogenesis as an ecological system in which two highly distinct and specialized gametes coordinate through either cooperation or competition, or both, to maximize the fitness of embryos under Darwinian selection. By implementing a system of ordinary differential equations, epiGame quantifies the pattern and relative magnitude of the methylation effects on embryogenesis by the mechanisms of cooperation and competition. epiGame may gain new insight into reproductive biology and can be potentially applied to design personalized medicines for genetic disorder intervention.

Study on Conversion Between Momentum and Contrarian Based on Fractal Game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xu; Song, Guanghui; Deng, Yan; Xu, Lin

2015-06-01

Based on the fractal game which is performed by the majority and the minority, the fractal market theory (FMT) is employed to describe the features of investors' decision-making. Accordingly, the process of fractal games is formed in order to analyze the statistical features of conversion between momentum and contrarian. The result shows that among three fractal game mechanisms, the statistical feature of simulated return rate series is much more similar to log returns on actual series. In addition, the conversion between momentum and contrarian is also extremely similar to real situation, which can reflect the effectiveness of using fractal game in analyzing the conversion between momentum and contrarian. Moreover, it also provides decision-making reference which helps investors develop effective investment strategy.

The Effects of Fifa 2015 Computer Games on Changes in Cognitive, Hormonal and Brain Waves Functions of Young Men Volunteers

PubMed Central

Aliyari, Hamed; Kazemi, Masoomeh; Tekieh, Elaheh; Salehi, Maryam; Sahraei, Hedayat; Daliri, Mohammad Reza; Agaei, Hassan; Minaei-Bidgoli, Behrouz; Lashgari, Reza; Srahian, Nahid; Hadipour, Mohammad Mehdi; Salehi, Mostafa; Ranjbar Aghdam, Asghar

2015-01-01

Introduction: Computer games have attracted remarkable attentions in general publics with different cultures and their effects are subject of research by cognitive neuroscientists. In the present study, possible effects of the game Fifa 2015 on cognitive performance, hormonal levels, and electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were evaluated in young male volunteers. Methods: Thirty two subjects aged 20 years on average participated mutually in playing computer game Fifa 2015. Identification information and general knowledge about the game were collected. Saliva samples from the contestants were obtained before and after the competition. Perceptive and cognitive performance including the general cognitive health, response delay, attention maintenance, and mental fatigue were measured using PASAT test. EEG were recorded during the play using EEG device and analyzed later using QEEG. Simultaneously, the players’ behavior were recorded using a video camera. Saliva cortisol levels were assessed by ELISA kit. Data were analyzed by SPSS program. Results: The impact of playing computer games on cortisol concentration of saliva before and after the game showed that the amount of saliva plasma after playing the game has dropped significantly. Also the impact of playing computer games on mental health, before and after the game indicated that the number of correct answers has not changed significantly. This indicates that sustained attention has increased in participants after the game in comparison with before that. Also it is shown that mental fatigue measured by PASAT test, did not changed significantly after the game in comparison to before that. The impact of game on changes in brain waves showed that the subjects in high activity state during playing the game had higher power of the EEG signals in most of the channels in lower frequency bands in compared to normal state. Discussion: The present study showed that computer games can positively affect the stress system and the perceptual-cognitive system. Even though this impact was not significant in most cases, the changes in cognitive and hormonal test and also in brain waves were visible. Hence, due to the importance of this matter, it is necessary to create control systems in selecting the types of games for playing. PMID:26904177

The Effects of Fifa 2015 Computer Games on Changes in Cognitive, Hormonal and Brain Waves Functions of Young Men Volunteers.

PubMed

Aliyari, Hamed; Kazemi, Masoomeh; Tekieh, Elaheh; Salehi, Maryam; Sahraei, Hedayat; Daliri, Mohammad Reza; Agaei, Hassan; Minaei-Bidgoli, Behrouz; Lashgari, Reza; Srahian, Nahid; Hadipour, Mohammad Mehdi; Salehi, Mostafa; Ranjbar Aghdam, Asghar

2015-07-01

Computer games have attracted remarkable attentions in general publics with different cultures and their effects are subject of research by cognitive neuroscientists. In the present study, possible effects of the game Fifa 2015 on cognitive performance, hormonal levels, and electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were evaluated in young male volunteers. Thirty two subjects aged 20 years on average participated mutually in playing computer game Fifa 2015. Identification information and general knowledge about the game were collected. Saliva samples from the contestants were obtained before and after the competition. Perceptive and cognitive performance including the general cognitive health, response delay, attention maintenance, and mental fatigue were measured using PASAT test. EEG were recorded during the play using EEG device and analyzed later using QEEG. Simultaneously, the players' behavior were recorded using a video camera. Saliva cortisol levels were assessed by ELISA kit. Data were analyzed by SPSS program. The impact of playing computer games on cortisol concentration of saliva before and after the game showed that the amount of saliva plasma after playing the game has dropped significantly. Also the impact of playing computer games on mental health, before and after the game indicated that the number of correct answers has not changed significantly. This indicates that sustained attention has increased in participants after the game in comparison with before that. Also it is shown that mental fatigue measured by PASAT test, did not changed significantly after the game in comparison to before that. The impact of game on changes in brain waves showed that the subjects in high activity state during playing the game had higher power of the EEG signals in most of the channels in lower frequency bands in compared to normal state. The present study showed that computer games can positively affect the stress system and the perceptual-cognitive system. Even though this impact was not significant in most cases, the changes in cognitive and hormonal test and also in brain waves were visible. Hence, due to the importance of this matter, it is necessary to create control systems in selecting the types of games for playing.

Communication Games: Participant's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krupar, Karen R.

Using a series of communicational games, the author leads the participant through self-awareness, verbal and nonverbal communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and skills in perception, listening, and small group, organizational, and cultural communications. The thesis behind the book is that model-making, role-playing, or other forms of…

Using a digital game for training desirable behavior in cognitive-behavioral therapy of burnout syndrome: a controlled study.

PubMed

Zielhorst, Thomas; van den Brule, Daphne; Visch, Valentijn; Melles, Marijke; van Tienhoven, Sam; Sinkbaek, Helle; Schrieken, Bart; Tan, Eduard S-H; Lange, Alfred

2015-02-01

Burnout is a globally increasing illness, and as a result, many forms of burnout therapy have arisen. The use of digital games can be psychotherapeutically effective because they can transform exercises that are by themselves unattractive into intrinsically motivated action. This pilot study aims to test whether a specially designed game contributes to patients learning desired behavior and achieving other specific therapeutic goals in an online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-based burnout treatment context. In total, 101 participants took part in the experiment, under four conditions: (a) Game+Therapy, (b) Therapy Only, (c) Game Only, and (d) No Game+No Therapy. Pre- and postmeasures were taken online. Results showed that the two therapy conditions (Game+Therapy and Therapy Only) showed a greater decrease in complaints and disengagement, and a stronger increase in coping skills than the nontherapy conditions (Game Only and No Game+No Therapy). As expected, the Game+Therapy condition outperformed the Therapy Only condition on combined improvement measures of burnout symptoms. However, analyses of individual measures showed no effects. It can be cautiously concluded that the therapeutic digital game may be a useful tool when embedded in a therapeutic burnout treatment program and is probably more efficient than CBT, as it is used in current practice.

Simulation games that integrate research, entertainment, and learning around ecosystem services

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Costanza, Robert; Chichakly, Karim; Dale, Virginia

Humans currently spend over 3 billion person-hours per week playing computer games. Most of these games are purely for entertainment, but use of computer games for education has also expanded dramatically. At the same time, experimental games have become a staple of social science research but have depended on relatively small sample sizes and simple, abstract situations, limiting their range and applicability. If only a fraction of the time spent playing computer games could be harnessed for research, it would open up a huge range of new opportunities. We review the use of games in research, education, and entertainment andmore » develop ideas for integrating these three functions around the idea of ecosystem services valuation. This approach to valuation can be seen as a version of choice modeling that allows players to generate their own scenarios taking account of the trade-offs embedded in the game, rather than simply ranking pre-formed scenarios. We outline a prototype game called Lagom Island to test the proposition that gaming can be used to reveal the value of ecosystem services. Ultimately, our prototype provides a potential pathway and functional building blocks for approaching the relatively untapped potential of games in the context of ecosystem services research.« less

Simulation games that integrate research, entertainment, and learning around ecosystem services

DOE PAGES

Costanza, Robert; Chichakly, Karim; Dale, Virginia; ...

2014-11-07

Humans currently spend over 3 billion person-hours per week playing computer games. Most of these games are purely for entertainment, but use of computer games for education has also expanded dramatically. At the same time, experimental games have become a staple of social science research but have depended on relatively small sample sizes and simple, abstract situations, limiting their range and applicability. If only a fraction of the time spent playing computer games could be harnessed for research, it would open up a huge range of new opportunities. We review the use of games in research, education, and entertainment andmore » develop ideas for integrating these three functions around the idea of ecosystem services valuation. This approach to valuation can be seen as a version of choice modeling that allows players to generate their own scenarios taking account of the trade-offs embedded in the game, rather than simply ranking pre-formed scenarios. We outline a prototype game called Lagom Island to test the proposition that gaming can be used to reveal the value of ecosystem services. Ultimately, our prototype provides a potential pathway and functional building blocks for approaching the relatively untapped potential of games in the context of ecosystem services research.« less

Systematic review of serious games for medical education and surgical skills training.

PubMed

Graafland, M; Schraagen, J M; Schijven, M P

2012-10-01

The application of digital games for training medical professionals is on the rise. So-called 'serious' games form training tools that provide a challenging simulated environment, ideal for future surgical training. Ultimately, serious games are directed at reducing medical error and subsequent healthcare costs. The aim was to review current serious games for training medical professionals and to evaluate the validity testing of such games. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsychInfo and CINAHL were searched using predefined inclusion criteria for available studies up to April 2012. The primary endpoint was validation according to current criteria. A total of 25 articles were identified, describing a total of 30 serious games. The games were divided into two categories: those developed for specific educational purposes (17) and commercial games also useful for developing skills relevant to medical personnel (13). Pooling of data was not performed owing to the heterogeneity of study designs and serious games. Six serious games were identified that had a process of validation. Of these six, three games were developed for team training in critical care and triage, and three were commercially available games applied to train laparoscopic psychomotor skills. None of the serious games had completed a full validation process for the purpose of use. Blended and interactive learning by means of serious games may be applied to train both technical and non-technical skills relevant to the surgical field. Games developed or used for this purpose need validation before integration into surgical teaching curricula. Copyright © 2012 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychometric validation of the Turkish nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF).

PubMed

Evren, Cuneyt; Dalbudak, Ercan; Topcu, Merve; Kutlu, Nilay; Evren, Bilge; Pontes, Halley M

2018-07-01

The main aims of the current study were to test the factor structure, reliability and validity of the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), a standardized measure to assess symptoms and prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). In the present study participants were assessed with the IGDS9-SF, nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS) and the Young's Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (YIAT-SF). Confirmatory factor analyzes demonstrated that the factor structure (i.e., the dimensional structure) of the IGDS9-SF was satisfactory. The scale was also reliable (i.e., internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89) and showed adequate convergent and criterion-related validity, as indicated by statistically significant positive correlations between average time daily spent playing games during last year, IGDS and YIAT-SF scores. By applying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) threshold for diagnosing IGD (e.g., endorsing at least five criteria), it was found that the prevalence of disordered gamers ranged from 0.96% (whole sample) to 2.57% (e-sports players). These findings support the Turkish version of the IGDS9-SF as a valid and reliable tool for determining the extent of IGD-related problems among young adults and for the purposes of early IGD diagnosis in clinical settings and similar research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Trainee Gaming Experience and Computer Self-Efficacy on Learner Outcomes of Videogame-Based Learning Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

videogame-based training environment. In this research, 413 participants played a first-person-perspective videogame that began with a single- player ...section to introduce game-specific tasks, followed by a multi- player section where participants formed small teams to conduct several collaborative...with over four million registered players . In Janurary 2004, America’s Army was used during a four-day inter-semester game- based training exercise at

Modeling Attrition in Organizations from Email Communication

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-08

networks [17]. A particular example is the video - gaming industry, a huge and growing market around the world, valued at about $65 billion in 2011 [18...Symposium, 2007. ANSS ’07. 40th Annual, march 2007, pp. 33 –40. [18] T. R. Corporation, “Factbox: A look at the $65 billion video games industry,” http...online multiplayer games , user involvement and movement in online social networking plat- forms, and employee turnover within an organization. At

Coalition Formation and Spectrum Sharing of Cooperative Spectrum Sensing Participants.

PubMed

Zhensheng Jiang; Wei Yuan; Leung, Henry; Xinge You; Qi Zheng

2017-05-01

In cognitive radio networks, self-interested secondary users (SUs) desire to maximize their own throughput. They compete with each other for transmit time once the absence of primary users (PUs) is detected. To satisfy the requirement of PU protection, on the other hand, they have to form some coalitions and cooperate to conduct spectrum sensing. Such dilemma of SUs between competition and cooperation motivates us to study two interesting issues: 1) how to appropriately form some coalitions for cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) and 2) how to share transmit time among SUs. We jointly consider these two issues, and propose a noncooperative game model with 2-D strategies. The first dimension determines coalition formation, and the second indicates transmit time allocation. Considering the complexity of solving this game, we decompose the game into two more tractable ones: one deals with the formation of CSS coalitions, and the other focuses on the allocation of transmit time. We characterize the Nash equilibria (NEs) of both games, and show that the combination of these two NEs corresponds to the NE of the original game. We also develop a distributed algorithm to achieve a desirable NE of the original game. When this NE is achieved, the SUs obtain a Dhp-stable coalition structure and a fair transmit time allocation. Numerical results verify our analyses, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm.

Associations between children’s video game playing and psychosocial health: information from both parent and child reports.

PubMed

Lobel, Adam; Granic, Isabela; Stone, Lisanne L; Engels, Rutger C M E

2014-10-01

Video games are a highly heterogeneous form of entertainment. As recent reviews highlight, this heterogeneity makes likely that video games have both positive and negative consequences for child development. This study investigated the associations between gaming frequency and psychosocial health among children younger than 12 years of age, an understudied cohort in this field. Both parents and children reported children's gaming frequency, with parents also reporting on children's psychosocial health. Given that children may be too young to report the time they spend playing video games accurately, children's reports were scaffolded by a developmentally appropriate measure. We further investigated the potential bias of having parents report both their children's gaming frequency and their children's psychosocial health (i.e., a single source bias). Parental reports of children's gaming frequency were higher than their children's reports. However, a direct test of the potential single source bias rendered null results. Notably, however, while parental reports showed negative associations between gaming and psychosocial health, children's reports showed no associations. Specifically, based on parent reports, children's gaming was associated with more conduct and peer problems, and less prosocial behavior. As children's reports produced no associations between gaming and psychosocial health, parental reports in this study may belie an erroneous set of conclusions. We therefore caution against relying on just one reporter when assessing children's gaming frequency.

Lognormal Behavior of the Size Distributions of Animation Characters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Ken

This study investigates the statistical property of the character sizes of animation, superhero series, and video game. By using online databases of Pokémon (video game) and Power Rangers (superhero series), the height and weight distributions are constructed, and we find that the weight distributions of Pokémon and Zords (robots in Power Rangers) follow the lognormal distribution in common. For the theoretical mechanism of this lognormal behavior, the combination of the normal distribution and the Weber-Fechner law is proposed.

Western Europe--A Trading Game.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Ann Curtis

1991-01-01

Presents a geography program to show students why the European Community was formed. Involves student research of economic data, creation of a computer database on the European Community, and simulation of trading. Emphasizes geographic themes of movement, region formation, and change in response to economic forces. Includes game rules, sample…

77 FR 47514 - Management Contracts-Background Investigations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-09

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Indian Gaming Commission 25 CFR Part 537 Management Contracts... management responsibility for, a management contract, and to update the forms of payment that may be accepted... interest in, or management responsibility for, a management contract for class II gaming, and in the case...

Element Cycles: An Environmental Chemistry Board Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pippins, Tracy; Anderson, Cody M.; Poindexter, Eric F.; Sultemeier, S. Whitney; Schultz, Linda D.

2011-01-01

"Element Cycles" is an activity designed to reinforce correlation of essential elements and their different forms in the ecosystem. Students are assigned essential elements to research as homework, then share results, and construct game boards with four ecosphere sections: geosphere (earth), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere…

Cyber sexy: electronic game play and perceptions of attractiveness among college-aged men.

PubMed

Wack, Elizabeth R; Tantleff-Dunn, Stacey

2008-12-01

The current study was conducted to determine if electronic gaming among males is related to body image, formation of body ideals, and appraisals of female attractiveness. A sample of 219 college-aged men (age 18-32) completed a variety of measures that assessed their game play habits, their perceptions of their own attractiveness, and perceptions of women's attractiveness. Results indicated that participants' ratings of women's attractiveness varied across the genres of game most frequently played but was not related to age of commencement or frequency of electronic game play. Additionally, frequency of play and age of commencement of game play were not related to self-perceptions of physical attractiveness, the association of positive attributes with muscularity, or the drive to become more muscular. Men's appearance satisfaction and valuation of muscularity was related to the extent to which they compare their own appearance to that of the characters featured in their electronic games. The results indicate that, unlike other forms of media, electronic gaming may have a weaker relationship to decreased appearance satisfaction or the formation of unrealistic standards of attractiveness.

Motives Matter: Motives for Playing Pokémon Go and Implications for Well-Being.

PubMed

Yang, Chia-Chen; Liu, Dong

2017-01-01

Mobile games such as Pokémon Go have become a major form of entertainment, and yet little is known about why people play the games and how their motives associate with well-being. Although literature on motives for playing video and online games is informative, the findings may not reflect the full spectrum of mobile gaming motives due to some unique affordances of mobile games (e.g., mobility). To catch up with the evolving gaming context, a popular mobile game, Pokémon Go, was taken as an example to explore individuals' mobile gaming motives. A Pokémon Go Motive Scale was developed. Seven motives were identified through factor analyses based on survey data from 262 Pokémon Go players (45 percent women; M age  = 30.71, standard deviation = 7.77): Exercise, Fun, Escapism, Nostalgia, Friendship Maintenance, Relationship Initiation, and Achievement. Both Fun and Friendship Maintenance were positive correlates of well-being, whereas Escapism and Nostalgia were negative correlates. Relationship Initiation was associated with both better and poorer well-being. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Associations between game use and cognitive empathy: a cross-generational study.

PubMed

Shin, Dong-Hee; Ahn, Dohyun

2013-08-01

Adolescence is a sensitive period of time for developing social abilities such as cognitive empathy. Thus, social experiences in this time period are more influential in forming the social abilities than during other periods in life. Video games are agent-based media in which game players carry out their own action in a mediated world whose rules are predefined by algorithms. This means that game players do not have to engage their cognitive empathy when playing games. Thus, prolonged use of video games during adolescence can result in the underdevelopment of cognitive empathy. This survey from three age groups (adolescents aged 16-19, adults aged 37-41, elders aged 58-62) demonstrated that only among adolescents was the amount of time spent in game play negatively associated with cognitive empathy. The findings of this study can contribute to understanding the nature of video game play and its negative effects by focusing on the manner of media use rather than the messages in media, and focusing on cognitive empathy, which has rarely been examined.

The Effects of Video Games on Cognition and Brain Structure: Potential Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

PubMed

Shams, Tahireh A; Foussias, George; Zawadzki, John A; Marshe, Victoria S; Siddiqui, Ishraq; Müller, Daniel J; Wong, Albert H C

2015-09-01

Video games are now a ubiquitous form of entertainment that has occasionally attracted negative attention. Video games have also been used to test cognitive function, as therapeutic interventions for neuropsychiatric disorders, and to explore mechanisms of experience-dependent structural brain changes. Here, we review current research on video games published from January 2011 to April 2014 with a focus on studies relating to mental health, cognition, and brain imaging. Overall, there is evidence that specific types of video games can alter brain structure or improve certain aspects of cognitive functioning. Video games can also be useful as neuropsychological assessment tools. While research in this area is still at a very early stage, there are interesting results that encourage further work in this field, and hold promise for utilizing this technology as a powerful therapeutic and experimental tool.

Soft cooperation systems and games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández, J. R.; Gallego, I.; Jiménez-Losada, A.; Ordóñez, M.

2018-04-01

A cooperative game for a set of agents establishes a fair allocation of the profit obtained for their cooperation. In order to obtain this allocation, a characteristic function is known. It establishes the profit of each coalition of agents if this coalition decides to act alone. Originally players are considered symmetric and then the allocation only depends on the characteristic function; this paper is about cooperative games with an asymmetric set of agents. We introduced cooperative games with a soft set of agents which explains those parameters determining the asymmetry among them in the cooperation. Now the characteristic function is defined not over the coalitions but over the soft coalitions, namely the profit depends not only on the formed coalition but also on the attributes considered for the players in the coalition. The best known of the allocation rules for cooperative games is the Shapley value. We propose a Shapley kind solution for soft games.

Educational games for health professionals.

PubMed

Akl, E A; Sackett, K; Pretorius, R; Erdley, S; Bhoopathi, P S; Mustafa, R; Schünemann, H J

2008-01-23

The use of games as an educational strategy has the potential to improve health professionals' performance (e.g. adherence to standards of care) through improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The objective was to assess the effect of educational games on health professionals' performance, knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction, and on patient outcomes. We used a comprehensive search strategy including an electronic search of the following databases: DARE, EPOC register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, ERIC, and Dissertation Abstracts Online (search date: January 2007). We also screened the reference list of included studies and relevant reviews, contact authors of relevant papers and reviews, and searched ISI Web of Science for papers citing studies included in the review We included randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled clinical trials (CCT), controlled before and after (CBA) and interrupted time-series analysis (ITS). Study participants were qualified health professionals or in postgraduate training. The intervention was an educational game with "a form of competitive activity or sport played according to rules". Using a standardized data form we extracted data on methodological quality, participants, interventions and outcomes of interest that included patient outcomes, professional behaviour (process of care outcomes), and professional's knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction. The search strategy identified 1156 citations. Out of 55 potentially eligible citations, we included one RCT. The methodological quality was fair. The game, used as a reinforcement technique, was based on the television game show "Family Feud" and focused on infection control. The study did not assess any patient or process of care outcomes. The group that was randomized to the game had statistically higher scores on the knowledge test (P = 0.02). The findings of this systematic review do not confirm nor refute the utility of games as a teaching strategy for health professionals. There is a need for additional high-quality research to explore the impact of educational games on patient and performance outcomes.

Network formation: neighborhood structures, establishment costs, and distributed learning.

PubMed

Chasparis, Georgios C; Shamma, Jeff S

2013-12-01

We consider the problem of network formation in a distributed fashion. Network formation is modeled as a strategic-form game, where agents represent nodes that form and sever unidirectional links with other nodes and derive utilities from these links. Furthermore, agents can form links only with a limited set of neighbors. Agents trade off the benefit from links, which is determined by a distance-dependent reward function, and the cost of maintaining links. When each agent acts independently, trying to maximize its own utility function, we can characterize “stable” networks through the notion of Nash equilibrium. In fact, the introduced reward and cost functions lead to Nash equilibria (networks), which exhibit several desirable properties such as connectivity, bounded-hop diameter, and efficiency (i.e., minimum number of links). Since Nash networks may not necessarily be efficient, we also explore the possibility of “shaping” the set of Nash networks through the introduction of state-based utility functions. Such utility functions may represent dynamic phenomena such as establishment costs (either positive or negative). Finally, we show how Nash networks can be the outcome of a distributed learning process. In particular, we extend previous learning processes to so-called “state-based” weakly acyclic games, and we show that the proposed network formation games belong to this class of games.

Dimensions of operational stress and forms of unacceptable risk taking with small arms and munitions.

PubMed

Ben-Shalom, Uzi

2015-01-01

Accidents with small arms and munitions during deployment is a significant safety concern for leaders and safety specialists in combat units. Operational stress may lead to forms of unacceptable risk taking with small arms that may underlie some of these accidents. The present research studied the correlation between two dimensions of operational stress, two forms of risk taking with small arms among combat unit soldiers and possible mediators. The dimensions of operational threat, negative affect and personality profile from the EPQ-R-S were predictors; "exaggerated preparedness" and "risky games with small arms and munitions" were dependent variables; safety climate of the platoon served as a mediator variable. The participants were 461 compulsory service combat soldiers in 31 companies. This field study was conducted during period of top security alert. The results reveal that perceived threat is indeed correlated with exaggerated operational preparedness whereas general emotional state was correlated with risky games with small arms. Safety climate mediated only the correlation between general emotional state and risky games with small arms and munitions. Preparedness and risky games were predicted by the interaction of Psychoticism and the Lie Scale from the EPQ-R-S. The results may enhance the efforts in reducing risk taking and prevention of accidents with small arms and munitions during and following deployment.

The Use of Computer-Based Videogames in Knowledge Acquisition and Retention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricci, Katrina E.

1994-01-01

Research conducted at the Naval Training Systems Center in Orlando, Florida, investigated the acquisition and retention of basic knowledge with subject matter presented in the forms of text, test, and game. Results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of computer-based games for military training. (Author/AEF)

Decision Making in Online Fantasy Sports Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Brian; Sharma, Priya; Hooper, Paula

2006-01-01

This paper describes the forms of knowledge used by players of fantasy sports, games where players create ideal sports teams and compete to accumulate points based on professional athletes' statistical performances. Messages from a discussion forum associated with a popular fantasy basketball game were analyzed to understand how players described…

Video Games as Reconstructionist Sites of Learning in Art Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, Nancy S.

2008-01-01

Art education has been in the midst of a transformation shaped by several factors, including changes in contemporary art theories, political and economic factors, and technological developments. Film, music videos, advertisements, video games and other forms of popular culture are shaping how students learn today. Discussions about video gaming…

Video Game Playing and Academic Performance in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgess, Stephen R.; Stermer, Steven Paul; Burgess, Melinda C. R.

2012-01-01

The relations between media consumption, especially TV viewing, and school performance have been extensively examined. However, even though video game playing may have replaced TV viewing as the most frequent form of media usage, relatively little research has examined its relations to school performance, especially in older students. We surveyed…

Differentially Positioned Language Games: Ethnomathematics from a Philosophical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knijnik, Gelsa

2012-01-01

This paper discusses a new philosophical perspective for ethnomathematics which articulates Ludwig Wittgenstein's and Michel Foucault's theoretical notions. It is conceived as a theoretical toolbox which allows the analysis of, on the one hand, the mathematical language games of different forms of life and their family resemblances and, on the…

Active video games as a form of exercise and the effect of gaming experience: a preliminary study in healthy young adults.

PubMed

O'Donovan, C; Hussey, J

2012-09-01

To examine the energy expenditure and heart rate response while playing active video games, and the effect of gaming experience on energy expenditure. Cross-sectional study. Twenty-eight healthy participants (18 male, age 19 to 27 years) played either Wii Sports Boxing, Tennis and Baseball, or Wii Sports Boxing and Wii Fit Free Jogging. Percentage maximal heart rate (%HRmax) and metabolic equivalents (METs) were measured during 15 minutes of rest and during each game. Mean %HRmax and METs while playing each of the four games were as follows: Wii Fit Free Jogging 71% [standard deviation (SD) 13%], 5.9 (SD 1.8); Wii Sports Boxing 58% (SD 13%), 3.2 (SD 1.1); Wii Sports Baseball 42% (SD 6%), 2.0 (SD 0.5); and Wii Sports Tennis 42% (SD 7%), 2.0 (SD 0.4). Subjects with gaming experience achieved a lower heart rate playing Wii Sports Tennis compared with subjects without gaming experience. Wii Sports Boxing, Tennis and Baseball are light-intensity activities, and Wii Fit Free Jogging is a moderate-intensity activity. Experience of gaming may affect the exercise intensity of games requiring controller skill. Copyright © 2012 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prosperity Games prototyping with the board of governors of the Electronic Industries Association, January 20--21, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bermann, M.; VanDevender, J.P.

1994-08-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Prosperity Game conducted under the sponsorship of the Electronic Industries Association. Almost all ofmore » the players were from the electronics industry. The game explored policy changes that could enhance US competitiveness in the manufacturing of consumer electronics. Four teams simulated a presidentially appointed commission comprised of high-level representatives from government, industry, universities and national laboratories. A single team represented the foreign equivalent of this commission, formed to develop counter strategies for any changes in US policies. The deliberations and recommendations of these teams provide valuable insights as to the views of this industry concerning policy changes, foreign competition, and the development, delivery and commercialization of new technologies.« less

Are Video Games a Gateway to Gambling? A Longitudinal Study Based on a Representative Norwegian Sample.

PubMed

Molde, Helge; Holmøy, Bjørn; Merkesdal, Aleksander Garvik; Torsheim, Torbjørn; Mentzoni, Rune Aune; Hanns, Daniel; Sagoe, Dominic; Pallesen, Ståle

2018-06-05

The scope and variety of video games and monetary gambling opportunities are expanding rapidly. In many ways, these forms of entertainment are converging on digital and online video games and gambling sites. However, little is known about the relationship between video gaming and gambling. The present study explored the possibility of a directional relationship between measures of problem gaming and problem gambling, while also controlling for the influence of sex and age. In contrast to most previous investigations which are based on cross-sectional designs and non-representative samples, the present study utilized a longitudinal design conducted over 2 years (2013, 2015) and comprising 4601 participants (males 47.2%, age range 16-74) drawn from a random sample from the general population. Video gaming and gambling were assessed using the Gaming Addiction Scale for Adolescents and the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, respectively. Using an autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation model, we found a positive relationship between scores on problematic gaming and later scores on problematic gambling, whereas we found no evidence of the reverse relationship. Hence, video gaming problems appear to be a gateway behavior to problematic gambling behavior. In future research, one should continue to monitor the possible reciprocal behavioral influences between gambling and video gaming.

Metabolic responses to Wii Fit™ video games at different game levels.

PubMed

Worley, Jennifer R; Rogers, Sharon N; Kraemer, Robert R

2011-03-01

The Wii Fit™ is a form of interactive gaming designed to elicit health and fitness benefits to replace sedentary gaming. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of Wii Fit™ fitness games. The purpose of the study was to determine the %VO2max and energy expenditure from different Wii Fit™ games at different levels including the step and hula games. Eight healthy young women completed a preliminary trial to determine VO2max and later played the Wii Fit™ during 2 separate counterbalanced trials. During each session, subjects played levels of Wii Fit™ games for 10 minutes each level. One session involved beginning and intermediate hula, and the other session involved beginning and intermediate steps. The VO2 was measured continuously via metabolic cart, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was assessed at the end of each game level. The lowest %VO2max, kcal·min, and RPE occurred during the beginning step game and the highest values occurred during the intermediate hula game. Respiratory exchange ratio was significantly higher in the intermediate hula than beginning hula game but was not significantly different between step game levels. The intermediate hula and step games produced the greatest energy expenditure with an equivalent effect of a walking speed of >5.63 km·h (>3.5 miles·h). This is the first study to determine the percentage of VO2max and caloric expenditure elicited by different Wii Fit™ video games at different game levels in adults. Findings suggest that the Wii Fit™ can be used as an effective activity for promoting physical health in this population.

The Heritage Fallacy: Race, Loyalty, and the First Grambling-Southern Football Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiello, Thomas

2010-01-01

On Armistice Day 1932, the Southern University Bushmen football team left Baton Rouge and traveled to Monroe, Louisiana to play the Tigers of Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute for the first time. Normal was far younger than Southern. It was a two-year junior college in the northeast cotton town of Grambling, and its football team was…

Educational games for health professionals.

PubMed

Akl, Elie A; Kairouz, Victor F; Sackett, Kay M; Erdley, William S; Mustafa, Reem A; Fiander, Michelle; Gabriel, Carolynne; Schünemann, Holger

2013-03-28

The use of games as an educational strategy has the potential to improve health professionals' performance (e.g. adherence to standards of care) through improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The objective was to assess the effect of educational games on health professionals' performance, knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction, and on patient outcomes. We searched the following databases in January 2012: MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Database of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, EPOC Register, ERIC, Proquest Dissertations & Theses Database, and PsycINFO. Related reviews were sought in DARE and the above named databases. Database searches identified 1546 citations. We also screened the reference lists of included studies in relevant reviews, contacted authors of relevant papers and reviews, and searched ISI Web of Science for papers citing studies included in the review. These search methods identified an additional 62 unique citations for a total of 1608 for this update. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled clinical trials (CCT), controlled before and after (CBA) and interrupted time-series analysis (ITS). Study participants were qualified health professionals or in postgraduate training. The intervention was an educational game with "a form of competitive activity or sport played according to rules". Using a standardized data form we extracted data on methodological quality, participants, interventions and outcomes of interest that included patient outcomes, professional behavior (process of care outcomes), and professional's knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction. The search strategy identified a total of 2079 unique citations. Out of 84 potentially eligible citations, we included two RCTs. The game evaluated in the first study used as a reinforcement technique, was based on the television game show "Family Feud" and focused on infection control. The study did not assess any patient or process of care outcomes. The group that was randomized to the game had statistically higher scores on the knowledge test (P = 0.02). The second study compared game-based learning ("Snakes and Ladders" board game) with traditional case-based learning of stroke prevention and management. The effect on knowledge was not statistically different between the two groups immediately and 3 months after the intervention. The level of reported enjoyment was higher in the game-based group. The findings of this systematic review neither confirm nor refute the utility of games as a teaching strategy for health professionals. There is a need for additional high-quality research to explore the impact of educational games on patient and performance outcomes.

Adversarial reasoning and resource allocation: the LG approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stilman, Boris; Yakhnis, Vladimir; Umanskiy, Oleg; Boyd, Ron

2005-05-01

Many existing automated tools purporting to model the intelligent enemy utilize a fixed battle plan for the enemy while using flexible decisions of human players for the friendly side. According to the Naval Studies Board, "It is an open secret and a point of distress ... that too much of the substantive content of such M&S has its origin in anecdote, ..., or a narrow construction tied to stereotypical current practices of 'doctrinally correct behavior.'" Clearly, such runs lack objectivity by being heavily skewed in favor of the friendly forces. Presently, the military branches employ a variety of game-based simulators and synthetic environments, with manual (i.e., user-based) decision-making, for training and other purposes. However, without an ability to automatically generate the best strategies, tactics, and COA, the games serve mostly to display the current situation rather than form a basis for automated decision-making and effective training. We solve the problem of adversarial reasoning as a gaming problem employing Linguistic Geometry (LG), a new type of game theory demonstrating significant increase in size in gaming problems solvable in real and near-real time. It appears to be a viable approach for solving such practical problems as mission planning and battle management. Essentially, LG may be structured into two layers: game construction and game solving. Game construction includes construction of a game called an LG hypergame based on a hierarchy of Abstract Board Games (ABG). Game solving includes resource allocation for constructing an advantageous initial game state and strategy generation to reach a desirable final game state in the course of the game.

Verification of an ENSO-Based Long-Range Prediction of Anomalous Weather Conditions During the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Ruping; Joe, Paul I.; Doyle, Chris; Whitfield, Paul H.

2014-01-01

A brief review of the anomalous weather conditions during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and the efforts to predict these anomalies based on some preceding El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signals are presented. It is shown that the Olympic Games were held under extraordinarily warm conditions in February 2010, with monthly mean temperature anomalies of +2.2 °C in Vancouver and +2.8 °C in Whistler, ranking respectively as the highest and the second highest in the past 30 years (1981-2010). The warm conditions continued, but became less anomalous, in March 2010 for the Paralympic Games. While the precipitation amounts in the area remained near normal through this winter, the lack of snow due to warm conditions created numerous media headlines and practical problems for the alpine competitions. A statistical model was developed on the premise that February and March temperatures in the Vancouver area could be predicted using an ENSO signal with considerable lead time. This model successfully predicted the warmer-than-normal, lower-snowfall conditions for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

'Blue Whale Challenge': A Game or Crime?

PubMed

Mukhra, Richa; Baryah, Neha; Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj

2017-11-11

A bewildering range of games are emerging every other day with newer elements of fun and entertainment to woo youngsters. Games are meant to reduce stress and enhance the cognitive development of children as well as adults. Teenagers are always curious to indulge in newer games; and e-gaming is one such platform providing an easy access and quicker means of entertainment. The particular game challenge which has taken the world by storm is the dangerous "Blue Whale Challenge" often involving vulnerable teenagers. The Blue Whale Challenge is neither an application nor internet based game but the users get a link through social media chat groups to enter this "deadly" challenge game. This probably is the only game where the participant has to end his/her life to complete the game. The innocent teenagers are being targeted based on their depressed psychology and are coercively isolated from their social milieux on the pretext of keeping the challenges confidential. To add to the woes, no option is offered to quit the challenge even if the contender is unable to complete the challenge. Blue Whale Challenge in its sheer form could be seen as an illegal, unethical and inhumane endeavor in our present society. The present communication discusses the severe effects of the game on teenagers, the ethical concerns involved and the preventive measures necessary to curb it.

Playing to your skills: a randomised controlled trial evaluating a dedicated video game for minimally invasive surgery.

PubMed

Harrington, Cuan M; Chaitanya, Vishwa; Dicker, Patrick; Traynor, Oscar; Kavanagh, Dara O

2018-02-14

Video gaming demands elements of visual attention, hand-eye coordination and depth perception which may be contiguous with laparoscopic skill development. General video gaming has demonstrated altered cortical plasticity and improved baseline/acquisition of minimally invasive skills. The present study aimed to evaluate for skill acquisition associated with a commercially available dedicated laparoscopic video game (Underground) and its unique (laparoscopic-like) controller for the Nintendo®Wii U™ console. This single-blinded randomised controlled study was conducted with laparoscopically naive student volunteers of limited (< 3 h/week) video gaming backgrounds. Baseline laparoscopic skills were assessed using four basic tasks on the Virtual Reality (VR) simulator (LAP Mentor TM , 3D systems, Colorado, USA). Twenty participants were randomised to two groups; Group A was requested to complete 5 h of video gaming (Underground) per week and Group B to avoid gaming beyond their normal frequency. After 4 weeks participants were reassessed using the same VR tasks. Changes in simulator performances were assessed for each group and for intergroup variances using mixed model regression. Significant inter- and intragroup performances were present for the video gaming and controls across four basic tasks. The video gaming group demonstrated significant improvements in thirty-one of the metrics examined including dominant (p ≤ 0.004) and non-dominant (p < 0.050) instrument movements, pathlengths (p ≤ 0.040), time taken (p ≤ 0.021) and end score [p ≤ 0.046, (task-dependent)]. The control group demonstrated improvements in fourteen measures. The video gaming group demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) improvements compared to the control in five metrics. Despite encouraged gameplay and the console in participants' domiciles, voluntary engagement was lower than directed due to factors including: game enjoyment (33.3%), lack of available time (22.2%) and entertainment distractions (11.1%). Our work revealed significant value in training using a dedicated laparoscopic video game for acquisition of virtual laparoscopic skills. This novel serious game may provide foundations for future surgical developments on game consoles in the home environment.

Instructional games: Scientific language use, concept understanding, and attitudinal development of middle school learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mongillo, Geraldine

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the influence of instructional games on middle school learners' use of scientific language, concept understanding, and attitude toward learning science. The rationale for this study stemmed from the lack of research concerning the value of play as an instructional strategy for older learners. Specifically, the study focused on the ways in which 6 average ability 7th grade students demonstrated scientific language and concept use during gameplay. The data were collected for this 6-week study in a southern New Jersey suburban middle school and included audio recordings of the 5 games observed in class, written documents (e.g., student created game questions, self-evaluation forms, pre- and post-assessments, and the final quiz) interviews, and researcher field notes. Data were coded and interpreted borrowing from the framework for scientific literacy developed by Bybee (1997). Based on the findings, the framework was modified to reflect the level of scientific understanding demonstrated by the participants and categorized as: Unacquainted, Nominal, Functional, and Conceptual. Major findings suggested that the participants predominantly achieved the Functional level of scientific literacy (i.e., the ability to adequately and appropriately use scientific language in both written and oral discourse) during games. Further, it was discovered that the participants achieved the Conceptual level of scientific literacy during gameplay. Through games participants were afforded the opportunity to use common, everyday language to explore concepts, promoted through peer collaboration. In games the participants used common language to build understandings that exceeded Nominal or token use of the technical vocabulary and concepts. Additionally, the participants reported through interviews and self-evaluation forms that their attitude (patterns included: Motivation, Interest, Fun, Relief from Boredom, and an Alternate Learning Approach) toward learning science was positively affected by playing games. This research confirmed the value of playing instructional games and indicated the potential benefits for teaching and learning scientific vocabulary and concepts in middle school settings. Educators are in need of finding methods that stimulate the often disinterested or disengaged adolescent student. Results from this investigation suggested that games provided a meaningful alternate learning approach that relieved the boredom associated with traditional science instruction.

The public goods game with a new form of shared reward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunyan; Chen, Zengqiang

2016-10-01

Altruistic contribution to a common good evenly enjoyed by all group members is hard to explain because of the greater benefits obtained by a defector than a cooperator. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed to resolve the collective dilemma over the years, including rewards for altruism. An underrated and easily ignored phenomenon is that the altruistic behaviors of cooperators not only directly enhance the benefits of their game opponents, but also indirectly produce good influences to other allied members in their surroundings (e.g. relatives or friends). Here we propose a shared reward, in the form of extensive benefits, to extend the traditional definition of the public goods game. Mathematical analysis using the Moran process helps us to obtain the fixation probability for one ‘mutant’ cooperator to invade and dominate the whole defecting population. Results suggest that a tunable parameter exists, above a certain critical value of which natural selection favors cooperation over defection. In addition, analytical results with replicator dynamics show that this critical value influencing the evolution of altruism is closely correlated with the population size, the gaming group size and the synergy factor of the public goods game. These results, based on an extended notion of shared reward and extensive benefits, are expected to provide novel explanations for the emergence of altruistic behaviors.

Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition.

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Gosik, Kirk; Xing, Sujuan; Jiang, Libo; Sun, Lidan; Chinchilli, Vernon M; Wu, Rongling

2017-03-01

Epigenetic reprogramming is thought to play a critical role in maintaining the normal development of embryos. How the methylation state of paternal and maternal genomes regulates embryogenesis depends on the interaction and coordination of the gametes of two sexes. While there is abundant research in exploring the epigenetic interactions of sperms and oocytes, a knowledge gap exists in the mechanistic quantitation of these interactions and their impact on embryo development. This review aims at formulating a modeling framework to address this gap through the integration and synthesis of evolutionary game theory and the latest discoveries of the epigenetic control of embryo development by next-generation sequencing. This framework, named epigenetic game theory or epiGame, views embryogenesis as an ecological system in which two highly distinct and specialized gametes coordinate through either cooperation or competition, or both, to maximize the fitness of embryos under Darwinian selection. By implementing a system of ordinary differential equations, epiGame quantifies the pattern and relative magnitude of the methylation effects on embryogenesis by the mechanisms of cooperation and competition. epiGame may gain new insight into reproductive biology and can be potentially applied to design personalized medicines for genetic disorder intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymer thick-film conductors and dielectrics for membrane switches and flexible circuitry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nazarenko, N.

1983-01-01

The fabrication and operation of membrane switches are discussed. The membrane switch functions as a normally open, momentary contact, low-voltage pressure-sensitive device. Its design is a three-layer sandwich usually constructed of polyester film. Conductive patterns are deposited onto the inner side of top and bottom sheets by silk screening. The center spacer is then placed between the two circuit layers to form a sandwich, generally held together by an adhesive. When pressure is applied to the top layer, it flexes through the punched openings of the spacer to establish electrical contact between conductive pads of the upper and lower sheets, momentarily closing the circuit. Upon release of force the top sheet springs back to its normal open position. The membrane touch switch is being used in a rapidly expanding range of applications, including instrumentation, appliances, electronic games and keyboards. Its board acceptance results from its low cost, durability, ease of manufacture, cosmetic appeal and design flexibility. The principal electronic components in the membrane switch are the conductor and dielectric.

Foraging swarms as Nash equilibria of dynamic games.

PubMed

Özgüler, Arif Bülent; Yildiz, Aykut

2014-06-01

The question of whether foraging swarms can form as a result of a noncooperative game played by individuals is shown here to have an affirmative answer. A dynamic game played by N agents in 1-D motion is introduced and models, for instance, a foraging ant colony. Each agent controls its velocity to minimize its total work done in a finite time interval. The game is shown to have a unique Nash equilibrium under two different foraging location specifications, and both equilibria display many features of a foraging swarm behavior observed in biological swarms. Explicit expressions are derived for pairwise distances between individuals of the swarm, swarm size, and swarm center location during foraging.

Virtual Learning Ecosystems: A Proposed Framework for Integrating Educational Games, E-Learning Methods, and Virtual Community Platforms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Christopher

2015-01-01

Digitally delivered learning shows the promise of enhancing learner motivation and engagement, advancing critical thinking skills, encouraging reflection and knowledge sharing, and improving professional self-efficacy. Digital learning objects take many forms including interactive media, apps and games, video and other e-learning activities and…

25 CFR 543.2 - What are the definitions for this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., mechanical, or other technologic form, that function together to aid the play of one or more Class II games... a particular game, player interface, shift, or other period. Count room. A secured room where the... validated directly by a voucher system. Dedicated camera. A video camera that continuously records a...

Effects of Social Games on Infant Vocalizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hui-Chin; Iyer, Suneeti Nathani; Fogel, Alan

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the contextual effects of social games on prelinguistic vocalizations. The two main goals were to (1) investigate the functions of vocalizations as symptoms of affective arousal and symbols of social understanding, and (2) explore form-function (de)coupling relations between vocalization types and game…

"Star Power" for Teaching Professional Skills to Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Suk Meng

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of a game called "Star Power" to teach professional skills to mechanical engineering undergraduates. The game was conducted as an activity in a final year Professional Practice unit. A survey in the form of a questionnaire was administered to participating students in the following…

Enhancing Self-Motivation in Learning Programming Using Game-Based Simulation and Metrics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiau, H. C.; Chen, J. C.; Ssu, Kuo-Feng

2009-01-01

Game-based assignments typically form an integral component of computer programming courses. The effectiveness of the assignments in motivating students to carry out repetitive programming tasks is somewhat limited since their outcomes are invariably limited to a simple win or loss scenario. Accordingly, this paper develops a simulation…

Examining the Requirements for an Intergenerational Learning Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Räisänen, Teppo; Ypsilanti, Antonia; Ropes, Don; Vivas, Ana B.; Viitala, Matti; Ijäs, Tuula

2014-01-01

Intergenerational learning (IGL) has been identified as a viable way to help organizations deal with the problems an ageing worker population brings with it. Information and communications technology (ICT) in its many forms can be utilized to support IGL. This paper investigates the requirements for a game that would help raise stakeholder…

Parents' Views of Video Games: Habitus Forms in the Context of Parental Mediation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrichs, Henrike; von Gross, Friederike; Herde, Katharina; Sander, Uwe

2015-01-01

This research project was conducted to explore parental attitudes towards and their mediation of video games. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 28 parents (14 couples) assessed their media-related habitus, their media-educational habitus and the interaction between the habitus. The results show that the media-related habitus has a…

Digital Games and Assistive Technology: Improvement of Communication of Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Maria Inês Jesus; Travassos, Xisto Lucas; Sampaio, Renelson; Pereira-Guizzo, Camila de Sousa

2013-01-01

This paper aims to analyze the frequency of occurrence of different forms of communication in nonspeaking children during activities with digital games. The participants in this study were three children with multiple disabilities, whose limitations were due to cerebral palsy. All the children had severe oral communication disabilities. Three…

Idea Bank: Duct Tape Note Twister

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHenry, Molly

2008-01-01

In this article, the author relates how she observed a middle school math teacher deliver a miserable class. She realized that she did the same thing to her music students. To engage her students, she developed "Note Twister," a music reading game using duct tape to form musical notes and the basic premise behind the game,…

50 CFR 32.43 - Mississippi.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... reverse side of the form and deposit it at one of the refuge information stations. Include all game... for details. 3. When hunting, we allow only shotguns with approved nontoxic shot (see § 32.2(k)), .17... card and deposit it at one of the hunter information stations. Include all game harvested, and if there...

50 CFR 32.43 - Mississippi.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... must complete the reverse side of the card/form and deposit it at one of the refuge information stations. Include all game harvested; if you harvested no game, report “0”. Hunters may possess only one.... 3. When hunting, we allow only shotguns with approved nontoxic shot (see § 32.2(k)), .17 or .22...

50 CFR 32.43 - Mississippi.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... must complete the reverse side of the card/form and deposit it at one of the refuge information stations. Include all game harvested; if you harvested no game, report “0”. Hunters may possess only one.... 3. When hunting, we allow only shotguns with approved nontoxic shot (see § 32.2(k)), .17 or .22...

50 CFR 32.43 - Mississippi.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... must complete the reverse side of the card/form and deposit it at one of the refuge information stations. Include all game harvested; if you harvested no game, report “0”. Hunters may possess only one.... 3. When hunting, we allow only shotguns with approved nontoxic shot (see § 32.2(k)), .17 or .22...

"The Hunger Games" and Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Horizons, 2013

2013-01-01

Mary Mobley teaches English and Michael Chambers teaches world history at Manor New Technology High School, a STEM school, in Manor, Texas. In this article, they talk about how they used "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins to teach their students about forms of government between World War I and World War II, and "Edutopia"…

Examination of a board game approach to children's involvement in family-based weight management vs. traditional family-based behavioral counseling in primary care.

PubMed

Sen, Merve; Uzuner, Arzu; Akman, Mehmet; Bahadir, Aliye Tugba; Borekci, Nazire Oncul; Viggiano, Emanuela

2018-05-29

The most effective intervention model for childhood obesity is known as family-based behavioral group treatments. There are also studies that investigate the effects of educational games for children to gain healthy eating and physical exercise habits. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a family-based group treatment with an educational game (Kaledo) intervention in childhood obesity. Kaledo is a board game that was designed to improve nutritional knowledge and healthy life style habits. It is played with nutrition and activity cards that players can select from, and a total score is calculated in the end of the game according to energy intake and expenditure. Obese children between 9 and 12 ages were involved in this study. Participants randomly divided into behavioral and game intervention groups. Clinical evaluation was performed in the first and second counseling in both groups. Marmara University Family Medicine Department Obese Children and Adolescents Interview Form, Physical Activity Evaluation Form, and Three-day Food Record Form were used for this purpose. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Parent Report Version and Children's Depression Inventory were used for the assessment of psychiatric symptoms. After the clinical evaluation, an education session about healthy eating and physical activity was attended by both groups. After that, for the behavioral groups, parents and children were assigned to different groups, while for the game intervention group, parents were assigned to behavioral sessions and children were assigned to game (Kaledo) sessions. A total of six sessions with 1-h duration and 2-week interval were performed in both groups. Height and weight were measured in each session and analysis was performed on the data of the children who participated in all of the sessions. Although a total of 108 children were clinically evaluated, 52 children and their parents, 26 in the behavioral group and 26 in the game intervention group, participated in two or more sessions. Twenty-four participants, 12 in behavioral and 12 in the game intervention group, finished the study by participating in all of the six sessions. Thus, dropout rate was 74%. BMI and BMI z-scores decreased in both groups compared with the initial measures and these changes were statistically significant. For the behavioral group, these changes were - 1.01 (25.44 to 24.43, p = 0.03) and - 0.17 (2.07 to 1.90, p = 0.000) and for the game group, - 0.74 (26.98 to 26.24, p = 0.007) and - 0.09 (2.07 to 1.98, p = 0.003). There were no significant differences between behavioral and game intervention groups in point of BMI and BMI z-scores (p = 0.130 and p = 0.706). Family-based behavioral group treatment and game (Kaledo) intervention were found to be effective in childhood obesity management in this research. There was no significant difference between the two interventions. According to this study, these intervention models can be advised to primary care physicians to be used in the management of childhood obesity. What is Known: - Family-based behavioral group treatment is known as the most efficient model for childhood obesity management. What is New: - In this study, for the first time, a game (Kaledo) intervention was found to be effective in childhood obesity management. - Compared with family-based behavioral group treatment, there was no significant difference between the two interventions.

In-Game Heart Rate Responses Among Professional Baseball Starting Pitchers.

PubMed

Cornell, David J; Paxson, Jeffrey L; Caplinger, Roger A; Seligman, Joshua R; Davis, Nicholas A; Flees, Robert J; Ebersole, Kyle T

2017-01-01

Cornell, DJ, Paxson, JL, Caplinger, RA, Seligman, JR, Davis, NA, Flees, RJ, and Ebersole, KT. In-game heart rate responses among professional baseball starting pitchers. J Strength Cond Res 31(1): 24-29, 2017-The purpose of the current study was to characterize the in-game heart rate (HR) responses of baseball pitching. In-game HR was recorded from 16 professional baseball starting pitchers (mean ± SD, age = 22.1 ± 1.3 years; height = 187.9 ± 4.4 cm; weight = 90.5 ± 9.5 kg) for a total of 682 innings (home = 381, away = 301). All analyzed HR data were then normalized to each pitcher's age-predicted maximal HR (%HRmax). The group mean ± SD in-game %HRmax among all pitchers was 84.8 ± 3.9%, suggesting that baseball pitching is predominantly an anaerobic task. A split-plot mixed-model repeated measures analysis of variance identified a significant interaction effect between inning and game location (p = 0.042). Follow-up simple effects indicated that the in-game %HRmax was significantly different across innings, but only during home starts (p < 0.001). Specifically, pairwise analyses indicated that the in-game %HRmax during home starts were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in the first and second innings than in all other innings. In addition, follow-up simple effects indicated that the in-game %HRmax was significantly (p = 0.017) higher during home starts than away starts in the first inning (87.3 ± 3.6% vs. 85.8 vs. 3.8%, respectively). Thus, it is possible that inning-dependent psychological factors may have contributed to the observed changes in in-game physiological intensity across innings and that these factors are specific to game location. Consequently, strength and conditioning practitioners should prescribe high-intensity exercises when developing conditioning programs for professional baseball starting pitchers.

A comparison of the effectiveness of a game informed online learning activity and face to face teaching in increasing knowledge about managing aggression in health settings.

PubMed

McKenzie, Karen

2013-12-01

The present study compared the impact of face to face teaching with a short online game informed learning activity on health participants' knowledge about, and confidence in, managing aggressive situations. Both forms of teaching resulted in a significant increase in participants' knowledge and confidence. Face to face training led to significantly greater increases in knowledge but was equivalent in terms of confidence. Both forms of teaching were rated positively, but face to face teaching received significantly higher ratings than the online activity. The study suggests that short online game informed learning activities may offer an effective alternative for health professional training where face to face training is not possible. Further research is needed on the longer term impact of both types of training on practice.

Evaluating Motivation for the Use of an Electronic Health Record Simulation Game.

PubMed

McLeod, Alexander; Hewitt, Barbara; Gibbs, David; Kristof, Caitlin

2017-01-01

Experiential learning via simulation offers a variety of benefits including reduced risks, repetitive exposure, and mastery of complex processes. How to motivate people to engage in and enjoy playing games is an important concept in the creation of serious games focused on learning new skills. This study sought to determine the motivators that increase users' pleasurable experience when playing an electronic health record simulation game. To examine how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation affected both engagement and enjoyment, we surveyed students of health professions at one university. Results indicate that while both forms of motivation are significant in increasing engagement and enjoyment, extrinsic motivation such as badges, points, and scoreboards were much more important than internal motivations for our participants. These findings have implications for the development of an electronic health record simulation game.

The ideal self at play: the appeal of video games that let you be all you can be.

PubMed

Przybylski, Andrew K; Weinstein, Netta; Murayama, Kou; Lynch, Martin F; Ryan, Richard M

2012-01-01

Video games constitute a popular form of entertainment that allows millions of people to adopt virtual identities. In our research, we explored the idea that the appeal of games is due in part to their ability to provide players with novel experiences that let them "try on" ideal aspects of their selves that might not find expression in everyday life. We found that video games were most intrinsically motivating and had the greatest influence on emotions when players' experiences of themselves during play were congruent with players' conceptions of their ideal selves. Additionally, we found that high levels of immersion in gaming environments, as well as large discrepancies between players' actual-self and ideal-self characteristics, magnified the link between intrinsic motivation and the experience of ideal-self characteristics during play.

Strategic analysis for safeguards systems: a feasibility study. Volume 2. Appendix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldman, A J

1984-12-01

This appendix provides detailed information regarding game theory (strategic analysis) and its potential role in safeguards to supplement the main body of this report. In particualr, it includes an extensive, though not comprehensive review of literature on game theory and on other topics that relate to the formulation of a game-theoretic model (e.g. the payoff functions). The appendix describes the basic form and components of game theory models, and the solvability of various models. It then discusses three basic issues related to the use of strategic analysis in material accounting: (1) its understandability; (2) its viability in regulatory settings; andmore » (3) difficulties in the use of mixed strategies. Each of the components of a game theoretic model are then discussed and related to the present context.« less

Evaluating Motivation for the Use of an Electronic Health Record Simulation Game

PubMed Central

McLeod, Alexander; Hewitt, Barbara; Gibbs, David; Kristof, Caitlin

2017-01-01

Experiential learning via simulation offers a variety of benefits including reduced risks, repetitive exposure, and mastery of complex processes. How to motivate people to engage in and enjoy playing games is an important concept in the creation of serious games focused on learning new skills. This study sought to determine the motivators that increase users’ pleasurable experience when playing an electronic health record simulation game. To examine how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation affected both engagement and enjoyment, we surveyed students of health professions at one university. Results indicate that while both forms of motivation are significant in increasing engagement and enjoyment, extrinsic motivation such as badges, points, and scoreboards were much more important than internal motivations for our participants. These findings have implications for the development of an electronic health record simulation game. PMID:28566987

Evolutionary game theory: molecules as players.

PubMed

Bohl, Katrin; Hummert, Sabine; Werner, Sarah; Basanta, David; Deutsch, Andreas; Schuster, Stefan; Theissen, Günter; Schroeter, Anja

2014-12-01

In this and an accompanying paper we review the use of game theoretical concepts in cell biology and molecular biology. This review focuses on the subcellular level by considering viruses, genes, and molecules as players. We discuss in which way catalytic RNA can be treated by game theory. Moreover, genes can compete for success in replication and can have different strategies in interactions with other genetic elements. Also transposable elements, or "jumping genes", can act as players because they usually bear different traits or strategies. Viruses compete in the case of co-infecting a host cell. Proteins interact in a game theoretical sense when forming heterodimers. Finally, we describe how the Shapley value can be applied to enzymes in metabolic pathways. We show that game theory can be successfully applied to describe and analyse scenarios at the molecular level resulting in counterintuitive conclusions.

Why are adolescents addicted to online gaming? An interview study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wan, Chin-Sheng; Chiou, Wen-Bin

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: to investigate the conscious and unconscious psychological motivations of online game addicts, and to further discuss the relationship between surface and source motivations. Ten Taiwanese adolescents with online game addiction were selected for in-depth interviews. Through sentence completion test and semi-structured interviews, data were collected and analyzed from the following four realms: (1) surface motivations, (2) source motivations, (3) self-conception, and (4) interpersonal relationships in real life. After content analysis, five categories with distinct themes were formed: (1) addicts' psychological needs and motivations; (2) online games as the everyday focus of the addicts; (3) the interplay of real self and virtual self; (4) online games as the compensatory or extensive satisfaction for addicts' needs; and (5) addicts' self-reflections. The implications of the present study are discussed.

Unidimensional games, propitious environments, and maximum diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sales, Tasso R. M.

1993-10-01

Cellular automata have been extensively used in the modeling of complexity. In biological phenomena complexity is directly related to the intuitive concept of diversity, which manifests itself in several forms. Particularly, the game Life [E. R. Berlekamp, J. H. Conway, and R. K. Guy, Winning Ways for Your Mathematical Plays (Academic, New York, 1982), Vol. 2] may be viewed as a picture of nonlinear open biological systems acting cooperatively. However, it has been shown that, in Life, diversity (defined in terms of different clusters) decreases with time. We derive an alternative game introducing the concept of a propitious environment which confers longevity to live sites in time evolution. It is shown that the game self-organizes in a configuration of maximum diversity exhibiting a high geometrical complexity. This game is considered in one dimension and has some connections with the unidimensional Life.

Keeping up with video game technology: objective analysis of Xbox Kinect™ and PlayStation 3 Move™ for use in burn rehabilitation.

PubMed

Parry, Ingrid; Carbullido, Clarissa; Kawada, Jason; Bagley, Anita; Sen, Soman; Greenhalgh, David; Palmieri, Tina

2014-08-01

Commercially available interactive video games are commonly used in rehabilitation to aide in physical recovery from a variety of conditions and injuries, including burns. Most video games were not originally designed for rehabilitation purposes and although some games have shown therapeutic potential in burn rehabilitation, the physical demands of more recently released video games, such as Microsoft Xbox Kinect™ (Kinect) and Sony PlayStation 3 Move™ (PS Move), have not been objectively evaluated. Video game technology is constantly evolving and demonstrating different immersive qualities and interactive demands that may or may not have therapeutic potential for patients recovering from burns. This study analyzed the upper extremity motion demands of Kinect and PS Move using three-dimensional motion analysis to determine their applicability in burn rehabilitation. Thirty normal children played each video game while real-time movement of their upper extremities was measured to determine maximal excursion and amount of elevation time. Maximal shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction and elbow flexion range of motion were significantly greater while playing Kinect than the PS Move (p≤0.01). Elevation time of the arms above 120° was also significantly longer with Kinect (p<0.05). The physical demands for shoulder and elbow range of motion while playing the Kinect, and to a lesser extent PS Move, are comparable to functional motion needed for daily tasks such as eating with a utensil and hair combing. Therefore, these more recently released commercially available video games show therapeutic potential in burn rehabilitation. Objectively quantifying the physical demands of video games commonly used in rehabilitation aides clinicians in the integration of them into practice and lays the framework for further research on their efficacy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Video games as a complementary therapy tool in mental disorders: PlayMancer, a European multicentre study.

PubMed

Fernández-Aranda, Fernando; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana; Santamaría, Juan J; Gunnard, Katarina; Soto, Antonio; Kalapanidas, Elias; Bults, Richard G A; Davarakis, Costas; Ganchev, Todor; Granero, Roser; Konstantas, Dimitri; Kostoulas, Theodoros P; Lam, Tony; Lucas, Mikkel; Masuet-Aumatell, Cristina; Moussa, Maher H; Nielsen, Jeppe; Penelo, Eva

2012-08-01

Previous review studies have suggested that computer games can serve as an alternative or additional form of treatment in several areas (schizophrenia, asthma or motor rehabilitation). Although several naturalistic studies have been conducted showing the usefulness of serious video games in the treatment of some abnormal behaviours, there is a lack of serious games specially designed for treating mental disorders. The purpose of our project was to develop and evaluate a serious video game designed to remediate attitudinal, behavioural and emotional processes of patients with impulse-related disorders. The video game was created and developed within the European research project PlayMancer. It aims to prove potential capacity to change underlying attitudinal, behavioural and emotional processes of patients with impulse-related disorders. New interaction modes were provided by newly developed components, such as emotion recognition from speech, face and physiological reactions, while specific impulsive reactions were elicited. The video game uses biofeedback for helping patients to learn relaxation skills, acquire better self-control strategies and develop new emotional regulation strategies. In this article, we present a description of the video game used, rationale, user requirements, usability and preliminary data, in several mental disorders.

Combining Digital Archives Content with Serious Game Approach to Create a Gamified Learning Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, D.-T.; Lin, C. L.; Tseng, C.-Y.

2015-08-01

This paper presents an interdisciplinary to develop content-aware application that combines game with learning on specific categories of digital archives. The employment of content-oriented game enhances the gamification and efficacy of learning in culture education on architectures and history of Hsinchu County, Taiwan. The gamified form of the application is used as a backbone to support and provide a strong stimulation to engage users in learning art and culture, therefore this research is implementing under the goal of "The Digital ARt/ARchitecture Project". The purpose of the abovementioned project is to develop interactive serious game approaches and applications for Hsinchu County historical archives and architectures. Therefore, we present two applications, "3D AR for Hukou Old " and "Hsinchu County History Museum AR Tour" which are in form of augmented reality (AR). By using AR imaging techniques to blend real object and virtual content, the users can immerse in virtual exhibitions of Hukou Old Street and Hsinchu County History Museum, and to learn in ubiquitous computing environment. This paper proposes a content system that includes tools and materials used to create representations of digitized cultural archives including historical artifacts, documents, customs, religion, and architectures. The Digital ARt / ARchitecture Project is based on the concept of serious game and consists of three aspects: content creation, target management, and AR presentation. The project focuses on developing a proper approach to serve as an interactive game, and to offer a learning opportunity for appreciating historic architectures by playing AR cards. Furthermore, the card game aims to provide multi-faceted understanding and learning experience to help user learning through 3D objects, hyperlinked web data, and the manipulation of learning mode, and then effectively developing their learning levels on cultural and historical archives in Hsinchu County.

Peek-a-What? Infants' Response to the Still-Face Task after Normal and Interrupted Peek-a-Boo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Ann E.; Best, Caitlin

2013-01-01

Infants' sensitivity to the vitality or tension envelope within dyadic social exchanges was investigated by examining their responses following normal and interrupted games of peek-a-boo embedded in a Still-Face Task. Infants 5-6 months old engaged in two modified Still-Face Tasks with their mothers. In one task, the initial interaction ended with…

Construction of Barrier in a Fishing Game With Point Capture.

PubMed

Zha, Wenzhong; Chen, Jie; Peng, Zhihong; Gu, Dongbing

2017-06-01

This paper addresses a particular pursuit-evasion game, called as "fishing game" where a faster evader attempts to pass the gap between two pursuers. We are concerned with the conditions under which the evader or pursuers can win the game. This is a game of kind in which an essential aspect, barrier, separates the state space into disjoint parts associated with each player's winning region. We present a method of explicit policy to construct the barrier. This method divides the fishing game into two subgames related to the included angle and the relative distances between the evader and the pursuers, respectively, and then analyzes the possibility of capture or escape for each subgame to ascertain the analytical forms of the barrier. Furthermore, we fuse the games of kind and degree by solving the optimal control strategies in the minimum time for each player when the initial state lies in their winning regions. Along with the optimal strategies, the trajectories of the players are delineated and the upper bounds of their winning times are also derived.

Violent video game effects on children and adolescents. A review of the literature.

PubMed

Gentile, D A; Stone, W

2005-12-01

Studies of violent video games on children and adolescents were reviewed to: 1) determine the multiple effects; 2) to offer critical observations about common strengths and weaknesses in the literature; 3) to provide a broader perspective to understand the research on the effects of video games. The review includes general theoretical and methodological considerations of media violence, and description of the general aggression model (GAM). The literature was evaluated in relation to the GAM. Published literature, including meta-analyses, are reviewed, as well as relevant unpublished material, such as conference papers and dissertations. Overall, the evidence supports hypotheses that violent video game play is related to aggressive affect, physiological arousal, aggressive cognitions, and aggressive behaviours. The effects of video game play on school performance are also evaluated, and the review concludes with a dimensional approach to video game effects. The dimensional approach evaluates video game effects in terms of amount, content, form, and mechanics, and appears to have many advantages for understanding and predicting the multiple types of effects demonstrated in the literature.

A bargaining game analysis of international climate negotiations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smead, Rory; Sandler, Ronald L.; Forber, Patrick; Basl, John

2014-06-01

Climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have so far failed to achieve a robust international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Game theory has been used to investigate possible climate negotiation solutions and strategies for accomplishing them. Negotiations have been primarily modelled as public goods games such as the Prisoner's Dilemma, though coordination games or games of conflict have also been used. Many of these models have solutions, in the form of equilibria, corresponding to possible positive outcomes--that is, agreements with the requisite emissions reduction commitments. Other work on large-scale social dilemmas suggests that it should be possible to resolve the climate problem. It therefore seems that equilibrium selection may be a barrier to successful negotiations. Here we use an N-player bargaining game in an agent-based model with learning dynamics to examine the past failures of and future prospects for a robust international climate agreement. The model suggests reasons why the desirable solutions identified in previous game-theoretic models have not yet been accomplished in practice and what mechanisms might be used to achieve these solutions.

Prosperity Games prototyping with the American Electronics Association, March 8--9, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berman, M.; VanDevender, J.P.

1994-08-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Prosperity Game conducted under the sponsorship of the American Electronics Association in conjunction withmore » the Electronics Subcommittee of the Civilian Industrial Technology Committee of the National Science and Technology Council. Players were drawn from government, national laboratories, and universities, as well as from the electronics industry. The game explored policy changes that could enhance US competitiveness in the manufacturing of consumer electronics. Two teams simulated a presidentially appointed commission comprised of high-level representatives from government, industry, universities and national laboratories. A single team represented the foreign equivalent of this commission, formed to develop counter strategies for any changes in US policies. The deliberations and recommendations of these teams provide valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning policy changes, foreign competition, and the development, delivery and commercialization of new technologies.« less

Virtual immersive gaming to optimize recovery (VIGOR) in low back pain: A phase II randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

France, Christopher R; Thomas, James S

2018-06-01

The virtual immersive gaming to optimize recovery (VIGOR) study is a randomized controlled trial of the effects of virtual reality games to encourage lumbar spine flexion among individuals with chronic low back pain and fear of movement. Whereas traditional graded activity or graded exposure therapies for chronic low back pain have high attrition and poor long-term efficacy, we believe that virtual reality games have distinct advantages that can enhance adherence and clinical outcomes. First, they are engaging and enjoyable activities that can distract from pain and fear of harm. In addition, because they gradually reinforce increases in lumbar spine flexion to achieve game objectives, continued engagement over time is expected to promote recovery through restoration of normal spinal motion. The study design includes two treatment groups which differ in the amount of lumbar flexion required to achieve the game objectives. All participants will play the games for nine weeks, and pre-treatment to 1-week post-treatment changes in pain and disability will serve as the co-primary clinical outcomes. In addition, changes in lumbar flexion and expectations of pain/harm will be examined as potential treatment outcome mediators. Maintenance of treatment outcomes will also be assessed for up to 48-weeks post-treatment. In brief, we hypothesize that the virtual reality games will reduce pain and disability by promoting spinal motion and allowing participants to develop an implicit understanding that they are capable of engaging in significant lumbar spine motion in their daily lives without a risk of injury to their back. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An interactive game-based shoulder wheel system for rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Chang, Chun-Ming; Chang, Yen-Ching; Chang, Hsiao-Yun; Chou, Li-Wei

2012-01-01

Background: Increases in the aging population and in the number of accidents have resulted in more people suffering from physical impairments or disabilities. Rehabilitation therapy thus attracts greater attention as a means of helping patients recover and return to a normal life. With the extremely long and tedious nature of traditional rehabilitation, patients are reluctant to continue the entire process, thus the expected effects of the therapy cannot be obtained. Games are well known to help patients improve their concentration and shift their attention away from the discomfort of their injuries during rehabilitation. Thus, incorporating game technology into a rehabilitation program may be a promising approach. Methods: In this study, a gaming system used for shoulder rehabilitation was developed. The mechanical parts and electric circuits were integrated to mimic the functionalities of a shoulder wheel. Several games were also designed to suit the rehabilitation needs of the patients based on the age and gender differences among the individual users, enabling individuals to undergo the rehabilitation process by playing games. Two surveys were conducted to evaluate the satisfaction of the participants regarding the gaming system. Results: The results of the online survey among a larger population coincide with the responses of the hands-on participants through a paper-and-pencil survey. Statistical results suggest that the participants are willing to accept this novel approach. Conclusion: This gaming system can distract a patient from the sensation of pain or anxiety, and increase their motivation to participate in the therapeutic program. Advantages in terms of low-cost and easy setup increase the attractiveness of this new equipment for various potential users. PMID:23226005

Perceptual learning during action video game playing.

PubMed

Green, C Shawn; Li, Renjie; Bavelier, Daphne

2010-04-01

Action video games have been shown to enhance behavioral performance on a wide variety of perceptual tasks, from those that require effective allocation of attentional resources across the visual scene, to those that demand the successful identification of fleetingly presented stimuli. Importantly, these effects have not only been shown in expert action video game players, but a causative link has been established between action video game play and enhanced processing through training studies. Although an account based solely on attention fails to capture the variety of enhancements observed after action game playing, a number of models of perceptual learning are consistent with the observed results, with behavioral modeling favoring the hypothesis that avid video game players are better able to form templates for, or extract the relevant statistics of, the task at hand. This may suggest that the neural site of learning is in areas where information is integrated and actions are selected; yet changes in low-level sensory areas cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2009 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Lifetime Video Game Consumption, Interpersonal Aggression, Hostile Sexism, and Rape Myth Acceptance: A Cultivation Perspective.

PubMed

Fox, Jesse; Potocki, Bridget

2016-06-01

Although previous research has investigated relationships between media consumption, sexism, and rape myth acceptance (RMA), limited research has investigated video games despite their emergence as one of the most popular forms of media entertainment globally. Given that video games typically feature even less diverse and more objectified representations of women than traditional mainstream media, we predicted that there would be relationships between video game consumption and negative beliefs and attitudes about women. In this study, we conducted a survey (N = 351) of male and female adults and used structural equation modeling to analyze relationships among video game consumption, trait interpersonal aggression, ambivalent sexism, and first-order (percentage of false rape accusations) and second-order cultivation effects (RMA). We found support for the hypothesized cultivation model, indicating a relationship between video game consumption and RMA via interpersonal aggression and hostile sexism. Although these findings cannot be interpreted causally, we discuss the implications of these associations and future directions for research. © The Author(s) 2015.

Computerized tabletop games as a form of a video game training for old-old.

PubMed

Cujzek, Marina; Vranic, Andrea

2017-11-01

This research aimed at investigating the utility of a computerized version of a cognitively stimulating activity as a video game intervention for elderly. The study focused on the effect of a 6-week extensive practice intervention on aspects of cognitive functioning (vigilance, working memory (WM), inhibition, reasoning) of old-old participants (N = 29), randomly assigned to trained or active control group. The difference between groups was in the content of the extended video game practice - cognitively complex card game for trained and computerized version of a simple dice-game of chance for control participants. A pretest, posttest and a 4-month follow-up measurement was conducted. Results revealed improvements in both groups, except for improved reasoning found only in trained participants. These results suggest that: (1) improvements are dependent on the complexity of the program, (2) cognitively stimulating activity are a valid training procedure for old-old, (3) novelty of computer use is an important factor in determining training efficacy.

Involving consumers in product design through collaboration: the case of online role-playing games.

PubMed

Yeh, Shu-Yu

2010-12-01

The release of software attributes to users by software designers for the creation of user-designed forms is regarded as a producer-consumer collaboration, leading consumers to expend significant effort on a specific product. This article identifies such software/product attributes within online role-playing games and then explores how consumers' prior experience affects the evaluation of such attributes. In this article, product attributes comprise customized, content, and interactive externality-sensitive and complementary externality-sensitive attributes, with the value of each attribute being greater for experts than for novices. In Study 1, data were collected and analyzed for the purpose of identifying such features in online role-playing games. The results can also be generalized to convergent products, such as TV games that have been redesigned as online games or mobile games found in Study 2. For the introduction of a convergent product to be successful, our research suggests that the potential market-segment focus should be on knowledgeable consumers who accept such products more readily.

Identifying protein complexes in PPI network using non-cooperative sequential game.

PubMed

Maulik, Ujjwal; Basu, Srinka; Ray, Sumanta

2017-08-21

Identifying protein complexes from protein-protein interaction (PPI) network is an important and challenging task in computational biology as it helps in better understanding of cellular mechanisms in various organisms. In this paper we propose a noncooperative sequential game based model for protein complex detection from PPI network. The key hypothesis is that protein complex formation is driven by mechanism that eventually optimizes the number of interactions within the complex leading to dense subgraph. The hypothesis is drawn from the observed network property named small world. The proposed multi-player game model translates the hypothesis into the game strategies. The Nash equilibrium of the game corresponds to a network partition where each protein either belong to a complex or form a singleton cluster. We further propose an algorithm to find the Nash equilibrium of the sequential game. The exhaustive experiment on synthetic benchmark and real life yeast networks evaluates the structural as well as biological significance of the network partitions.

Social anxiety and drinking game participation among university students: the moderating role of drinking to cope.

PubMed

Mulligan, Ellen J; George, Amanda M; Brown, Patricia M

2016-11-01

Few studies have examined the relationship of social anxiety with drinking game participation. Drinking games represent a popular form of drinking in university settings. Due to their structure, games may appeal to socially anxious drinkers, particularly among those seeking to fit in or cope with the social setting. To examine the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation among a university undergraduate sample and to investigate if drinking motives moderate this association. A total of 227 undergraduate students aged 18-24 years (73% female) who had consumed alcohol in the prior year were included in the current investigation. Hierarchical regression examined the influences of social anxiety and drinking motives on frequency of drinking game participation, as well the interactions of social anxiety with drinking for coping motives and conformity motives. Social anxiety failed to emerge as a significant predictor of frequency of drinking game participation. However, drinking to cope moderated the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation. Socially anxious students who drank to cope were more likely to participate in drinking games on occasions when they consumed alcohol than those who did not endorse this drinking motive. Results demonstrated the influence of drinking to cope in the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation. Future work should examine the relationship with other indicators of drinking game activity. Intervention efforts addressing social anxiety and drinking should consider motives for drinking, as well as drinking patterns.

Social Identity, Social Ties and Social Capital: A Study in Gaming Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Hao

2012-01-01

This work will focus on how different social relationships, namely shared identity and personal tie, will impact cooperative behavior, a form of social capital. I designed and conducted an economic game study to show that shared identity and personal ties work differently on cooperation among people and resource flow in social groups. Many factors…

Learning Intercultural Communication Skills with Virtual Humans: Feedback and Fidelity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, H. Chad; Hays, Matthew Jensen; Core, Mark G.; Auerbach, Daniel

2013-01-01

In the context of practicing intercultural communication skills, we investigated the role of fidelity in a game-based, virtual learning environment as well as the role of feedback delivered by an intelligent tutoring system. In 2 experiments, we compared variations on the game interface, use of the tutoring system, and the form of the feedback.…

Child Bilingualism in an Immigrant Society: Implications of Borrowing in the Hebrew 'Language of Games.'

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bar-Adon, Aaron

The first waves of immigrants arriving in Palestine were faced with the problem of forming a new culture and creating a new language, actually, reviving Hebrew, an ancient language. The children were faced with creating their own traditions, games, and folklore; in so doing, through straight borrowing, spontaneous translation (loan translation),…

Examining Primary Schools' Physical Education Coordinators' Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Games: Are We Just Playing as This?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Gavin

2013-01-01

A detailed insight into how the current educational climate influences the pedagogical decisions made by primary school teachers when teaching games is limited. Studies examining the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of teachers within physical education have revealed its close relationship with specific forms of subject knowledge. In…

A Narrative Approach to Exploring TGfU-GS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolz, Steven A.; Pill, Shane

2016-01-01

This paper uses a narrative approach in the form of a fictional dialogue between a physical education teacher educator (PETE) and an enquiring physical education teacher (EPET) in order to both contextualise the problem posed by Almond, that Teaching Games for Understanding-Game Sense (TGfU-GS) has been better accepted in academia than in the…

An Investigation of Learner-Control Variables in Vocabulary Learning Using Traditional Instruction and Two Forms of Computer-Based Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest

1988-01-01

Investigates college students' ability to monitor learner-controlled vocabulary instruction when performed in traditional workbook-like tasks and in two different computer-based formats: video game and text game exercises. Suggests that developmental reading students are unable to monitor their own vocabulary development accurately. (MM)

Using the Item Response Theory (IRT) for Educational Evaluation through Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euzébio Batista, Marcelo Henrique; Victória Barbosa, Jorge Luis; da Rosa Tavares, João Elison; Hackenhaar, Jonathan Luis

2013-01-01

This article shows the application of Item Response Theory (IRT) for educational evaluation using games. The article proposes a computational model to create user profiles, called Psychometric Profile Generator (PPG). PPG uses the IRT mathematical model for exploring the levels of skills and behaviors in the form of items and/or stimuli. The model…

Whatever Happened to Playtime?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, John

2007-01-01

There has been a growing call for recess and lunch breaks to be given more structure in the form of organised games. Two reasons are typically given. One is to try to address the concern about children's lack of fitness by providing them with games designed to get them active. The other arises from concerns about children's behaviour in the…

An ESS maximum principle for matrix games.

PubMed

Vincent, T L; Cressman, R

2000-11-01

Previous work has demonstrated that for games defined by differential or difference equations with a continuum of strategies, there exists a G-function, related to individual fitness, that must take on a maximum with respect to a virtual variable v whenever v is one of the vectors in the coalition of vectors which make up the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS). This result, called the ESS maximum principle, is quite useful in determining candidates for an ESS. This principle is reformulated here, so that it may be conveniently applied to matrix games. In particular, we define a matrix game to be one in which fitness is expressed in terms of strategy frequencies and a matrix of expected payoffs. It is shown that the G-function in the matrix game setting must again take on a maximum value at all the strategies which make up the ESS coalition vector. The reformulated maximum principle is applicable to both bilinear and nonlinear matrix games. One advantage in employing this principle to solve the traditional bilinear matrix game is that the same G-function is used to find both pure and mixed strategy solutions by simply specifying an appropriate strategy space. Furthermore we show how the theory may be used to solve matrix games which are not in the usual bilinear form. We examine in detail two nonlinear matrix games: the game between relatives and the sex ratio game. In both of these games an ESS solution is determined. These examples not only illustrate the usefulness of this approach to finding solutions to an expanded class of matrix games, but aids in understanding the nature of the ESS as well.

The transfer of social exclusion and inclusion functions through derived stimulus relations.

PubMed

Munnelly, Anita; Martin, Georgina; Dack, Charlotte; Zedginidze, Ann; McHugh, Louise

2014-09-01

Previous studies have found that social exclusion can cause distress to those excluded. One method used to study social exclusion is through a virtual ball-toss game known as Cyberball. In this game, participants may be excluded from or included in the ball-toss game and typically report lower feelings of self-esteem, control, belonging, and meaningful existence following exclusion. Experiments 1 and 2 sought to explore the transfer of feelings of exclusion and inclusion through stimulus equivalence classes. In both experiments, participants were trained to form two three-member equivalence classes (e.g., A1-B1, B1-C1; A2-B2, B2-C2) and were tested with novel stimulus combinations (A1-C1, C1-A1, A2-C2, C2-A2). Thereafter, participants were exposed to the Cyberball exclusion and inclusion games. In these games, one stimulus (C1) from one equivalence class was assigned as the Cyberball inclusion game name, whereas one stimulus (C2) from the other equivalence class was assigned as the Cyberball exclusion game name. In Experiment 2, participants were only exposed to the Cyberball exclusion game. During a subsequent transfer test, participants were asked to rate how included in or excluded from they thought they would be in other online games, corresponding to members of both equivalence classes. Participant reported that they felt they would be excluded from online games if the games were members of the same equivalence class as C2. In contrast, participants reported that they felt they would be included in online games if the games were members of the same equivalence class as C1. Results indicated the transfer of feelings of inclusion (Experiment 1) and feelings of exclusion (Experiments 1 and 2) through equivalence classes.

Indigenous cultural contexts for STEM experiences: snow snakes' impact on students and the community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Brant G.; Roehrig, Gillian

2018-03-01

Opportunities for American Indian youth to meaningfully engage in school-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences have historically been inadequate. As a consequence, American Indian students perform lower on standardized assessments of science education than their peers. In this article we describe the emergence of meaning for students—as well as their community—resulting from Indigenous culturally-based STEM curriculum that used an American Indian tradition as a focal context. Specifically, the game of snow snakes ( Gooneginebig in Ojibwe) afforded an opportunity for STEM and culturally-based resources to work in unison. A case study research design was used with the bounded case represented by the community associated with the snow snake project. The research question guiding this study was: What forms of culturally relevant meaning do students and the community form as a result of the snow snake game? Results indicate evidence of increased student and community engagement through culturally-based STEM experiences in the form of active participation and the rejuvenation of a traditional game. Implications are discussed for using culturally-based contexts for STEM learning.

Effectiveness of Game-Based Learning: Influence of Cognitive Style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milovanović, Miloš; Minović, Miroslav; Kovačević, Ivana; Minović, Jelena; Starčević, Dušan

Today students have grown up using devices like computers, mobile phones, and video consoles for almost any activity; from studies and work to entertainment or communication. Motivating them with traditional teaching methods such as lectures and written materials becomes more difficult daily. That is why digital games are becoming more and more considered to have a promising role in education process. We decided to conduct a study among university students. Purpose of that study was to try to find some empirical evidence to support the claim that educational games can be used as an effective form of teaching. We also invested an effort to measure effects of different teaching approaches with the respect of individual differences in cognitive styles. Initial results provide a good argument for use of educational games in teaching. In addition, we reported some influence of cognitive style on effectiveness of using educational games.

The Spectral Game: leveraging Open Data and crowdsourcing for education

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

We report on the implementation of the Spectral Game, a web-based game where players try to match molecules to various forms of interactive spectra including 1D/2D NMR, Mass Spectrometry and Infrared spectra. Each correct selection earns the player one point and play continues until the player supplies an incorrect answer. The game is usually played using a web browser interface, although a version has been developed in the virtual 3D environment of Second Life. Spectra uploaded as Open Data to ChemSpider in JCAMP-DX format are used for the problem sets together with structures extracted from the website. The spectra are displayed using JSpecView, an Open Source spectrum viewing applet which affords zooming and integration. The application of the game to the teaching of proton NMR spectroscopy in an undergraduate organic chemistry class and a 2D Spectrum Viewer are also presented. PMID:20298527

On Reverse Stackelberg Game and Optimal Mean Field Control for a Large Population of Thermostatically Controlled Loads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Sen; Zhang, Wei; Lian, Jianming

This paper studies a multi-stage pricing problem for a large population of thermostatically controlled loads. The problem is formulated as a reverse Stackelberg game that involves a mean field game in the hierarchy of decision making. In particular, in the higher level, a coordinator needs to design a pricing function to motivate individual agents to maximize the social welfare. In the lower level, the individual utility maximization problem of each agent forms a mean field game coupled through the pricing function that depends on the average of the population control/state. We derive the solution to the reverse Stackelberg game bymore » connecting it to a team problem and the competitive equilibrium, and we show that this solution corresponds to the optimal mean field control that maximizes the social welfare. Realistic simulations are presented to validate the proposed methods.« less

Price Strategies between a Dominant Retailer and Manufacturers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Hsun Jung; Mak, Hou Kit

2009-08-01

Supply chain-related game theoretical applications have been discussed for decades. This research accounts for the emergence of a dominant retailer, and the retailer Stackelberg pricing models of distribution channels. Research in the channel pricing game may use different definitions of pricing decision variables. In this research, we pay attentions to the retailer Stackelberg pricing game, and discuss the effects when choosing different decision variables. According the literature it was shown that the strategies between channel members depend critically on the form of the demand function. Two different demand forms—linear and non-linear—will be considered in our numerical example respectively. Our major finding is the outcomes are not relative to manufacturers' pricing decisions but to the retailer's pricing decision and choosing percentage margin as retailer's decision variable is the best strategy for the retailer but worst for manufacturers. The numerical results show that it is consistence between linear and non-linear demand form.

Hawks, doves, and mixed-symmetry games.

PubMed

Crowley, P H

2000-06-21

The hawk-dove game has proved to be an important tool for understanding the role of aggression in social interactions. Here, the game is presented in a more general form (GHD) to facilitate analyses of interactions between individuals that may differ in "size", where size is interpreted as a surrogate for resource holding power. Three different situations are considered, based on the availability and use of information that interacting individuals have about their sizes: the classical symmetric case, in which no information about sizes is used, the asymmetric case, in which the individuals know their relative sizes and thus their chances of prevailing in combat, and a mixed-symmetry case, in which each individual only knows its own size (or only knows its opponent's size). I describe and use some recently developed methods for multitype games-evolutionary games involving two or more categories of players. With these methods and others, the evolutionarily stable strategies (ESSs) that emerge for the three different cases are identified and compared. A proof of the form and uniqueness of the ESS for the mixed-symmetry case is presented. In this situation, one size category at most can play a mixed strategy; larger individuals are aggressive and smaller individuals are not. As the number of size categories approaches infinity and the size distribution becomes continuous, there is a threshold size, above which all individuals are aggressive, and below which they are not. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

The energy cost of playing active video games in children with obesity and children of a healthy weight.

PubMed

O'Donovan, C; Roche, E F; Hussey, J

2014-08-01

Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour form a large part of the treatment of paediatric obesity. However, many children today spend prolonged periods of time playing sedentary video games. Active video games (AVGs) represent a novel and child friendly form of physical activity. To measure the energy cost of playing two AVGs in children with obesity and healthy age- and gender-matched children. The energy cost of gaming and heart rates achieved during gaming conditions were compared between groups. AVG play can result in light-to-moderate intensity physical activity (2.7-5.4 metabolic equivalents). When corrected for fat-free mass those with obesity expended significantly less energy than healthy weight peers playing Nintendo Wii Fit Free Jogging (P = 0.017). No significant difference was seen between groups in the energy cost of playing Boxing. Certain AVGs, particularly those that require lower limb movement, could be used to increase total energy expenditure, replace more sedentary activities, or achieve moderate intensity physical activity among children with obesity. There seems to be some differences in how children with obesity and children of a healthy weight play AVGs. This could result in those with obesity expending less energy than their lean peers during AVG play. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Laughter in popular games and in sport. The other health of human play.

PubMed

Eichberg, Henning

2013-01-01

Hurling in Cornwall, la soule in Britanny, Shrovetide football in England: Popular games have normally been treated as forerunners of modern sport, sport having regulated the space and the time of the game, the (non-) violence of behaviour, the control of results, the planning, strategy, tactics, techniques and evaluation of the competitive action. This is told as a story of social improvement and progress--and about turning unhealthy wildness into civilized 'healthy' sport activity. What sociological analysis of game-playing tended to ignore was the laughter of the participants. With the seriousness of modern sport, as it was established in the nineteenth century, a culture of laughter disappeared. This study tries to counter this mainstream by a phenomenology of laughter in popular games. A contrasting attention is turned towards the seriousness of sporting competition, the smile in modern sport and fitness, and the 'underground' dimension of laughter in modern sports. By comparative analysis, laughter reveals as a bodily discourse about the imperfect human being. It tells an oppositional story about the perfectionism in the order of Western thinking--in sports as well as in health. The bodily 'physiology' of laughter, the exploding psychical energy, and the inter-bodily social relations in laughter and play and game point towards the multi-dimensionality of health, as it was formulated by WHO: as "physical, mental, and social well-being".

Self-Affirmation Theory and Performance Feedback: When Scoring High Makes You Feel Low.

PubMed

Velez, John A; Hanus, Michael D

2016-12-01

Video games have a wide variety of benefits for players. The current study examines how video games can also increase players' willingness to internalize important but threatening self-information. Research suggests that negative information regarding a valued self-image evokes defensive strategies aimed at dismissing or discrediting the source of information. Self-Affirmation Theory proposes that affirming or bolstering an important self-image unrelated to the previous threat can be an effective strategy for reducing defensiveness. Participants in the current study completed a fictitious intelligence test and received negative or no feedback, followed by 15 minutes of video game play that resulted in positive or no feedback. Results suggest that participants who valued video game success as part of their identity exhibited less defensive strategies in the form of increased test credibility ratings and lower self-perceptions of intelligence. This suggests that performing well on a video game is an affirmational resource for players whose identities are contingent upon such success. However, results also indicate that players who did not value video game success but received positive video game feedback exhibited more defensive reactions to the negative intelligence test feedback. This suggests that while players who value video game success as part of their identity may reap benefits from video game play after a self-threat, those who do not value such success may experience more harmful effects.

Effects of Visual Game Experience on Auditory Processing Speed.

PubMed

Shin, Kyung Soon; Yim, Yoon Kyoung; Kim, Yuwon; Park, Soowon; Lee, Jun-Young

2017-03-01

Games are one of the fastest growing and most exciting forms of entertainment. Whether casual mobile game playing has a cognitive, physiological, or behavioral effect on players whose game use is not pathological is unknown. Here we explored whether preattentive auditory processing is linked to the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) in frequent and infrequent game players. A total of 74 subjects who were enrolled in our study were divided into two groups, 40 subjects were frequent gamers and 34 subjects were age-, gender-, IQ-, and education-matched infrequent gamers. All participants underwent a passive auditory oddball paradigm and completed the behavioral inhibition/behavioral activation system scales. The mismatch negativity (MMN) latency was shorter for the frequent gamers relative to the infrequent gamers, whereas no difference in MMN amplitude was found between groups. MMN amplitude was negatively associated with the degree of behavioral inhibition in the frequent and infrequent gaming group. We also found that those who frequently play games show an enhanced processing speed, which could be an effect of game practice. Greater behavioral inhibition induces increased vigilance, and this may have enhanced the MMN amplitude in the infrequent gamers. This differential pattern of correlations suggests that differences in the BIS could lead to different approaches to auditory information processing.

Video games as a complementary therapy tool in mental disorders: PlayMancer, a European multicentre study

PubMed Central

Fernández-Aranda, Fernando; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana; Santamaría, Juan J.; Gunnard, Katarina; Soto, Antonio; Kalapanidas, Elias; Bults, Richard G. A.; Davarakis, Costas; Ganchev, Todor; Granero, Roser; Konstantas, Dimitri; Kostoulas, Theodoros P.; Lam, Tony; Lucas, Mikkel; Masuet-Aumatell, Cristina; Moussa, Maher H.; Nielsen, Jeppe; Penelo, Eva

2012-01-01

Background: Previous review studies have suggested that computer games can serve as an alternative or additional form of treatment in several areas (schizophrenia, asthma or motor rehabilitation). Although several naturalistic studies have been conducted showing the usefulness of serious video games in the treatment of some abnormal behaviours, there is a lack of serious games specially designed for treating mental disorders. Aim: The purpose of our project was to develop and evaluate a serious video game designed to remediate attitudinal, behavioural and emotional processes of patients with impulse-related disorders. Method and results: The video game was created and developed within the European research project PlayMancer. It aims to prove potential capacity to change underlying attitudinal, behavioural and emotional processes of patients with impulse-related disorders. New interaction modes were provided by newly developed components, such as emotion recognition from speech, face and physiological reactions, while specific impulsive reactions were elicited. The video game uses biofeedback for helping patients to learn relaxation skills, acquire better self-control strategies and develop new emotional regulation strategies. In this article, we present a description of the video game used, rationale, user requirements, usability and preliminary data, in several mental disorders. PMID:22548300

Creative Mathematical Games: The Enhancement of Number Sense of Kindergarten Children Through Fun Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirawati

2017-02-01

The research departed from an issue found regarding the number sense of kindergarten children and as a solution to this problem, the research proposes the use of creative mathematical games in the teaching and learning. Departing from the issue and the offered solution, the following problems are about Children’s ability of number sense before and after the implementation of creative mathematical games; the forms of creative mathematical games in improving children’s number sense; the implementation of creative mathematical games in improving children’s number sense; and the factors possibly affecting the implementation of creative mathematical games. This study use action research method. The data were collected through observation, interview, and documentation and then qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis technique. The findings show that children respond positively to the creative mathematical games. They demonstrate fairly high enthusiasm and are able to understand number as well as its meaning in various ways. Children’s number sense has also improved in terms of one-on-one correspondence and mentioning and comparing many objects. The factors possibly affecting the implementation of these creative mathematical games are the media and the stages of teaching and learning that should be in accordance with the level of kindergarten children’s number sense.

Medical care delivery at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jin-jun; Wang, Li-dong; Chen, Zhi; Ma, Jun; Dai, Jian-ping

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Olympic Games, and the services including medical services were widely appreciated by both participants and visitors. We retrospectively analyzed the quality of the medical services provided to athletes, spectators, VIPs, and the workforce during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The information thus gathered would be useful for planning strategies for managing mass gatherings. METHODS: Medical encounter forms filled during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were retrospectively reviewed. Descriptive statistics was used to characterize the data by accreditation and diagnostic categories. RESULTS: A total of 22 892 medical encounters were documented during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Among them, 10 549 (46.08%) involved the workforce, 3 365 (14.70%) athletes, 3 019 (13.19%) spectators, 585 (2.56%) members of the media, 1 065 (4.65%) VIPs, and 4 309 (18.82%) others. Of the 22 892 cases, physical injury accounted for 27.90% (6 386), respiratory disease 18.21% (4 169), and heat-related illnesses 2.68% (615). CONCLUSIONS: Preparations of the medical service for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were made for 7 years, and the service provided has been praised worldwide. This study provides valuable information that may be useful for planning medical services for upcoming Olympic Games, including the London 2012 Olympic Games and other mass gatherings. PMID:25215021

Self-concept in fairness and rule establishment during a competitive game: a computational approach

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang Ho; Kim, Sung-Phil; Cho, Yang Seok

2015-01-01

People consider fairness as well as their own interest when making decisions in economic games. The present study proposes a model that encompasses the self-concept determined by one's own kindness as a factor of fairness. To observe behavioral patterns that reflect self-concept and fairness, a chicken game experiment was conducted. Behavioral data demonstrates four distinct patterns; “switching,” “mutual rush,” “mutual avoidance,” and “unfair” patterns. Model estimation of chicken game data shows that a model with self-concept predicts those behaviors better than previous models of fairness, suggesting that self-concept indeed affects human behavior in competitive economic games. Moreover, a non-stationary parameter analysis revealed the process of reaching consensus between the players in a game. When the models were fitted to a continuous time window, the parameters of the players in a pair with “switching” and “mutual avoidance” patterns became similar as the game proceeded, suggesting that the players gradually formed a shared rule during the game. In contrast, the difference of parameters between the players in the “unfair” and “mutual rush” patterns did not become stable. The outcomes of the present study showed that people are likely to change their strategy until they reach a mutually beneficial status. PMID:26441707

An online spaced-education game among clinicians improves their patients' time to blood pressure control: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kerfoot, B Price; Turchin, Alexander; Breydo, Eugene; Gagnon, David; Conlin, Paul R

2014-05-01

Many patients with high blood pressure (BP) do not have antihypertensive medications appropriately intensified at clinician visits. We investigated whether an online spaced-education (SE) game among primary care clinicians can decrease time to BP target among their hypertensive patients. A 2-arm randomized trial was conducted over 52 weeks among primary care clinicians at 8 hospitals. Educational content consisted of 32 validated multiple-choice questions with explanations on hypertension management. Providers were randomized into 2 groups: SE clinicians were enrolled in the game, whereas control clinicians received identical educational content in an online posting. SE game clinicians were e-mailed 1 question every 3 days. Adaptive game mechanics resent questions in 12 or 24 days if answered incorrectly or correctly, respectively. Clinicians retired questions by answering each correctly twice consecutively. Posting of relative performance among peers fostered competition. Primary outcome measure was time to BP target (<140/90 mm Hg). One hundred eleven clinicians enrolled. The SE game was completed by 87% of clinicians (48/55), whereas 84% of control clinicians (47/56) read the online posting. In multivariable analysis of 17 866 hypertensive periods among 14 336 patients, the hazard ratio for time to BP target in the SE game cohort was 1.043 (95% confidence interval, 1.007-1.081; P=0.018). The number of hypertensive episodes needed to treat to normalize one additional patient's BP was 67.8. The number of clinicians needed to teach to achieve this was 0.43. An online SE game among clinicians generated a modest but significant reduction in the time to BP target among their hypertensive patients. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00904007. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Expression of NMDA receptor subunits in human blood lymphocytes: A peripheral biomarker in online computer game addiction.

PubMed

Sadat-Shirazi, Mitra-Sadat; Vousooghi, Nasim; Alizadeh, Bentolhoda; Makki, Seyed Mohammad; Zarei, Seyed Zeinolabedin; Nazari, Shahrzad; Zarrindast, Mohammad Reza

2018-05-23

Background and aims Repeated performance of some behaviors such as playing computer games could result in addiction. The NMDA receptor is critically involved in the development of behavioral and drug addictions. It has been claimed that the expression level of neurotransmitter receptors in the brain may be reflected in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Methods Here, using a real-time PCR method, we have investigated the mRNA expression of GluN2A, GluN2D, GluN3A, and GluN3B subunits of the NMDA receptor in PBLs of male online computer game addicts (n = 25) in comparison with normal subjects (n = 26). Results Expression levels of GluN2A, GluN2D, and GluN3B subunits were not statistically different between game addicts and the control group. However, the mRNA expression of the GluN3A subunit was downregulated in PBLs of game addicts. Discussion and conclusions Transcriptional levels of GluN2A and GluN2D subunits in online computer game addicts are similar to our previously reported data of opioid addiction and are not different from the control group. However, unlike our earlier finding of drug addiction, the mRNA expression levels of GluN3A and GluN3B subunits in PBLs of game addicts are reduced and unchanged, respectively, compared with control subjects. It seems that the downregulated state of the GluN3A subunit of NMDA receptor in online computer game addicts is a finding that deserves more studies in the future to see whether it can serve as a peripheral biomarker in addiction studies, where the researcher wants to rule out the confusing effects of abused drugs.

Spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral imagery with cooperative game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Ji; Zhong, Yanfei; Jia, Tianyi; Wang, Xinyu; Xu, Yao; Shu, Hong; Zhang, Liangpei

2018-01-01

Spectral-spatial classification is known to be an effective way to improve classification performance by integrating spectral information and spatial cues for hyperspectral imagery. In this paper, a game-theoretic spectral-spatial classification algorithm (GTA) using a conditional random field (CRF) model is presented, in which CRF is used to model the image considering the spatial contextual information, and a cooperative game is designed to obtain the labels. The algorithm establishes a one-to-one correspondence between image classification and game theory. The pixels of the image are considered as the players, and the labels are considered as the strategies in a game. Similar to the idea of soft classification, the uncertainty is considered to build the expected energy model in the first step. The local expected energy can be quickly calculated, based on a mixed strategy for the pixels, to establish the foundation for a cooperative game. Coalitions can then be formed by the designed merge rule based on the local expected energy, so that a majority game can be performed to make a coalition decision to obtain the label of each pixel. The experimental results on three hyperspectral data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed classification algorithm.

The Use of Motion Tracking Technologies in Serious Games to Enhance Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Andrew M.; Liu, Hao; Battersby, Steven; Brown, David; Sherkat, Nasser; Standen, Penny; Walker, Marion

2011-01-01

Stroke is the main cause of long term disability worldwide. Of those surviving, more than half will fail to regain functional usage of their impaired upper limb. Typically stroke upper limb rehabilitation exercises consist of repeated movements, which when tracked can form the basis of inputs to games. This paper discusses two systems utilizing…

The Siren Song of Digital Simulation: Games, Procedural Rhetoric, and the Process of Historical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clyde, Jerremie; Wilkinson, Glenn

2011-01-01

This paper contrasts the importance of procedural rhetoric for the use of games in university and college level historical education with the use of history themed digital simulations. This paper starts by examining how history functions as a form of disciplinary knowledge and how this disciplinary way of knowing things is taught in the post…

Discretion vs. Valor: The Development and Evaluation of a Simulation Game about Being a Believer in the Soviet Union.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackstone, Barbara

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of "Discretion vs. Valor," a simulation game designed to give North American players a chance to: (1) identify with "believers" (Christians) in the Soviet Union in order to form new images of these persons; (2) gain empathy for Christians by understanding the dilemmas they…

The Prevalence of Gambling in College: A Review of Literature, Convenience Sample, and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seifried, Chad; Krenzelok, Ann; Turner, Brian A.; Brett, Martin

2009-01-01

This project examined the level of gambling exhibited by a convenience sample of 155 college students at a large Midwestern university and compared it to previously completed work. The researchers found most college student gamblers engaged in the most popular form of gambling like casino games, card games, and betting pools for money. Gambling on…

Educators Who Believe: Understanding the Enthusiasm of Teachers Who Use Digital Games in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieler-Hunt, Colleen; Jones, Christian M.

2015-01-01

This study used qualitative methods to explore why some educators embrace the use of digital game-play (DGP) in the classroom. The results indicated that these teachers had a very strong belief that DGP could be beneficial for learning which stemmed from experiencing their own form of subjective success with using DGP in the classroom, availing…

Stop Talking and Type: Comparing Virtual and Face-to-Face Mentoring in an Epistemic Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagley, E. A.; Shaffer, D. W.

2015-01-01

Research has shown that computer games and other virtual environments can support significant learning gains because they allow young people to explore complex concepts in simulated form. However, in complex problem-solving domains, complex thinking is learned not only by taking action, but also with the aid of mentors who provide guidance in the…

What Do We Learn in Smethwick Village? Computer Games, Media Learning and Discursive Confusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDougall, Julian

2007-01-01

This article presents findings from research exploring the intervention made by the introduction of computer games as an object of study in Media Studies at AS level in England. The outcome is a range of discursive data in the form of teachers and students from two English colleges talking about their experiences of this curriculum encounter. This…

Building Capacity in Urban Sustainability Assessment through Use of a Scenarios Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Rhys E.; Rutledge, Daniel T.; van Roon, Henri

2011-01-01

Urban form, the patterns of cities, in New Zealand is explored 50 years into the future through a scenarios game, published on the Internet. Four diverse scenarios provide a means to explore the present situation and envision how it may change over time with different trend drivers. Wild card events introduce uncertainty in a way that resonates…

Adaptivity in Game-Based Learning: A New Perspective on Story

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Florian; Müller, Wolfgang

Game-based learning as a novel form of e-learning still has issues in fundamental questions, the lack of a general model for adaptivity being one of them. Since adaptive techniques in traditional e-learning applications bear close similarity to certain interactive storytelling approaches, we propose a new notion of story as the joining element of arbitraty learning paths.

The 1983 ARI Survey of Army Recruits: Tabular Description of 1983 (Active) Army Accessions. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-01

games D - Major league baseball-regular season games E - NFL playoffs and Super Bowl F - College football G - Baseball playoffs and World Series H - NBA ... basketball I - College basketball J - NHL hockey Survey forms (position): A155 C125 TOTAL surveyed is 5,741 T138 BY GENDER MALE FEMALE TOTAL 2 n 4810

Cooperation among cancer cells as public goods games on Voronoi networks.

PubMed

Archetti, Marco

2016-05-07

Cancer cells produce growth factors that diffuse and sustain tumour proliferation, a form of cooperation that can be studied using mathematical models of public goods in the framework of evolutionary game theory. Cell populations, however, form heterogeneous networks that cannot be described by regular lattices or scale-free networks, the types of graphs generally used in the study of cooperation. To describe the dynamics of growth factor production in populations of cancer cells, I study public goods games on Voronoi networks, using a range of non-linear benefits that account for the known properties of growth factors, and different types of diffusion gradients. The results are surprisingly similar to those obtained on regular graphs and different from results on scale-free networks, revealing that network heterogeneity per se does not promote cooperation when public goods diffuse beyond one-step neighbours. The exact shape of the diffusion gradient is not crucial, however, whereas the type of non-linear benefit is an essential determinant of the dynamics. Public goods games on Voronoi networks can shed light on intra-tumour heterogeneity, the evolution of resistance to therapies that target growth factors, and new types of cell therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Games in the Brain: Neural Substrates of Gambling Addiction.

PubMed

Murch, W Spencer; Clark, Luke

2016-10-01

As a popular form of recreational risk taking, gambling games offer a paradigm for decision neuroscience research. As an individual behavior, gambling becomes dysfunctional in a subset of the population, with debilitating consequences. Gambling disorder has been recently reconceptualized as a "behavioral addiction" in the DSM-5, based on emerging parallels with substance use disorders. Why do some individuals undergo this transition from recreational to disordered gambling? The biomedical model of problem gambling is a "brain disorder" account that posits an underlying neurobiological abnormality. This article first delineates the neural circuitry that underpins gambling-related decision making, comprising ventral striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, dopaminergic midbrain, and insula, and presents evidence for pathophysiology in this circuitry in gambling disorder. These biological dispositions become translated into clinical disorder through the effects of gambling games. This influence is better articulated in a public health approach that describes the interplay between the player and the (gambling) product. Certain forms of gambling, including electronic gambling machines, appear to be overrepresented in problem gamblers. These games harness psychological features, including variable ratio schedules, near-misses, "losses disguised as wins," and the illusion of control, which modulate the core decision-making circuitry that is perturbed in gambling disorder. © The Author(s) 2015.

Modeling infectious diseases dissemination through online role-playing games.

PubMed

Balicer, Ran D

2007-03-01

As mathematical modeling of infectious diseases becomes increasingly important for developing public health policies, a novel platform for such studies might be considered. Millions of people worldwide play interactive online role-playing games, forming complex and rich networks among their virtual characters. An unexpected outbreak of an infective communicable disease (unplanned by the game creators) recently occurred in this virtual world. This outbreak holds surprising similarities to real-world epidemics. It is possible that these virtual environments could serve as a platform for studying the dissemination of infectious diseases, and as a testing ground for novel interventions to control emerging communicable diseases.

Tools, Techniques, and Applications: Normalizing the VR Paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, Gaeme

2008-01-01

Oshynee's precision Learning Objective performance factor rubrics with associated behavioral anchors integrates with Thinking Worlds(TradeMark), to provide event data recording and dynamic prescriptive feedback. Thinking Worlds(TradeMark) provides SCORM parametric data for reporting within the game and within overarching curricula or workplace evaluation strategy. - Open-sourced, browser-based digital dashboard reporting tools collect data from TW, LMS, LCMS, HR, and workplace metrics or control systems The games may be delivered across the internet or in a range of networked and stand-alone methods using the delivery model (s) required by the host organization.

Games of multicellularity.

PubMed

Kaveh, Kamran; Veller, Carl; Nowak, Martin A

2016-08-21

Evolutionary game dynamics are often studied in the context of different population structures. Here we propose a new population structure that is inspired by simple multicellular life forms. In our model, cells reproduce but can stay together after reproduction. They reach complexes of a certain size, n, before producing single cells again. The cells within a complex derive payoff from an evolutionary game by interacting with each other. The reproductive rate of cells is proportional to their payoff. We consider all two-strategy games. We study deterministic evolutionary dynamics with mutations, and derive exact conditions for selection to favor one strategy over another. Our main result has the same symmetry as the well-known sigma condition, which has been proven for stochastic game dynamics and weak selection. For a maximum complex size of n=2 our result holds for any intensity of selection. For n≥3 it holds for weak selection. As specific examples we study the prisoner's dilemma and hawk-dove games. Our model advances theoretical work on multicellularity by allowing for frequency-dependent interactions within groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimality and stability of symmetric evolutionary games with applications in genetic selection.

PubMed

Huang, Yuanyuan; Hao, Yiping; Wang, Min; Zhou, Wen; Wu, Zhijun

2015-06-01

Symmetric evolutionary games, i.e., evolutionary games with symmetric fitness matrices, have important applications in population genetics, where they can be used to model for example the selection and evolution of the genotypes of a given population. In this paper, we review the theory for obtaining optimal and stable strategies for symmetric evolutionary games, and provide some new proofs and computational methods. In particular, we review the relationship between the symmetric evolutionary game and the generalized knapsack problem, and discuss the first and second order necessary and sufficient conditions that can be derived from this relationship for testing the optimality and stability of the strategies. Some of the conditions are given in different forms from those in previous work and can be verified more efficiently. We also derive more efficient computational methods for the evaluation of the conditions than conventional approaches. We demonstrate how these conditions can be applied to justifying the strategies and their stabilities for a special class of genetic selection games including some in the study of genetic disorders.

A comparison of naïve and sophisticated subject behavior with game theoretic predictions

PubMed Central

McCabe, Kevin A.; Smith, Vernon L.

2000-01-01

We use an extensive form two-person game as the basis for two experiments designed to compare the behavior of two groups of subjects with each other and with the subgame perfect theoretical prediction in an anonymous interaction protocol. The two subject groups are undergraduates and advanced graduate students, the latter having studied economics and game theory. There is no difference in their choice behavior, and both groups depart substantially from game theoretic predictions. We also compare a subsample of the same graduate students with a typical undergraduate sample in an asset trading environment in which inexperienced undergraduates invariably produce substantial departures from the rational expectations prediction. In this way, we examine how robust are the results across two distinct anonymous interactive environments. In the constant sum trading game, the graduate students closely track the predictions of rational theory. Our interpretation is that the graduate student subjects' departure from subgame perfection to achieve cooperative outcomes in the two-person bargaining game is a consequence of a deliberate strategy and is not the result of error or inadequate learning. PMID:10725349

An evolutionary game approach for determination of the structural conflicts in signed networks

PubMed Central

Tan, Shaolin; Lü, Jinhu

2016-01-01

Social or biochemical networks can often divide into two opposite alliances in response to structural conflicts between positive (friendly, activating) and negative (hostile, inhibiting) interactions. Yet, the underlying dynamics on how the opposite alliances are spontaneously formed to minimize the structural conflicts is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that evolutionary game dynamics provides a felicitous possible tool to characterize the evolution and formation of alliances in signed networks. Indeed, an evolutionary game dynamics on signed networks is proposed such that each node can adaptively adjust its choice of alliances to maximize its own fitness, which yet leads to a minimization of the structural conflicts in the entire network. Numerical experiments show that the evolutionary game approach is universally efficient in quality and speed to find optimal solutions for all undirected or directed, unweighted or weighted signed networks. Moreover, the evolutionary game approach is inherently distributed. These characteristics thus suggest the evolutionary game dynamic approach as a feasible and effective tool for determining the structural conflicts in large-scale on-line signed networks. PMID:26915581

Communities of Practice in MMORPGs: An Entry Point into Addiction?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Karsten D.

Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPG) have become increasingly popular over the past few years. The most successful MMORPG “World of Warcraft” has to date — according to its publisher Blizzard Entertainment — more than 8 million subscribers1 who pay a monthly fee to play on a regular basis. The ongoing investment in online gaming services by videogame publishers such as Microsoft's Xbox Live is pushing this development further and will increase the percentage of online gamers in the near future. In this context it has to be noted that MMORPG form a special subset of online games which demand a much stronger commitment than other online genres, such as first person shooters, tactical shooters, sports and driving games, which can be played more casually.

Bi-cooperative games in bipolar fuzzy settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazarika, Pankaj; Borkotokey, Surajit; Mesiar, Radko

2018-01-01

In this paper, we introduce the notion of a bi-cooperative game with Bipolar Fuzzy Bi-coalitions and discuss the related properties. In many decision-making situations, players show bipolar motives while cooperating among themselves. This is modelled in both crisp and fuzzy environments. Bi-cooperative games with fuzzy bi-coalitions have already been proposed under the product order of bi-coalitions where one had memberships in [0, 1]. In the present paper, we adopt the alternative ordering: ordering by monotonicity and account for players' memberships in ?, a break from the previous formulation. This simplifies the model to a great extent. The corresponding Shapley axioms are proposed. An explicit form of the Shapley value to a particular class of such games is also obtained. Our study is supplemented with an illustrative example.

Quantum Chess: Making Quantum Phenomena Accessible

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantwell, Christopher

Quantum phenomena have remained largely inaccessible to the general public. There tends to be a scare factor associated with the word ``Quantum''. This is in large part due to the alien nature of phenomena such as superposition and entanglement. However, Quantum Computing is a very active area of research and one day we will have games that run on those quantum computers. Quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement will seem as normal as gravity. Is it possible to create such games today? Can we make games that are built on top of a realistic quantum simulation and introduce players of any background to quantum concepts in a fun and mentally stimulating way? One of the difficulties with any quantum simulation run on a classical computer is that the Hilbert space grows exponentially, making simulations of an appreciable size physically impossible due largely to memory restrictions. Here we will discuss the conception and development of Quantum Chess, and how to overcome some of the difficulties faced. We can then ask the question, ``What's next?'' What are some of the difficulties Quantum Chess still faces, and what is the future of quantum games?

Gambling expenditure by game type among weekly gamblers in Finland.

PubMed

Salonen, Anne H; Kontto, Jukka; Perhoniemi, Riku; Alho, Hannu; Castrén, Sari

2018-06-05

Excessive expenditure and financial harms are core features of problem gambling. There are various forms of gambling and their nature varies. The aim was to measure gambling expenditure by game type while controlling for demographics and other gambling participation factors. A further aim was to find out how each game type was associated with gambling expenditure when the number of game types played is adjusted for. Using data from the 2015 Finnish Gambling survey on adult gamblers (n = 3555), multiple log-linear regression was used to examine the effects of demographics, gambling participation, and engaging in different game types on weekly gambling expenditure (WGE) and relative gambling expenditure (RGE). Male gender, lower education level, higher gambling frequency and higher number of game types increased both WGE and RGE, while younger age decreased WGE but increased RGE. Furthermore, seven specific game types increased both WGE and RGE. Weekly horse race betting and non-monopoly gambling had the strongest increasing effect on expenditure. Betting games and online poker were associated with higher expenditure even when they were played less often than weekly. Among weekly gamblers the highest mean WGE was recorded for those who played non-monopoly games (146.84 €/week), online poker (59.61 €/week), scratch games (51.77 €/week) and horse race betting (48.67 €/week). Those who played only 1-2 game types a week had the highest mean WGE and RGE on horse race betting and other betting games. It seems that overall gambling frequency is the strongest indicator of high gambling expenditure. Our results showed that different game types had different effect sizes on gambling expenditure. Weekly gambling on horse races and non-monopoly games had the greatest increasing effect on expenditure. However, different game types also varied based on their popularity. The extent of potential harms caused by high expenditure therefore also varies on the population level. Based on our results, future prevention and harm minimization efforts should be tailored to different game types for greater effectiveness.

Security Investment in Contagious Networks.

PubMed

Hasheminasab, Seyed Alireza; Tork Ladani, Behrouz

2018-01-16

Security of the systems is normally interdependent in such a way that security risks of one part affect other parts and threats spread through the vulnerable links in the network. So, the risks of the systems can be mitigated through investments in the security of interconnecting links. This article takes an innovative look at the problem of security investment of nodes on their vulnerable links in a given contagious network as a game-theoretic model that can be applied to a variety of applications including information systems. In the proposed game model, each node computes its corresponding risk based on the value of its assets, vulnerabilities, and threats to determine the optimum level of security investments on its external links respecting its limited budget. Furthermore, direct and indirect nonlinear influences of a node's security investment on the risks of other nodes are considered. The existence and uniqueness of the game's Nash equilibrium in the proposed game are also proved. Further analysis of the model in a practical case revealed that taking advantage of the investment effects of other players, perfectly rational players (i.e., those who use the utility function of the proposed game model) make more cost-effective decisions than selfish nonrational or semirational players. © 2018 Society for Risk Analysis.

Use of video games for the treatment of amblyopia.

PubMed

Foss, Alexander J E

2017-05-01

To review the literature up to recent for the use of videos, videogames and dichoptic stimulation as a treatment for amblyopia. There have been three strategies explored. The first is to use videos and videogames monocularly with the normal eye covered. The second is dichoptic stimulation with a common background presented to both eyes and an enriched foreground to the amblyopic eye. The third are games specifically designed to generate stereopsis. Most work has focused on the second of these approaches but both of the first two approaches seem to give a similar improvement of 0.1-0.2 logMAR. One large randomized control trial (RCT) has published showing that dichoptic stimulation is not inferior to patching but no evidence that it was superior. It also showed that video games have their own compliance problems and a second smaller RCT did suggest that videogames, with a game designed by a gaming company, was superior. Most of the work done has had methodological issues and should be considered exploratory rather than definitive. Dichoptic stimulation is a viable treatment option for the treatment of amblyopia. The first trial results have shown results that are not superior to patching but they are not without methodological issues. There is sufficient encouragement to justify further research in this area.

Do Young Chinese Children Gain Anthropomorphism after Exposure to Personified Touch-Screen and Board Games?

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Hsueh, Yeh; Wang, Fuxing; Bai, Xuejun; Liu, Tao; Zhou, Li

2017-01-01

Research shows that preschoolers are likely to anthropomorphize not only animals, but also inanimate toy after being exposed to books that personify these objects. Can such an effect also arise through young children’s use of touch-screen games? The present study is the first to examine whether playing a touch-screen personified train game affects young children’s anthropomorphism of real trains. Seventy-nine 4- and 6-year-old children were randomly assigned to play either a touch-screen game or a board game of Thomas the Tank Engine for 10 min. They completed the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire–Child Form (IDAQ-CF) (two subscales: Technology/Inanimate Nature, Animate Nature) and an additional four items about the anthropomorphism of real trains, before (T1) and after (T2) the game. Overall results showed that children manifested a small but statistically significant increase in anthropomorphizing of real trains after their exposure to both games, claiming that real trains were like humans. Interestingly, 4-year-old children in the board game group tended to anthropomorphize real trains more than those in the touch-screen group, whereas the reverse was true for the 6-year-old children. The results suggest that touch-screen games may delay the decline of children’s anthropomorphism during the cognitive and socio-emotional transition that occurs in children aged 5–7. These findings have implications for future research on how touch-screen games increase children’s anthropomorphism of the real world, and more generally, for evaluation of the influence of the growing use of touch-screen games on young children’s learning. PMID:28179891

Big game hunter preferences for hunting club attributes: A choice experiment

Treesearch

James C. Mingie; Neelam C. Poudyal; J. M.  Bowker; Michael T.  Mengak; Jacek P.  Siry

2017-01-01

Big game hunting on private leased forestland is popular in Georgia and other parts of the southern United States. Very often, the leasing arrangement takes the form of a club, wherein a specified number of members pay an annual fee to either a landowner or the club's manager to have a certain bundle of access rights in accordance with other club regulations or...

Learning in a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game: The Development of Government Leadership Competencies and Performance Elements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Tammy

2011-01-01

The increase of technological capabilities has opened the door to innovations that help people learn. One popular form of training over the past 10 years has been in Serious Game--simulations used for training rather than entertainment. The purpose of the study was to determine whether participants who played a massively multiplayer online role…

Wind Forecasting for Yacht Racing at the 1991 Pan American Games.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Mark D.

1993-01-01

The U.S. Sailing Team competed successfully at the 1991 Pan American Games despite having no previous experience with the sailing conditions off Havana, Cuba. One of the key factors in the team's success was meteorological support in the form of wind climate analysis; application of sea breeze forecasting typical of the south Florida area, modified by tropical weather systems; and effective preregatta briefing.

Intelligence and Changes in Regional Cerebral Glucose Metabolic Rate Following Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haier, Richard J.; And Others

1992-01-01

A study of eight normal right-handed men demonstrates widespread significant decreases in brain glucose metabolic rate (GMR) following learning a complex computer task, a computer game. Correlations between magnitude of GMR change and intelligence scores are also demonstrated. (SLD)

Music Games: Potential Application and Considerations for Rhythmic Training

PubMed Central

Bégel, Valentin; Di Loreto, Ines; Seilles, Antoine; Dalla Bella, Simone

2017-01-01

Rhythmic skills are natural and widespread in the general population. The majority can track the beat of music and move along with it. These abilities are meaningful from a cognitive standpoint given their tight links with prominent motor and cognitive functions such as language and memory. When rhythmic skills are challenged by brain damage or neurodevelopmental disorders, remediation strategies based on rhythm can be considered. For example, rhythmic training can be used to improve motor performance (e.g., gait) as well as cognitive and language skills. Here, we review the games readily available in the market and assess whether they are well-suited for rhythmic training. Games that train rhythm skills may serve as useful tools for retraining motor and cognitive functions in patients with motor or neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, dyslexia, or ADHD). Our criteria were the peripheral used to capture and record the response, the type of response and the output measure. None of the existing games provides sufficient temporal precision in stimulus presentation and/or data acquisition. In addition, games do not train selectively rhythmic skills. Hence, the available music games, in their present form, are not satisfying for training rhythmic skills. Yet, some features such as the device used, the interface or the game scenario provide good indications for devising efficient training protocols. Guidelines are provided for devising serious music games targeting rhythmic training in the future. PMID:28611610

Music Games: Potential Application and Considerations for Rhythmic Training.

PubMed

Bégel, Valentin; Di Loreto, Ines; Seilles, Antoine; Dalla Bella, Simone

2017-01-01

Rhythmic skills are natural and widespread in the general population. The majority can track the beat of music and move along with it. These abilities are meaningful from a cognitive standpoint given their tight links with prominent motor and cognitive functions such as language and memory. When rhythmic skills are challenged by brain damage or neurodevelopmental disorders, remediation strategies based on rhythm can be considered. For example, rhythmic training can be used to improve motor performance (e.g., gait) as well as cognitive and language skills. Here, we review the games readily available in the market and assess whether they are well-suited for rhythmic training. Games that train rhythm skills may serve as useful tools for retraining motor and cognitive functions in patients with motor or neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease, dyslexia, or ADHD). Our criteria were the peripheral used to capture and record the response, the type of response and the output measure. None of the existing games provides sufficient temporal precision in stimulus presentation and/or data acquisition. In addition, games do not train selectively rhythmic skills. Hence, the available music games, in their present form, are not satisfying for training rhythmic skills. Yet, some features such as the device used, the interface or the game scenario provide good indications for devising efficient training protocols. Guidelines are provided for devising serious music games targeting rhythmic training in the future.

Time-optimal Aircraft Pursuit-evasion with a Weapon Envelope Constraint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menon, P. K. A.

1990-01-01

The optimal pursuit-evasion problem between two aircraft including a realistic weapon envelope is analyzed using differential game theory. Six order nonlinear point mass vehicle models are employed and the inclusion of an arbitrary weapon envelope geometry is allowed. The performance index is a linear combination of flight time and the square of the vehicle acceleration. Closed form solution to this high-order differential game is then obtained using feedback linearization. The solution is in the form of a feedback guidance law together with a quartic polynomial for time-to-go. Due to its modest computational requirements, this nonlinear guidance law is useful for on-board real-time implementation.

A robust momentum management and attitude control system for the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Speyer, J. L.; Rhee, Ihnseok

1991-01-01

A game theoretic controller is synthesized for momentum management and attitude control of the Space Station in the presence of uncertainties in the moments of inertia. Full state information is assumed since attitude rates are assumed to be very assurately measured. By an input-output decomposition of the uncertainty in the system matrices, the parameter uncertainties in the dynamic system are represented as an unknown gain associated with an internal feedback loop (IFL). The input and output matrices associated with the IFL form directions through which the uncertain parameters affect system response. If the quadratic form of the IFL output augments the cost criterion, then enhanced parameter robustness is anticipated. By considering the input and the input disturbance from the IFL as two noncooperative players, a linear-quadratic differential game is constructed. The solution in the form of a linear controller is used for synthesis. Inclusion of the external disturbance torques results in a dynamic feedback controller which consists of conventional PID (proportional integral derivative) control and cyclic disturbance rejection filters. It is shown that the game theoretic design allows large variations in the inertias in directions of importance.

Robust momentum management and attitude control system for the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhee, Ihnseok; Speyer, Jason L.

1992-01-01

A game theoretic controller is synthesized for momentum management and attitude control of the Space Station in the presence of uncertainties in the moments of inertia. Full state information is assumed since attitude rates are assumed to be very accurately measured. By an input-output decomposition of the uncertainty in the system matrices, the parameter uncertainties in the dynamic system are represented as an unknown gain associated with an internal feedback loop (IFL). The input and output matrices associated with the IFL form directions through which the uncertain parameters affect system response. If the quadratic form of the IFL output augments the cost criterion, then enhanced parameter robustness is anticipated. By considering the input and the input disturbance from the IFL as two noncooperative players, a linear-quadratic differential game is constructed. The solution in the form of a linear controller is used for synthesis. Inclusion of the external disturbance torques results in a dynamic feedback controller which consists of conventional PID (proportional integral derivative) control and cyclic disturbance rejection filters. It is shown that the game theoretic design allows large variations in the inertias in directions of importance.

Gambling Disorder Due to Brazilian Animal Game ("Jogo do bicho"): Gambling Behavior and Psychopathology.

PubMed

Medeiros, Gustavo; Grant, Jon; Tavares, Hermano

2016-03-01

Gambling is currently widespread across the globe and despite legally restricted, it is significantly common in Brazil. A traditional and common form of gambling in Brazil is the Brazilian animal game (BAG)--"Jogo do bicho" in Portuguese. In 2013, BAG activities collected approximately 19 billion Brazilian reais--equivalent to more than 8 billon American dollars, a figure almost 60 % higher than legal lotteries. Although a common form of gambling, the gambling behavior and psychopathology of gambling disorder (GD) associated with BAG has never been systematically studied. The aim of this study is to conduct, the first research approaching GD due to BAG. We assessed 897 participants of whom 63 subjects (7.0 %) presented with GD due to BAG and 834 with GD associated with other forms of gambling. After comparing these two groups, major differences were found in demographics, gambling behavior elements and psychopathological variables. This research reinforces the need for further research on BAG and the need for specific approaches in GD. The particularities of BAG may affect treatment strategies as, for example, suggest some adaptations in social and psychotherapeutic approaches. We also highlight the need to acknowledge the "hidden" BAG as a potential addictive game.

The choking game and YouTube: a dangerous combination.

PubMed

Linkletter, Martha; Gordon, Kevin; Dooley, Joe

2010-03-01

To study postings of partial asphyxiation by adolescents on YouTube and to increase awareness of this dangerous activity as well as the value of YouTube as a research tool. Videos were searched on YouTube using many terms for recreational partial asphyxiation. Data were gathered on the participants and on the occurrence of hypoxic seizure. Sixty-five videos of the asphyxiation game were identified. Most (90%) participants were male. A variety of techniques were used. Hypoxic seizures were witnessed in 55% of videos, but occurred in 88% of videos that employed the "sleeper hold" technique. The videos were collectively viewed 173550 times on YouTube. YouTube has enabled millions of young people to watch videos of the "choking game" and other dangerous activities. Seeing videos may normalize the behavior among adolescents. Increased awareness of this activity may prevent some youths from participating and potentially harming themselves or others.

Evolutionary games with self-questioning adaptive mechanism and the Ising model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Xu, C.; Hui, P. M.

2017-09-01

A class of evolutionary games using a self-questioning strategy switching mechanism played in a population of connected agents is shown to behave as an Ising model Hamiltonian of spins connected in the same way. The payoff parameters combine to give the coupling between spins and an external magnetic field. The mapping covers the prisoner's dilemma, snowdrift and stag hunt games in structured populations. A well-mixed system is used to illustrate the equivalence. In a chain of agents/spins, the mapping to Ising model leads to an exact solution to the games effortlessly. The accuracy of standard approximations on the games can then be quantified. The site approximation is found to show varied accuracies depending on the payoff parameters, and the link approximation is shown to give the exact result in a chain but not in a closed form. The mapping established here connects two research areas, with each having much to offer to the other.

Evolutionary games on graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, György; Fáth, Gábor

2007-07-01

Game theory is one of the key paradigms behind many scientific disciplines from biology to behavioral sciences to economics. In its evolutionary form and especially when the interacting agents are linked in a specific social network the underlying solution concepts and methods are very similar to those applied in non-equilibrium statistical physics. This review gives a tutorial-type overview of the field for physicists. The first four sections introduce the necessary background in classical and evolutionary game theory from the basic definitions to the most important results. The fifth section surveys the topological complications implied by non-mean-field-type social network structures in general. The next three sections discuss in detail the dynamic behavior of three prominent classes of models: the Prisoner's Dilemma, the Rock-Scissors-Paper game, and Competing Associations. The major theme of the review is in what sense and how the graph structure of interactions can modify and enrich the picture of long term behavioral patterns emerging in evolutionary games.

Egalitarian reward contingency in competitive games and primate prefrontal neuronal activity.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Takayuki; Watanabe, Masataka

2015-01-01

How people work to obtain a reward depends on the context of the reward delivery, such as the presence/absence of competition and the contingency of reward delivery. Since resources are limited, winning a competition is critically important for organisms' obtaining a reward. People usually expect ordinary performance-reward contingency, with better performers obtaining better rewards. Unordinary reward contingency, such as egalitarianism (equal rewards/no-rewards to both good and poor performers), dampens people's motivation. We previously reported that monkeys were more motivated, and neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) showed higher outcome-related activity in a competitive than in a noncompetitive game (Hosokawa and Watanabe, 2012). However, monkey's behavior and LPFC neuronal activity have not been examined in a competitive situation with an unordinary performance-reward contingency. Also, the fixed performance-reward contingency in the previous study did not allow us to examine effects of win/loss separately from those of reward/no-reward on prefrontal neuronal activity. Here, we employed the egalitarian competitive situation in which both the winner and loser, or neither of them, got a reward as well as the normal competitive situation in which only the winner got a reward. Monkey's behavioral performance greatly deteriorated in trials with the egalitarian outcome conditions. LPFC neurons showed activities that reflected the normal or egalitarian outcome condition while very few neurons coded win/loss independent of reward/no-reward. Importantly, we found neurons that showed reward-related activity in the normal, but not in the egalitarian outcome conditions, even though the same reward was given to the animal. These results indicate that LPFC may play an important role in monitoring the current reward contingency and integrating it with the performance outcome (win-loss) for better performing the competitive game, and thus for better survival.

Plasma Oxytocin Immunoreactive Products and Response to Trust in Patients with Social Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Hoge, EA; Lawson, EA; Metcalf, CA; Keshaviah, A; Zak, PJ; Pollack, MH; Simon, NM

2013-01-01

Background Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder (GSAD) is characterized by excessive fear and avoidance of several types of social and performance situations. The pathophysiology is not well understood, but research in animals and humans has provided evidence that oxytocin helps regulate normal social affiliative behavior. Previous work in healthy male subjects demonstrated a rise in plasma oxytocin after receiving a high trust signal. To examine the oxytocin system in GSAD, we measured plasma oxytocin in GSAD patients and controls, before and after the social “Trust Game,” a neuroeconomic test examining trust behavior and reaction to trust using real monetary incentives. Methods Thirty-nine subjects with GSAD and 28 healthy controls provided three blood samples for oxytocin measurement before the Trust Game, and one sample after the game. Plasma estradiol was also measured at baseline. The Trust Game protocol version prioritized the sending of a signal of high cooperation and trust to all participants. All analyses controlled for gender and estradiol levels. Results Mean oxytocin levels post-Trust Game (p=0.025), and overall (area under the curve, p=0.011) were lower in GSAD patients compared to controls, after controlling for sex and estradiol. There was no significant change in oxytocin levels after the Game in either group. Conclusions We report low plasma oxytocin levels in patients with generalized social anxiety disorder during a pro-social laboratory task paradigm. Additional research will be important to further examine the relationship between oxytocin and social behavior in GSAD. PMID:22807189

Plasma oxytocin immunoreactive products and response to trust in patients with social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Hoge, Elizabeth A; Lawson, Elizabeth A; Metcalf, Christina A; Keshaviah, Aparna; Zak, Paul J; Pollack, Mark H; Simon, Naomi M

2012-11-01

Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder (GSAD) is characterized by excessive fear and avoidance of several types of social and performance situations. The pathophysiology is not well understood, but research in animals and humans has provided evidence that oxytocin helps regulate normal social affiliative behavior. Previous work in healthy male subjects demonstrated a rise in plasma oxytocin after receiving a high trust signal. To examine the oxytocin system in GSAD, we measured plasma oxytocin in GSAD patients and controls, before and after the social "Trust Game," a neuroeconomic test examining trust behavior and reaction to trust using real monetary incentives. Thirty-nine subjects with GSAD and 28 healthy controls provided three blood samples for oxytocin measurement before the Trust Game, and one sample after the game. Plasma estradiol was also measured at baseline. The Trust Game protocol version prioritized the sending of a signal of high cooperation and trust to all participants. All analyses controlled for gender and estradiol levels. Mean oxytocin levels post-Trust Game (P = .025), and overall (area under the curve, P = .011) were lower in GSADpatients compared to controls, after controlling for sex and estradiol. There was no significant change in oxytocin levels after the game in either group. We report low plasma oxytocin levels in patients with GSAD during a prosocial laboratory task paradigm. Additional research will be important to further examine the relationship between oxytocin and social behavior in GSAD. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Zero-determinant strategies in finitely repeated games.

PubMed

Ichinose, Genki; Masuda, Naoki

2018-02-07

Direct reciprocity is a mechanism for sustaining mutual cooperation in repeated social dilemma games, where a player would keep cooperation to avoid being retaliated by a co-player in the future. So-called zero-determinant (ZD) strategies enable a player to unilaterally set a linear relationship between the player's own payoff and the co-player's payoff regardless of the strategy of the co-player. In the present study, we analytically study zero-determinant strategies in finitely repeated (two-person) prisoner's dilemma games with a general payoff matrix. Our results are as follows. First, we present the forms of solutions that extend the known results for infinitely repeated games (with a discount factor w of unity) to the case of finitely repeated games (0 < w < 1). Second, for the three most prominent ZD strategies, the equalizers, extortioners, and generous strategies, we derive the threshold value of w above which the ZD strategies exist. Third, we show that the only strategies that enforce a linear relationship between the two players' payoffs are either the ZD strategies or unconditional strategies, where the latter independently cooperates with a fixed probability in each round of the game, proving a conjecture previously made for infinitely repeated games. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STANFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROJECT.

DTIC Science & Technology

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE , GAME THEORY, DECISION MAKING, BIONICS, AUTOMATA, SPEECH RECOGNITION, GEOMETRIC FORMS, LEARNING MACHINES, MATHEMATICAL MODELS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, SERVOMECHANISMS, SIMULATION, BIBLIOGRAPHIES.

Effects of directional migration on prisoner's dilemma game in a square domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Hongyan; Dai, Qionglin; Li, Haihong; Qian, Xiaolan; Zhang, Mei; Yang, Junzhong

2013-04-01

We introduce a new migration rule, the directional migration, into evolutionary prisoner's dilemma games defined in a square domain with periodic boundary conditions. We find that cooperation can be enhanced to a much higher level than the case in the absence of migration. Additionally, the presence of the directional migration has profound impact on the population structure: the directional migration drives individuals to form a number of dense clusters which resembles social cohesion. The evolutionary game theory incorporating the directional migration can reproduce some real characteristics of populations in human society and may shed light on the problem of social cohesion.

Active gaming in Dutch adolescents: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Adequate levels of physical activity are part of a healthy lifestyle and in this way linked to better health outcomes. For children and adolescents, the physical activity guideline recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. However, many adolescents are not physically active enough and they spend a lot of their time on sedentary activities (such as video games). A new generation of video games that require body movements to play them, so-called "active games", could serve to increase physical activity in adolescents. The activity level while playing these games is comparable to light-to-moderate intensity physical activity. The current study aims to increase our understanding of 1) the demographic characteristics of adolescents who play active games regularly (≥ 1 hour per week) and non-regularly (<; 1 hour per week), 2) time spent on active games, 3) the contribution of active games to daily physical activity and 4) the type and amount of activities being replaced by active gaming. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a Dutch internet panel, questioning adolescents in conjunction with one of their parents. A random sample of 320 households (with stratification on gender of the parent and the adolescent, the age of the adolescent and the region of the household) was selected that owned a console or application for active video games and that had a child aged 12 through 16 years. 201 child–parent couples (63% response) completed an internet survey with questions about demographics, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and gaming behaviour. The questionnaire also contained questions designed to assess whether and how active gaming replaces other activities. Besides descriptive analyses, independent t-test, Pearson’s chi-square and Mann–Whitney test (when data were not normally distributed) were used for comparisons between regular and non-regular active gamers. Results Eleven percent of the adolescents with an active game in their household never used the game. There were no significant differences in gender, education level (of adolescent and parent), ethnicity and sedentary behaviour between regular (n = 65) and non-regular active gamers (n = 114). Adolescents’ (regular and non-regular active gamers) meantime spent on active gaming was 80 (± 136) minutes a week; this potentially amounts to 11% of total physical activity. When time spent on active gaming was included in the calculation of the percentage of adolescents that met the physical activity guideline, the percentage increased significantly (p <; 0.05) from 67 to 73%. According to the adolescents, active gaming mainly replaces sedentary screen time such as TV viewing, internet and non-active gaming. Parental opinions concurred with this appraisal. Conclusions The results of this study confirm the idea that active gaming may contribute to an active lifestyle in adolescents, primarily because it potentially contributes substantially to time spent on physical activity. Secondly, active gamers indicate that they spent time on active games which they would have spent otherwise on less active activities. PMID:23031076

Health Behaviour Change Through Computer Games: Characterising Interventions.

PubMed

Poultney, Nathan; Maeder, Anthony; Ginige, Jeewani Anupama

2016-01-01

Recently games in the form of video, computer, or mobile apps have been utilised as an effective component of interventions for health behaviour change. This paper provides an overview of related projects reported in peer-review literature in the period 2006 to 2016. Nine highly relevant references were considered for analysis. The findings are presented according to 3 dimensions of characterisation: health intention, behaviour change principle, and health purpose.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of a Game Informed Online Learning Activity and Face to Face Teaching in Increasing Knowledge about Managing Aggression in Health Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Karen

2013-01-01

The present study compared the impact of face to face teaching with a short online game informed learning activity on health participants' knowledge about, and confidence in, managing aggressive situations. Both forms of teaching resulted in a significant increase in participants' knowledge and confidence. Face to face training led to…

Signaling equilibria in sensorimotor interactions.

PubMed

Leibfried, Felix; Grau-Moya, Jordi; Braun, Daniel A

2015-08-01

Although complex forms of communication like human language are often assumed to have evolved out of more simple forms of sensorimotor signaling, less attention has been devoted to investigate the latter. Here, we study communicative sensorimotor behavior of humans in a two-person joint motor task where each player controls one dimension of a planar motion. We designed this joint task as a game where one player (the sender) possesses private information about a hidden target the other player (the receiver) wants to know about, and where the sender's actions are costly signals that influence the receiver's control strategy. We developed a game-theoretic model within the framework of signaling games to investigate whether subjects' behavior could be adequately described by the corresponding equilibrium solutions. The model predicts both separating and pooling equilibria, in which signaling does and does not occur respectively. We observed both kinds of equilibria in subjects and found that, in line with model predictions, the propensity of signaling decreased with increasing signaling costs and decreasing uncertainty on the part of the receiver. Our study demonstrates that signaling games, which have previously been applied to economic decision-making and animal communication, provide a framework for human signaling behavior arising during sensorimotor interactions in continuous and dynamic environments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Domain learning naming game for color categorization.

PubMed

Li, Doujie; Fan, Zhongyan; Tang, Wallace K S

2017-01-01

Naming game simulates the evolution of vocabulary in a population of agents. Through pairwise interactions in the games, agents acquire a set of vocabulary in their memory for object naming. The existing model confines to a one-to-one mapping between a name and an object. Focus is usually put onto name consensus in the population rather than knowledge learning in agents, and hence simple learning model is usually adopted. However, the cognition system of human being is much more complex and knowledge is usually presented in a complicated form. Therefore, in this work, we extend the agent learning model and design a new game to incorporate domain learning, which is essential for more complicated form of knowledge. In particular, we demonstrate the evolution of color categorization and naming in a population of agents. We incorporate the human perceptive model into the agents and introduce two new concepts, namely subjective perception and subliminal stimulation, in domain learning. Simulation results show that, even without any supervision or pre-requisition, a consensus of a color naming system can be reached in a population solely via the interactions. Our work confirms the importance of society interactions in color categorization, which is a long debate topic in human cognition. Moreover, our work also demonstrates the possibility of cognitive system development in autonomous intelligent agents.

Hostility among adolescents in Switzerland? multivariate relations between excessive media use and forms of violence.

PubMed

Kuntsche, Emmanuel N

2004-03-01

To determine what kind of violence-related behavior or opinion is directly related to excessive media use among adolescents in Switzerland. A national representative sample of 4222 schoolchildren (7th- and 8th-graders; mean age 13.9 years) answered questions on the frequency of television-viewing, electronic game-playing, feeling unsafe at school, bullying others, hitting others, and fighting with others, as part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) international collaborative study protocol. The Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to high-risk groups of adolescents. For the total sample, all bivariate relationships between television-viewing/electronic game-playing and each violence-related variable are significant. In the multivariate comparison, physical violence among boys ceases to be significant. For girls, only television-viewing is linked to indirect violence. Against the hypothesis, females' electronic game-playing only had a bearing on hitting others. Experimental designs are needed that take into account gender, different forms of media, and violence to answer the question of whether excessive media use leads to violent behavior. With the exception of excessive electronic game-playing among girls, this study found that electronic media are not thought to lead directly to real-life violence but to hostility and indirect violence.

Domain learning naming game for color categorization

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Naming game simulates the evolution of vocabulary in a population of agents. Through pairwise interactions in the games, agents acquire a set of vocabulary in their memory for object naming. The existing model confines to a one-to-one mapping between a name and an object. Focus is usually put onto name consensus in the population rather than knowledge learning in agents, and hence simple learning model is usually adopted. However, the cognition system of human being is much more complex and knowledge is usually presented in a complicated form. Therefore, in this work, we extend the agent learning model and design a new game to incorporate domain learning, which is essential for more complicated form of knowledge. In particular, we demonstrate the evolution of color categorization and naming in a population of agents. We incorporate the human perceptive model into the agents and introduce two new concepts, namely subjective perception and subliminal stimulation, in domain learning. Simulation results show that, even without any supervision or pre-requisition, a consensus of a color naming system can be reached in a population solely via the interactions. Our work confirms the importance of society interactions in color categorization, which is a long debate topic in human cognition. Moreover, our work also demonstrates the possibility of cognitive system development in autonomous intelligent agents. PMID:29136661

Observations of youth football training: How do coaches structure training sessions for player development?

PubMed

O'Connor, Donna; Larkin, Paul; Williams, A Mark

2018-01-01

We used systematic observation tools to explore the structure (i.e., activity and inactivity) and sequencing (i.e., the types of activities used) of football coaching sessions in Australia following the implementation of a new National Curriculum. Youth soccer coaches (n = 34), coaching within the Skill Acquisition (U11-U13 n = 19) and Game Training (U14-U17 n = 15) phases of the Football Federation Australia National Curriculum participated. Participants were filmed during a regular coaching session, with systematic observation of the session undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of the practice activities and coach behaviours. Findings indicated a session comprised of Playing Form activities (40.9%), Training Form activities (22.3%), inactivity (31%), and transitions between activities (5.8%). Coaches prescribed more Training Form activities (e.g., individual (5.4%) and drills (15.1%)) early in the session and progressed to Playing Form activities (i.e., small-sided games (15.3%) then larger games (24.8%)) later in the session. Most inactivity reflected the players listening to the coach - either in a team huddle (9.9%) or frozen on the spot during an activity (16.5%). In addition, coaches generally spent over 3 min communicating to players prior to explaining and introducing an activity regardless of when in the session the activity was scheduled.

A Pumping Algorithm for Ergodic Stochastic Mean Payoff Games with Perfect Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boros, Endre; Elbassioni, Khaled; Gurvich, Vladimir; Makino, Kazuhisa

In this paper, we consider two-person zero-sum stochastic mean payoff games with perfect information, or BWR-games, given by a digraph G = (V = V B ∪ V W ∪ V R , E), with local rewards r: E to { R}, and three types of vertices: black V B , white V W , and random V R . The game is played by two players, White and Black: When the play is at a white (black) vertex v, White (Black) selects an outgoing arc (v,u). When the play is at a random vertex v, a vertex u is picked with the given probability p(v,u). In all cases, Black pays White the value r(v,u). The play continues forever, and White aims to maximize (Black aims to minimize) the limiting mean (that is, average) payoff. It was recently shown in [7] that BWR-games are polynomially equivalent with the classical Gillette games, which include many well-known subclasses, such as cyclic games, simple stochastic games (SSG's), stochastic parity games, and Markov decision processes. In this paper, we give a new algorithm for solving BWR-games in the ergodic case, that is when the optimal values do not depend on the initial position. Our algorithm solves a BWR-game by reducing it, using a potential transformation, to a canonical form in which the optimal strategies of both players and the value for every initial position are obvious, since a locally optimal move in it is optimal in the whole game. We show that this algorithm is pseudo-polynomial when the number of random nodes is constant. We also provide an almost matching lower bound on its running time, and show that this bound holds for a wider class of algorithms. Let us add that the general (non-ergodic) case is at least as hard as SSG's, for which no pseudo-polynomial algorithm is known.

Game Location and Team Quality Effects on Performance Profiles in Professional Soccer

PubMed Central

Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Lago-Ballesteros, Joaquin

2011-01-01

Home advantage in team sports has an important role in determining the outcome of a game. The aim of the present study was to identify the soccer game- related statistics that best discriminate home and visiting teams according to the team quality. The sample included all 380 games of the Spanish professional men’s league. The independent variables were game location (home or away) and the team quality. Teams were classified into four groups according to their final ranking at the end of the league. The game-related statistics registered were divided into three groups: (i) variables related to goals scored; (ii) variables related to offense and (iii) variables related to defense. A univariate (t-test and Mann-Whitney U) and multivariate (discriminant analysis) analysis of data was done. Results showed that home teams have significantly higher means for goal scored, total shots, shots on goal, attacking moves, box moves, crosses, offsides committed, assists, passes made, successful passes, dribbles made, successful dribbles, ball possession, and gains of possession, while visiting teams presented higher means for losses of possession and yellow cards. In addition, the findings of the current study confirm that game location and team quality are important in determining technical and tactical performances in matches. Teams described as superior and those described as inferior did not experience the same home advantage. Future research should consider the influence of other confounding variables such as weather conditions, game status and team form. Key points Home teams have significantly higher figures for attack indicators probably due to facilities familiarity and crowd effects. The teams’ game-related statistics profile varied according to game location and team quality. Teams described as superior and those described as inferior did not experience the same home advantage. PMID:24150619

Problematic computer game use among adolescents, younger and older adults.

PubMed

Festl, Ruth; Scharkow, Michael; Quandt, Thorsten

2013-03-01

Playing digital games has been associated with forms of addictive behavior. Past research on the subject has often been criticized on theoretical and empirical grounds, due mainly to measurement or sampling issues. The present study aims to overcome these two limitations, and presents data from a representative study in Germany using an already established instrument for measuring problematic game use. Large-scale, representative study using a computer-assisted telephone survey. Germany. A total of 580 adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age, 1866 younger adults between 19-39 years and 1936 older adults aged 40 years and older (overall n = 4382). Problematic game use was measured with the Gaming Addiction Short Scale (GAS), which covers seven criteria including salience, withdrawal and conflicts. Additionally, differential aspects of personality, as well as gaming behaviour, were measured. Only seven respondents [0.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1, 0.3] met all criteria of the GAS Scale. In contrast, 3.7% (95% CI: 3.1, 4.3) of the respondents can be considered problematic users, meeting at least half these conditions. The percentage of problematic gamers among adolescents is above average (7.6%, 95% CI: 5.6, 10.1). High GAS scores are associated with aggression, low sociability and self-efficacy and lower satisfaction with life. Additionally, these scores correspond with intensive use and preferences for certain gaming genres across all age groups. Following Gaming Addiction Short Scale criteria, gaming addiction is currently not a widespread phenomenon among adolescents and adults in Germany. Gaming Addiction Short Scale scores are associated with intensive use, as well as certain problematic aspects of individuals' personalities and social lives. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Evaluation of an Adaptive Game that Uses EEG Measures Validated during the Design Process as Inputs to a Biocybernetic Loop.

PubMed

Ewing, Kate C; Fairclough, Stephen H; Gilleade, Kiel

2016-01-01

Biocybernetic adaptation is a form of physiological computing whereby real-time data streaming from the brain and body is used by a negative control loop to adapt the user interface. This article describes the development of an adaptive game system that is designed to maximize player engagement by utilizing changes in real-time electroencephalography (EEG) to adjust the level of game demand. The research consists of four main stages: (1) the development of a conceptual framework upon which to model the interaction between person and system; (2) the validation of the psychophysiological inference underpinning the loop; (3) the construction of a working prototype; and (4) an evaluation of the adaptive game. Two studies are reported. The first demonstrates the sensitivity of EEG power in the (frontal) theta and (parietal) alpha bands to changing levels of game demand. These variables were then reformulated within the working biocybernetic control loop designed to maximize player engagement. The second study evaluated the performance of an adaptive game of Tetris with respect to system behavior and user experience. Important issues for the design and evaluation of closed-loop interfaces are discussed.

Issues and advances in research methods on video games and cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Sobczyk, Bart; Dobrowolski, Paweł; Skorko, Maciek; Michalak, Jakub; Brzezicka, Aneta

2015-01-01

The impact of video game playing on cognitive abilities has been the focus of numerous studies over the last 10 years. Some cross-sectional comparisons indicate the cognitive advantages of video game players (VGPs) over non-players (NVGPs) and the benefits of video game trainings, while others fail to replicate these findings. Though there is an ongoing discussion over methodological practices and their impact on observable effects, some elementary issues, such as the representativeness of recruited VGP groups and lack of genre differentiation have not yet been widely addressed. In this article we present objective and declarative gameplay time data gathered from large samples in order to illustrate how playtime is distributed over VGP populations. The implications of this data are then discussed in the context of previous studies in the field. We also argue in favor of differentiating video games based on their genre when recruiting study samples, as this form of classification reflects the core mechanics that they utilize and therefore provides a measure of insight into what cognitive functions are likely to be engaged most. Additionally, we present the Covert Video Game Experience Questionnaire as an example of how this sort of classification can be applied during the recruitment process.

Evaluation of an Adaptive Game that Uses EEG Measures Validated during the Design Process as Inputs to a Biocybernetic Loop

PubMed Central

Ewing, Kate C.; Fairclough, Stephen H.; Gilleade, Kiel

2016-01-01

Biocybernetic adaptation is a form of physiological computing whereby real-time data streaming from the brain and body is used by a negative control loop to adapt the user interface. This article describes the development of an adaptive game system that is designed to maximize player engagement by utilizing changes in real-time electroencephalography (EEG) to adjust the level of game demand. The research consists of four main stages: (1) the development of a conceptual framework upon which to model the interaction between person and system; (2) the validation of the psychophysiological inference underpinning the loop; (3) the construction of a working prototype; and (4) an evaluation of the adaptive game. Two studies are reported. The first demonstrates the sensitivity of EEG power in the (frontal) theta and (parietal) alpha bands to changing levels of game demand. These variables were then reformulated within the working biocybernetic control loop designed to maximize player engagement. The second study evaluated the performance of an adaptive game of Tetris with respect to system behavior and user experience. Important issues for the design and evaluation of closed-loop interfaces are discussed. PMID:27242486

Defending Against Advanced Persistent Threats Using Game-Theory.

PubMed

Rass, Stefan; König, Sandra; Schauer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Advanced persistent threats (APT) combine a variety of different attack forms ranging from social engineering to technical exploits. The diversity and usual stealthiness of APT turns them into a central problem of contemporary practical system security, since information on attacks, the current system status or the attacker's incentives is often vague, uncertain and in many cases even unavailable. Game theory is a natural approach to model the conflict between the attacker and the defender, and this work investigates a generalized class of matrix games as a risk mitigation tool for an advanced persistent threat (APT) defense. Unlike standard game and decision theory, our model is tailored to capture and handle the full uncertainty that is immanent to APTs, such as disagreement among qualitative expert risk assessments, unknown adversarial incentives and uncertainty about the current system state (in terms of how deeply the attacker may have penetrated into the system's protective shells already). Practically, game-theoretic APT models can be derived straightforwardly from topological vulnerability analysis, together with risk assessments as they are done in common risk management standards like the ISO 31000 family. Theoretically, these models come with different properties than classical game theoretic models, whose technical solution presented in this work may be of independent interest.

BioPad: Leveraging off-the-Shelf Video Games for Stress Self-Regulation.

PubMed

Wang, Zelun; Parnandi, Avinash; Gutierrez-Osuna, Ricardo

2018-01-01

This paper presents an approach to use commercial videogames for biofeedback training. It consists of intercepting signals from the game controller and adapting them in real-time based on physiological measurements from the player. We present three sample implementations and a case study for teaching stress self-regulation via an immersive car racing game. We use a crossover gaming device to manipulate controller signals, and a respiratory sensor to monitor the players' breathing rate. We then alter the speed of the car to encourage slow deep breathing, in this way, allowing players to reduce their arousal while playing the game. We evaluate the approach against an alternative form of biofeedback that uses a graphic overlay to convey physiological information, and a control condition (playing the game without biofeedback). Experimental results show that our approach can promote deep breathing during gameplay, and also during a subsequent task, once biofeedback is removed. Our results also indicate that delivering biofeedback through subtle changes in gameplay can be as effective as delivering them directly through a visual display. These results open the possibility to develop low-cost and engaging biofeedback interventions using a variety of commercial videogames to promote adherence.

Selling Gender: Associations of Box Art Representation of Female Characters With Sales for Teen- and Mature-rated Video Games.

PubMed

Near, Christopher E

2013-02-01

Content analysis of video games has consistently shown that women are portrayed much less frequently than men and in subordinate roles, often in "hypersexualized" ways. However, the relationship between portrayal of female characters and videogame sales has not previously been studied. In order to assess the cultural influence of video games on players, it is important to weight differently those games seen by the majority of players (in the millions), rather than a random sample of all games, many of which are seen by only a few thousand people. Box art adorning the front of video game boxes is a form of advertising seen by most game customers prior to purchase and should therefore predict sales if indeed particular depictions of female and male characters influence sales. Using a sample of 399 box art cases from games with ESRB ratings of Teen or Mature released in the US during the period of 2005 through 2010, this study shows that sales were positively related to sexualization of non-central female characters among cases with women present. In contrast, sales were negatively related to the presence of any central female characters (sexualized or non-sexualized) or the presence of female characters without male characters present. These findings suggest there is an economic motive for the marginalization and sexualization of women in video game box art, and that there is greater audience exposure to these stereotypical depictions than to alternative depictions because of their positive relationship to sales.

Using a community advisory board to develop a serious game for older adults undergoing treatment for cancer.

PubMed

Loerzel, Victoria; Clochesy, John; Geddie, Patricia

2018-02-01

Older adults undergoing treatment for cancer are at risk for serious complications such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Older adults are often overwhelmed by information and under-manage cancer treatment-related side effects. New educational strategies such as serious gaming may help teach or reinforce key symptom self-management strategies. This paper describes how a community advisory board of older adults, their caregivers, and oncology nurses were consulted to develop a serious game for CINV. A formative evaluation process using a community advisory board (CAB) and a series of three focus groups were used to develop this serious game about managing CINV at home. The formative evaluation process and involvement of the CAB allowed researchers to learn about the experience of having CINV from an older adult perspective. Common themes related to CINV onset, severity and self-management formed the basis for the serious games' script and scenarios. Themes were validated and CAB members provided feedback on a game prototype. Feedback from CAB members indicated that the serious game was realistic and reflective of their CINV experience. Including older adults in the development of a serious game was instrumental in creating a relevant educational opportunity. Serious gaming should be considered as a way to add to the educational experiences of older adults as generic teaching methods may not address the needs of all age groups. Exploring for new ways to emphasize key points related to symptom management and prioritize learning may impact outcomes for older adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selling Gender: Associations of Box Art Representation of Female Characters With Sales for Teen- and Mature-rated Video Games

PubMed Central

Near, Christopher E.

2012-01-01

Content analysis of video games has consistently shown that women are portrayed much less frequently than men and in subordinate roles, often in “hypersexualized” ways. However, the relationship between portrayal of female characters and videogame sales has not previously been studied. In order to assess the cultural influence of video games on players, it is important to weight differently those games seen by the majority of players (in the millions), rather than a random sample of all games, many of which are seen by only a few thousand people. Box art adorning the front of video game boxes is a form of advertising seen by most game customers prior to purchase and should therefore predict sales if indeed particular depictions of female and male characters influence sales. Using a sample of 399 box art cases from games with ESRB ratings of Teen or Mature released in the US during the period of 2005 through 2010, this study shows that sales were positively related to sexualization of non-central female characters among cases with women present. In contrast, sales were negatively related to the presence of any central female characters (sexualized or non-sexualized) or the presence of female characters without male characters present. These findings suggest there is an economic motive for the marginalization and sexualization of women in video game box art, and that there is greater audience exposure to these stereotypical depictions than to alternative depictions because of their positive relationship to sales. PMID:23467816

Real Life Active Gaming Practices of 7-11-Year-Old Children.

PubMed

Allsop, Susan; Rumbold, Penny Louise Sheena; Debuse, Dorothée; Dodd-Reynolds, Caroline

2013-12-01

In the laboratory, active gaming has been shown to increase physical activity levels in children compared with seated media activities. The information is sparse, however, about children's real life active gaming practices, and the laboratory protocols used thus far might not be representative. The purpose of the present study was to establish the sociodemographic characteristics, real life active gaming practices, and reasons for gameplay, to later inform intervention studies. An "Active Gaming Questionnaire" was purposely developed and distributed to 44 7-11-year-old children and their parents. Forty questionnaires were completed and returned. Analysis found 95 percent of the children had access to active gaming consoles "at home." The favorite console was the Nintendo (Kyoto, Japan) Wii™, and the favorite game was Nintendo "Wii Sports." The majority of children frequently played active games against other people. The average reported gameplay time was 81 minutes on 1-2 days per week, usually on a Saturday. More than half of the children (52.5 percent) consumed foods and/or drinks during play, which was significantly associated (P=0.000) with an extended average gameplay time (increased by 25 minutes). The majority of participants (65 percent) considered active gaming to be an alternative form of exercise, and main reasons for active videogame play included for entertainment, health benefits, and the environment. In conclusion, children 9.3±1.4 years old typically play Nintendo "Wii Sports," once or twice per week for 81 minutes. Reported active gameplay time is extended by 25 minutes when food and/or drinks are consumed.

An iPhone Game with GOES-R Insight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, A. J.; Fisher, D. K.; Leon, N.; Space Place Team

2011-12-01

Our team developed a game, "Satellite Insight," for iPhone, iPod, or iPad. The game highlights the environmental and weather data-gathering potential of the next generation GOES-R satellite. We aimed to create a game that would have educational value, feature a real NOAA mission, and increase awareness of the GOES satellites and especially of the societal benefits deriving from this next generation of technology. We also wanted to reach a different, broader audience of a wider age range than we normally target with our NASA (spaceplace.nasa.gov) and NOAA (scijinks.gov) websites for kids. Oh . . . and we wanted the game to be fun. Although we had developed many fun and educational Flash games hosted on our Space Place and SciJinks Weather Laboratory websites for kids, developing an iOS game presented some different challenges: (1) players are usually interested in playing only very short games, under two minutes; (2) we wanted the game to appeal to a range of ages; and (3) the small touch screen requires a totally different type of interface design. The game is about gathering and storing different types of data collected by GOES-R, with the data rate increasing rapidly while you try to keep up. Six different types (colors, with different symbols) of tiles drop down from the top of a grid and collect in the columns. Touch any block that is in a group of three or more like blocks, then touch the GOES-R satellite icon below the grid to "save" the data and clear the selected blocks off the grid. If more than two columns completely fill up, the game is over. The "data rate" speeds up quickly, making it more challenging to keep the grid from overflowing. "Power-up" symbols appear periodically, which, when touched, do helpful things, such as clear out your tallest column. Players try to beat their own best "survival" time. The first lesson we learned in developing this game was to make sure the game play concept was simple and feasible to implement. Our first idea, in which the player combined raw data types to create processed GOES-R data products, turned out to require human invention of each and every game scenario. It would have been way too labor intensive to create enough of them to keep the game interesting. The second lesson we learned was the need to simplify the science. We had to come up with a much simplified set of data to represent the numerous and sophisticated data types collected by GOES-R's six major instruments. The third lesson was that the interface must take into account that the user's two thumbs cover about 25% of the screen, thus elements must placed and spaced accordingly. And the fourth lesson was that game behavior may need to be modified or enhanced (with "power-ups" and rate adjustments, for example) to make the game fun.

Using Comedy Improvisation Techniques to Support Dance Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larimer, Amy

2012-01-01

Although contemporary dance improvisation techniques and comedy improvisation are seldom linked, the two forms evolved around the same time and have many similarities. Both forms exist in the moment, share a highly ephemeral nature, and make use of physical games and structures. Both forms teach students the skill of being present, so essential to…

Games, Pastimes, and Leisure Pursuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingston, Eric

2012-01-01

In studies ranging from oracular practices and court proceedings to alternative philosophies, reality disjunctures, and a family's work in maintaining the normality of a severely retarded child, Mel Pollner put together something like a cabinet of curiosities exhibiting the social character of reasoning's worldly enterprises. At the same time, he…

Virus engineering: Fighting HIV at its own game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shixian; Chen, Peng R.

2014-07-01

Live-attenuated viruses used in vaccines can regain their virulence, which for deadly viruses such as HIV is an unacceptable risk. Now, attenuated HIV-1 viruses, which include mutations that genetically encode unnatural amino acids and prevent them from replicating in normal cells, have been constructed.

A Usability Study of a Serious Game in Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Compensatory Navigation Training in Acquired Brain Injury Patients

PubMed Central

van der Kuil, Milan N. A.; Visser-Meily, Johanna M. A.; Evers, Andrea W. M.; van der Ham, Ineke J. M.

2018-01-01

Acquired brain injury patients often report navigation impairments. A cognitive rehabilitation therapy has been designed in the form of a serious game. The aim of the serious game is to aid patients in the development of compensatory navigation strategies by providing exercises in 3D virtual environments on their home computers. The objective of this study was to assess the usability of three critical gaming attributes: movement control in 3D virtual environments, instruction modality and feedback timing. Thirty acquired brain injury patients performed three tasks in which objective measures of usability were obtained. Mouse controlled movement was compared to keyboard controlled movement in a navigation task. Text-based instructions were compared to video-based instructions in a knowledge acquisition task. The effect of feedback timing on performance and motivation was examined in a navigation training game. Subjective usability ratings of all design options were assessed using questionnaires. Results showed that mouse controlled interaction in 3D environments is more effective than keyboard controlled interaction. Patients clearly preferred video-based instructions over text-based instructions, even though video-based instructions were not more effective in context of knowledge acquisition and comprehension. No effect of feedback timing was found on performance and motivation in games designed to train navigation abilities. Overall appreciation of the serious game was positive. The results provide valuable insights in the design choices that facilitate the transfer of skills from serious games to real-life situations. PMID:29922196

Active Gaming as a Form of Exercise to Induce Hypoalgesia.

PubMed

Carey, Christopher; Naugle, Keith E; Aqeel, Dania; Ohlman, Thomas; Naugle, Kelly M

2017-08-01

An acute bout of moderate-to-vigorous exercise temporarily reduces pain sensitivity in healthy adults. Recently, active gaming has been rising in popularity as a means of light-to-moderate exercise and may be particularly suitable for deconditioned individuals. Whether the physical activity elicited in active games can produce a hypoalgesic effect remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether active videogames can reduce pressure and heat pain sensitivity in healthy adults. We also evaluated the relationship between the physical activity elicited by the games and the magnitude of the hypoalgesic response. Twenty-one healthy adults played four different active games on separate days, including Microsoft ® Kinect Xbox ® One's Fighter Within and Sports Rival's Tennis, and Nintendo ® Wii™ Sports' Boxing and Tennis. Heat pain thresholds on the forearm and pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) on the trapezius and forearm were assessed immediately before and after a 15-minute active gaming or control session. Minutes spent in sedentary time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during active gaming were measured with an accelerometer. The analyses revealed that PPTs at the forearm and trapezius significantly increased from pretest to posttest following Kinect Fighter Within. PPTs at the trapezius also significantly increased from pretest to posttest following Wii Boxing. The magnitude of the hypoalgesic response was significantly correlated with MVPA and sedentary time during gameplay. These results suggest that an active gaming session played at a moderate intensity is capable of temporarily reducing pain sensitivity.

A Usability Study of a Serious Game in Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Compensatory Navigation Training in Acquired Brain Injury Patients.

PubMed

van der Kuil, Milan N A; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A; Evers, Andrea W M; van der Ham, Ineke J M

2018-01-01

Acquired brain injury patients often report navigation impairments. A cognitive rehabilitation therapy has been designed in the form of a serious game. The aim of the serious game is to aid patients in the development of compensatory navigation strategies by providing exercises in 3D virtual environments on their home computers. The objective of this study was to assess the usability of three critical gaming attributes: movement control in 3D virtual environments, instruction modality and feedback timing. Thirty acquired brain injury patients performed three tasks in which objective measures of usability were obtained. Mouse controlled movement was compared to keyboard controlled movement in a navigation task. Text-based instructions were compared to video-based instructions in a knowledge acquisition task. The effect of feedback timing on performance and motivation was examined in a navigation training game. Subjective usability ratings of all design options were assessed using questionnaires. Results showed that mouse controlled interaction in 3D environments is more effective than keyboard controlled interaction. Patients clearly preferred video-based instructions over text-based instructions, even though video-based instructions were not more effective in context of knowledge acquisition and comprehension. No effect of feedback timing was found on performance and motivation in games designed to train navigation abilities. Overall appreciation of the serious game was positive. The results provide valuable insights in the design choices that facilitate the transfer of skills from serious games to real-life situations.

Excessive computer game playing among Norwegian adults: self-reported consequences of playing and association with mental health problems.

PubMed

Wenzel, H G; Bakken, I J; Johansson, A; Götestam, K G; Øren, Anita

2009-12-01

Computer games are the most advanced form of gaming. For most people, the playing is an uncomplicated leisure activity; however, for a minority the gaming becomes excessive and is associated with negative consequences. The aim of the present study was to investigate computer game-playing behaviour in the general adult Norwegian population, and to explore mental health problems and self-reported consequences of playing. The survey includes 3,405 adults 16 to 74 years old (Norway 2007, response rate 35.3%). Overall, 65.5% of the respondents reported having ever played computer games (16-29 years, 93.9%; 30-39 years, 85.0%; 40-59 years, 56.2%; 60-74 years, 25.7%). Among 2,170 players, 89.8% reported playing less than 1 hr. as a daily average over the last month, 5.0% played 1-2 hr. daily, 3.1% played 2-4 hr. daily, and 2.2% reported playing > 4 hr. daily. The strongest risk factor for playing > 4 hr. daily was being an online player, followed by male gender, and single marital status. Reported negative consequences of computer game playing increased strongly with average daily playing time. Furthermore, prevalence of self-reported sleeping problems, depression, suicide ideations, anxiety, obsessions/ compulsions, and alcohol/substance abuse increased with increasing playing time. This study showed that adult populations should also be included in research on computer game-playing behaviour and its consequences.

Dominion. A game exploring information exploitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hobbs, Jacob Aaron

FlipIt is a game theoretic framework published in 2012[1] to investigate optimal strategies for managing security resources in response to Advanced Persistent Threats. It is a two-player game wherein a resource is controlled by exactly one player at any time. A player may move at any time to capture the resource, incurring a move cost, and is informed of the last time their opponent has moved only upon completing their move. Thus, moves may be wasted and takeover is considered \\stealthy", with regard to the other player. The game is played for an unlimited period of time, and the goalmore » of each player is to maximize the amount of time they are in control of the resource minus their total move cost, normalized by the current length of play. Marten Van Dijk and others[1] provided an analysis of various player strategies and proved optimal results for certain subclasses of players. We extend their work by providing a reformulation of the original game, wherein the optimal player strategies can be solved exactly, rather than only for certain subclasses. We call this reformulation Dominion, and place it within a broader framework of stealthy move games. We de ne Dominion to occur over a nite time scale (from 0 to 1), and give each player a certain number of moves to make within the time frame. Their expected score in this new scenario is the expected amount of time they have control, and the point of the game is to dominate as much of the unit interval as possible. We show how Dominion can be treated as a two player, simultaneous, constant sum, unit square game, where the gradient of the bene t curves for the players are linear and possibly discontinuous. We derive Nash equilibria for a basic version of Dominion, and then further explore the roles of information asymmetry in its variants. We extend these results to FlipIt and other cyber security applications.« less

Broad-based visual benefits from training with an integrated perceptual-learning video game.

PubMed

Deveau, Jenni; Lovcik, Gary; Seitz, Aaron R

2014-06-01

Perception is the window through which we understand all information about our environment, and therefore deficits in perception due to disease, injury, stroke or aging can have significant negative impacts on individuals' lives. Research in the field of perceptual learning has demonstrated that vision can be improved in both normally seeing and visually impaired individuals, however, a limitation of most perceptual learning approaches is their emphasis on isolating particular mechanisms. In the current study, we adopted an integrative approach where the goal is not to achieve highly specific learning but instead to achieve general improvements to vision. We combined multiple perceptual learning approaches that have individually contributed to increasing the speed, magnitude and generality of learning into a perceptual-learning based video-game. Our results demonstrate broad-based benefits of vision in a healthy adult population. Transfer from the game includes; improvements in acuity (measured with self-paced standard eye-charts), improvement along the full contrast sensitivity function, and improvements in peripheral acuity and contrast thresholds. The use of this type of this custom video game framework built up from psychophysical approaches takes advantage of the benefits found from video game training while maintaining a tight link to psychophysical designs that enable understanding of mechanisms of perceptual learning and has great potential both as a scientific tool and as therapy to help improve vision. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of game-based virtual reality movement therapy plus mental practice on upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Park, Jin-Hyuck; Park, Ji-Hyuk

2016-03-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of game-based virtual reality movement therapy plus mental practice on upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis. [Subjects] The subjects were chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis. [Methods] Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to either the control group or experimental group. All subjects received 20 sessions (5 days in a week) of virtual reality movement therapy using the Nintendo Wii. In addition to Wii-based virtual reality movement therapy, experimental group subjects performed mental practice consisting of 5 minutes of relaxation, Wii games imagination, and normalization phases before the beginning of Wii games. To compare the two groups, the upper extremity subtest of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Box and Block Test, and quality of movement subscale of the Motor Activity Log were performed. [Results] Both groups showed statistically significant improvement in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Box and Block Test, and quality of the movement subscale of Motor Activity Log after the interventions. Also, there were significant differences in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Box and Block Test, and quality of movement subscale of the Motor Activity Log between the two groups. [Conclusion] Game-based virtual reality movement therapy alone may be helpful to improve functional recovery of the upper extremity, but the addition of MP produces a lager improvement.

Neural correlates of economic game playing.

PubMed

Krueger, Frank; Grafman, Jordan; McCabe, Kevin

2008-12-12

The theory of games provides a mathematical formalization of strategic choices, which have been studied in both economics and neuroscience, and more recently has become the focus of neuroeconomics experiments with human and non-human actors. This paper reviews the results from a number of game experiments that establish a unitary system for forming subjective expected utility maps in the brain, and acting on these maps to produce choices. Social situations require the brain to build an understanding of the other person using neuronal mechanisms that share affective and intentional mental states. These systems allow subjects to better predict other players' choices, and allow them to modify their subjective utility maps to value pro-social strategies. New results for a trust game are presented, which show that the trust relationship includes systems common to both trusting and trustworthy behaviour, but they also show that the relative temporal positions of first and second players require computations unique to that role.

On feelings as a heuristic for making offers in ultimatum negotiations.

PubMed

Stephen, Andrew T; Pham, Michel Tuan

2008-10-01

This research examined how reliance on emotional feelings as a heuristic influences how offers are made. Results from three experiments using the ultimatum game show that, compared with proposers who do not rely on their feelings, proposers who rely on their feelings make less generous offers in the standard ultimatum game, more generous offers in a variant of the game allowing responders to make counteroffers, and less generous offers in a dictator game in which no responses are allowed. Reliance on feelings triggers a more literal form of play, whereby proposers focus more on how they feel toward the content of the offers than on how they feel toward the possible outcomes of those offers, as if the offers were the final outcomes. Proposers who rely on their feelings also tend to focus on gist-based construals of the negotiation that capture only the essential aspects of the situation.

Social interactions in massively multiplayer online role-playing gamers.

PubMed

Cole, Helena; Griffiths, Mark D

2007-08-01

To date, most research into massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) has examined the demographics of play. This study explored the social interactions that occur both within and outside of MMORPGs. The sample consisted of 912 self-selected MMORPG players from 45 countries. MMORPGs were found to be highly socially interactive environments providing the opportunity to create strong friendships and emotional relationships. The study demonstrated that the social interactions in online gaming form a considerable element in the enjoyment of playing. The study showed MMORPGs can be extremely social games, with high percentages of gamers making life-long friends and partners. It was concluded that virtual gaming may allow players to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, and/or age. MMORPGs also offer a place where teamwork, encouragement, and fun can be experienced.

Tactical expertise assessment in youth football using representative tasks.

PubMed

Serra-Olivares, Jaime; Clemente, Filipe Manuel; González-Víllora, Sixto

2016-01-01

Specific football drills improve the development of technical/tactical and physical variables in players. Based on this principle, in recent years it has been possible to observe in daily training a growing volume of small-sided and conditioned games. These games are smaller and modified forms of formal games that augment players' perception of specific tactics. Despite this approach, the assessment of players' knowledge and tactical execution has not been well documented, due mainly to the difficulty in measuring tactical behavior. For that reason, this study aims to provide a narrative review about the tactical assessment of football training by using representative tasks to measure the tactical expertise of youth football players during small-sided and conditioned games. This study gives an overview of the ecological approach to training and the principles used for representative task design, providing relevant contribution and direction for future research into the assessment of tactical expertise in youth football.

Fair and unfair punishers coexist in the Ultimatum Game

PubMed Central

Brañas-Garza, Pablo; Espín, Antonio M.; Exadaktylos, Filippos; Herrmann, Benedikt

2014-01-01

In the Ultimatum Game, a proposer suggests how to split a sum of money with a responder. If the responder rejects the proposal, both players get nothing. Rejection of unfair offers is regarded as a form of punishment implemented by fair-minded individuals, who are willing to impose the cooperation norm at a personal cost. However, recent research using other experimental frameworks has observed non-negligible levels of antisocial punishment by competitive, spiteful individuals, which can eventually undermine cooperation. Using two large-scale experiments, this note explores the nature of Ultimatum Game punishers by analyzing their behavior in a Dictator Game. In both studies, the coexistence of two entirely different sub-populations is confirmed: prosocial punishers on the one hand, who behave fairly as dictators, and spiteful (antisocial) punishers on the other, who are totally unfair. The finding has important implications regarding the evolution of cooperation and the behavioral underpinnings of stable social systems. PMID:25113502

Fair and unfair punishers coexist in the Ultimatum Game.

PubMed

Brañas-Garza, Pablo; Espín, Antonio M; Exadaktylos, Filippos; Herrmann, Benedikt

2014-08-12

In the Ultimatum Game, a proposer suggests how to split a sum of money with a responder. If the responder rejects the proposal, both players get nothing. Rejection of unfair offers is regarded as a form of punishment implemented by fair-minded individuals, who are willing to impose the cooperation norm at a personal cost. However, recent research using other experimental frameworks has observed non-negligible levels of antisocial punishment by competitive, spiteful individuals, which can eventually undermine cooperation. Using two large-scale experiments, this note explores the nature of Ultimatum Game punishers by analyzing their behavior in a Dictator Game. In both studies, the coexistence of two entirely different sub-populations is confirmed: prosocial punishers on the one hand, who behave fairly as dictators, and spiteful (antisocial) punishers on the other, who are totally unfair. The finding has important implications regarding the evolution of cooperation and the behavioral underpinnings of stable social systems.

Skill versus luck: A motivational analysis of gambling involvement.

PubMed

Chantal, Y; Vallerand, R J

1996-12-01

The purpose of the present investigation was to test the skill/luck distinction among gambling games by comparing the motivations underlying participation in a skill (horse racing) and a luck (lottery) betting activity. Predictions were made using Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991). It was predicted that self-determined motivations (intrinsic motivation and identified regulation) would be more prominent for the skill game because it is conducive to optimal challenges, fun, and self-involvement. Conversely, the non self-determined forms of motivation (especially external regulation) should be more important for the game of luck because the luck dimension precludes true involvement of the self and orients the individual towards material gains. Results from a hierarchical discriminant function analysis, with 120 gamblers predominantly involved in one of the two betting activities, supported these hypotheses. These results highlight the relevance of a motivational analysis for a better understanding of the inherent properties of gambling games.

Application of hands-on simulation games to improve classroom experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzeh, Farook; Theokaris, Christina; Rouhana, Carel; Abbas, Yara

2017-09-01

While many construction companies claim substantial productivity and profit gains when applying lean construction principles, it remains a challenge to teach these principles in a classroom. Lean construction emphasises collaborative processes and integrated delivery practices. Consequently, new teaching methods that nurture such values should form the basis of lean construction education. One of the proposed methods is 'hands-on team simulation games' which can be employed to replicate various real-life processes, projects, or systems for the purpose of teaching, analysing, and understanding. This study aims at assessing this simulation games and understanding their impact on students' learning and satisfaction. Surveys and tests are administered to assess changes in student's perception of their learning styles and their understanding of key lean construction concepts. Results show a positive student reaction to hands-on simulation games, provide pedagogical insights, and highlight suggestions for improvement.

Stability of Mixed-Strategy-Based Iterative Logit Quantal Response Dynamics in Game Theory

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Qian; Di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

2014-01-01

Using the Logit quantal response form as the response function in each step, the original definition of static quantal response equilibrium (QRE) is extended into an iterative evolution process. QREs remain as the fixed points of the dynamic process. However, depending on whether such fixed points are the long-term solutions of the dynamic process, they can be classified into stable (SQREs) and unstable (USQREs) equilibriums. This extension resembles the extension from static Nash equilibriums (NEs) to evolutionary stable solutions in the framework of evolutionary game theory. The relation between SQREs and other solution concepts of games, including NEs and QREs, is discussed. Using experimental data from other published papers, we perform a preliminary comparison between SQREs, NEs, QREs and the observed behavioral outcomes of those experiments. For certain games, we determine that SQREs have better predictive power than QREs and NEs. PMID:25157502

Superhuman AI for heads-up no-limit poker: Libratus beats top professionals.

PubMed

Brown, Noam; Sandholm, Tuomas

2018-01-26

No-limit Texas hold'em is the most popular form of poker. Despite artificial intelligence (AI) successes in perfect-information games, the private information and massive game tree have made no-limit poker difficult to tackle. We present Libratus, an AI that, in a 120,000-hand competition, defeated four top human specialist professionals in heads-up no-limit Texas hold'em, the leading benchmark and long-standing challenge problem in imperfect-information game solving. Our game-theoretic approach features application-independent techniques: an algorithm for computing a blueprint for the overall strategy, an algorithm that fleshes out the details of the strategy for subgames that are reached during play, and a self-improver algorithm that fixes potential weaknesses that opponents have identified in the blueprint strategy. Copyright © 2018, The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Digital game based learning: A new method in teaching and learning mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Sayed Yusoff bin Syed; Hoe, Tan Wee; Idris, Muhammad Zaffwan bin

2017-05-01

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) had been regarded as a sound learning strategy in raising pupils' willingness and interest in many disciplines. Normally, video and digital games are used in the teaching and learning mathematics. based on literature, digital games have proven its capability in making pupils motivated and are more likely to contribute to effective learning mathematics. Hence this research aims to construct a DGBL in the teaching of Mathematics for Year 1 pupils. Then, a quasi-experimental study was carried out in a school located in Gua Musang, Kelantan, involving 39 pupils. Specifically, this article tests the effectiveness of the use of DGBL in the teaching of the topic Addition of Less than 100 on pupil's achievement. This research employed a quasi-experiment, Pre and Post Test of Non-equivalent Control Group design. The data were analysed using the Nonparametric test namely the Mann-Whitney U. The research finding shows the use of the DGBL could increase the pupils' achievement in the topic of Addition of Less than 100. In practice, this research indicates that the DBGL can utilized as an alternative reference strategy for Mathematics teacher.

Using Classroom Data to Teach Students about Data Cleaning and Testing Assumptions

PubMed Central

Cummiskey, Kevin; Kuiper, Shonda; Sturdivant, Rodney

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the influence that decisions about data cleaning and violations of statistical assumptions can have on drawing valid conclusions to research studies. The datasets provided in this paper were collected as part of a National Science Foundation grant to design online games and associated labs for use in undergraduate and graduate statistics courses that can effectively illustrate issues not always addressed in traditional instruction. Students play the role of a researcher by selecting from a wide variety of independent variables to explain why some students complete games faster than others. Typical project data sets are “messy,” with many outliers (usually from some students taking much longer than others) and distributions that do not appear normal. Classroom testing of the games over several semesters has produced evidence of their efficacy in statistics education. The projects tend to be engaging for students and they make the impact of data cleaning and violations of model assumptions more relevant. We discuss the use of one of the games and associated guided lab in introducing students to issues prevalent in real data and the challenges involved in data cleaning and dangers when model assumptions are violated. PMID:23055992

[The business game as a form of organization of competent approach in teaching of history of medicine].

PubMed

Konopleva, E L; Ostapenko, V M

2015-01-01

The article considers issue of implementation of competent approach in teaching of course of history of medicine in medical universities. The such methods of active training as imitation role business games are proposed as a mean of developing common cultural and professional competences offuture medical personnel. The business games promote development of motivation basis or education and require activities related to practical implementation of acquired knowledge and skills (analysis of historical event, work with map, reading of historical documents, participation in scientific discussion, etc.). As a result, students acquire sufficiently large notion concerning world of medicine, relationship of historical epochs and occurrences and unity of medical systems.

Self-organization in a simple model of adaptive agents playing 2 x 2 games with arbitrary payoff matrices.

PubMed

Fort, H; Viola, S

2004-03-01

We analyze, both analytically and numerically, the self-organization of a system of "selfish" adaptive agents playing an arbitrary iterated pairwise game (defined by a 2 x 2 payoff matrix). Examples of possible games to play are the prisoner's dilemma (PD) game, the chicken game, the hero game, etc. The agents have no memory, use strategies not based on direct reciprocity nor "tags" and are chosen at random, i.e., geographical vicinity is neglected. They can play two possible strategies: cooperate (C) or defect (D). The players measure their success by comparing their utilities with an estimate for the expected benefits and update their strategy following a simple rule. Two versions of the model are studied: (1) the deterministic version (the agents are either in definite states C or D) and (2) the stochastic version (the agents have a probability c of playing C). Using a general master equation we compute the equilibrium states into which the system self-organizes, characterized by their average probability of cooperation c(eq). Depending on the payoff matrix, we show that c(eq) can take five different values. We also consider the mixing of agents using two different payoff matrices and show that any value of c(eq) can be reached by tuning the proportions of agents using each payoff matrix. In particular, this can be used as a way to simulate the effect of a fraction d of "antisocial" individuals--incapable of realizing any value to cooperation--on the cooperative regime hold by a population of neutral or "normal" agents.

Physical and Cognitive Stimulation Using an Exergame in Subjects with Normal Aging, Mild and Moderate Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Ben-Sadoun, Grégory; Sacco, Guillaume; Manera, Valeria; Bourgeois, Jérémy; König, Alexandra; Foulon, Pierre; Fosty, Baptiste; Bremond, François; d'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne; Robert, Philippe

2016-06-30

The use of Serious exerGames (SeG) as enriched environments (EE), which promotes cognitive simulation with physical activity in a positive emotional context, has been proposed to represent a powerful method to slow down the decline due to neurodegenerative diseases (ND), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, so far, no SeG targeting EE has been tested in ND subjects. This study aimed at evaluating the usability and short-term training effects of X-Torp, an action SeG designed for elderly ND subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD. X-Torp is a SeG played using the Microsoft® Kinect™. 10 ND subjects and 8 healthy elderly controls (HEC) were enrolled in a 1-month program with three training sessions per week. Usability was evaluated through game time, game performance, the aerobic intensity level reached, perceived emotions, and perceived usability. All participants successfully completed the training program. ND subjects played less and had a lower game performance compared to HEC. During the sessions, ND subjects maintained a light intensity of aerobic activity, while HEC maintained a moderate intensity. Both groups experienced only positive emotions, and reported a 'moderate' to 'high' perceived competence, a 'moderate' game difficulty, and a 'high' interest in the game. Usability results suggest that X-Torp represents a usable EE for healthy subjects and persons with MCI and AD. However, in order to reach moderate or high intensity of aerobic activity, X-Torp control modes should be adapted to become more physically stimulating.

Video game addiction and psychological distress among expatriate adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Saquib, Nazmus; Saquib, Juliann; Wahid, AbdulWaris; Ahmed, Abdulrahman Akmal; Dhuhayr, Hamad Emad; Zaghloul, Mohamed Saddik; Ewid, Mohammed; Al-Mazrou, Abdulrahman

2017-12-01

Few studies have estimated screen time among Arab adolescents, and no studies, to date, have published data on addiction to video games or Internet games among Arab adolescents. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of addiction to video games and its correlation with mental health in a sample of expatriate high school students from the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. The survey was conducted in 2016 among 276 students enrolled in ninth through twelfth grades in the International Schools in Buraidah, Al-Qassim. Students who returned signed consent forms from their parents filled out a self-administered questionnaire that included validated scales on addiction to video games, general health, and lifestyle. The proportion between the sexes and the schools were roughly equal. Around 32% were overweight or obese, 75% had screen time ≥ 2 h/day, and 20% slept < 5 h/night. Sixteen per cent (16%) were addicted to video games and 54% had psychological distress. Addiction to video games was strongly associated with psychological distress (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.80, 9.47). Other significant correlates were female gender, higher screen time, and shorter sleep hours. The proportion of students with psychological distress was high. Future studies should investigate other potential correlates of distress such personal traits, family relations, and academic performance.

Student Perceptions of Using Games to Address Science Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Cara M.

The purpose of this qualitative evaluative case study was to gain insight into how students perceived the efficacy of using games to address their science literacy concerns. Scientists in the United States are concerned with the lack of science literacy. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires proficiency in reading, mathematics, language arts, and science by the completion of the 2013--2014 school year. The high school participating in this study received substandard test scores on both the 2009 state graduation test and the science portion of the ACT test. The research question included understanding how students perceive the use of games in addressing their science literacy needs. The data from the student journals, field notes, and transcribed class discussions were analyzed using a 6 step method that included coding the data into main themes. The triangulated data were used to both gain insight into student perspective and inform game development. Constructivist theories formed the conceptual framework of the study. The findings of the study suggested that games may prove a valuable tool in science literacy attainment. The study indicated that games were perceived by the students to be effective tools in meeting their learning needs. Implications for positive social change included providing students, educators, and administrators with game resources that can be used to meet the science learning needs of struggling students, thereby improving science scores on high stakes tests.

Gaming science: the "Gamification" of scientific thinking.

PubMed

Morris, Bradley J; Croker, Steve; Zimmerman, Corinne; Gill, Devin; Romig, Connie

2013-09-09

Science is critically important for advancing economics, health, and social well-being in the twenty-first century. A scientifically literate workforce is one that is well-suited to meet the challenges of an information economy. However, scientific thinking skills do not routinely develop and must be scaffolded via educational and cultural tools. In this paper we outline a rationale for why we believe that video games have the potential to be exploited for gain in science education. The premise we entertain is that several classes of video games can be viewed as a type of cultural tool that is capable of supporting three key elements of scientific literacy: content knowledge, process skills, and understanding the nature of science. We argue that there are three classes of mechanisms through which video games can support scientific thinking. First, there are a number of motivational scaffolds, such as feedback, rewards, and flow states that engage students relative to traditional cultural learning tools. Second, there are a number of cognitive scaffolds, such as simulations and embedded reasoning skills that compensate for the limitations of the individual cognitive system. Third, fully developed scientific thinking requires metacognition, and video games provide metacognitive scaffolding in the form of constrained learning and identity adoption. We conclude by outlining a series of recommendations for integrating games and game elements in science education and provide suggestions for evaluating their effectiveness.

Gaming science: the “Gamification” of scientific thinking

PubMed Central

Morris, Bradley J.; Croker, Steve; Zimmerman, Corinne; Gill, Devin; Romig, Connie

2013-01-01

Science is critically important for advancing economics, health, and social well-being in the twenty-first century. A scientifically literate workforce is one that is well-suited to meet the challenges of an information economy. However, scientific thinking skills do not routinely develop and must be scaffolded via educational and cultural tools. In this paper we outline a rationale for why we believe that video games have the potential to be exploited for gain in science education. The premise we entertain is that several classes of video games can be viewed as a type of cultural tool that is capable of supporting three key elements of scientific literacy: content knowledge, process skills, and understanding the nature of science. We argue that there are three classes of mechanisms through which video games can support scientific thinking. First, there are a number of motivational scaffolds, such as feedback, rewards, and flow states that engage students relative to traditional cultural learning tools. Second, there are a number of cognitive scaffolds, such as simulations and embedded reasoning skills that compensate for the limitations of the individual cognitive system. Third, fully developed scientific thinking requires metacognition, and video games provide metacognitive scaffolding in the form of constrained learning and identity adoption. We conclude by outlining a series of recommendations for integrating games and game elements in science education and provide suggestions for evaluating their effectiveness. PMID:24058354

The Application of Artificial Intelligence Principles to Teaching and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Keith

2008-01-01

This paper compares and contrasts the use of AI principles in industrial training with more normal computer-based training (CBT) approaches. A number of applications of CBT are illustrated (for example simulations, tutorial presentations, fault diagnosis, management games, industrial relations exercises) and compared with an alternative approach…

The Grammar of Fantasy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodari, Gianni

1998-01-01

Depicts how any word chosen by chance can function as a magical word to exhume fields of memory and excite imagination. Details several word games of invention for children (such as the "fantastic binomial," using creative errors, and "Little Red Riding Hood in a Helicopter") that juxtapose normally unrelated words and that can…

50 CFR 32.62 - Tennessee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... normal voice contact and under supervision of an adult age 21 or older, who possesses a license. One... shot when hunting with a shotgun (see § 32.2(k)). B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of squirrel... available at the refuge headquarters. 3. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while hunting turkey...

Game-Based Rehabilitation for Myoelectric Prosthesis Control

PubMed Central

Vujaklija, Ivan; Kayali, Fares; Purgathofer, Peter; Aszmann, Oskar C

2017-01-01

Background A high number of upper extremity myoelectric prosthesis users abandon their devices due to difficulties in prosthesis control and lack of motivation to train in absence of a physiotherapist. Virtual training systems, in the form of video games, provide patients with an entertaining and intuitive method for improved muscle coordination and improved overall control. Complementary to established rehabilitation protocols, it is highly beneficial for this virtual training process to start even before receiving the final prosthesis, and to be continued at home for as long as needed. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate (1) the short-term effects of a commercially available electromyographic (EMG) system on controllability after a simple video game-based rehabilitation protocol, and (2) different input methods, control mechanisms, and games. Methods Eleven able-bodied participants with no prior experience in EMG control took part in this study. Participants were asked to perform a surface EMG test evaluating their provisional maximum muscle contraction, fine accuracy and isolation of electrode activation, and endurance control over at least 300 seconds. These assessments were carried out (1) in a Pregaming session before interacting with three EMG-controlled computer games, (2) in a Postgaming session after playing the games, and (3) in a Follow-Up session two days after the gaming protocol to evaluate short-term retention rate. After each game, participants were given a user evaluation survey for the assessment of the games and their input mechanisms. Participants also received a questionnaire regarding their intrinsic motivation (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) at the end of the last game. Results Results showed a significant improvement in fine accuracy electrode activation (P<.01), electrode separation (P=.02), and endurance control (P<.01) from Pregaming EMG assessments to the Follow-Up measurement. The deviation around the EMG goal value diminished and the opposing electrode was activated less frequently. Participants had the most fun playing the games when collecting items and facing challenging game play. Conclusions Most upper limb amputees use a 2-channel myoelectric prosthesis control. This study demonstrates that this control can be effectively trained by employing a video game-based rehabilitation protocol. PMID:28183689

South Fork Shenandoah River habitat-flow modeling to determine ecological and recreational characteristics during low-flow periods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krstolic, Jennifer L.; Ramey, R. Clay

2012-01-01

The ecological habitat requirements of aquatic organisms and recreational streamflow requirements of the South Fork Shenandoah River were investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Central Shenandoah Valley Planning District Commission, the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, and Virginia Commonwealth University. Physical habitat simulation modeling was conducted to examine flow as a major determinant of physical habitat availability and recreation suitability using field-collected hydraulic habitat variables such as water depth, water velocity, and substrate characteristics. Fish habitat-suitability criteria specific to the South Fork Shenandoah River were developed for sub-adult and adult smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), juvenile and sub-adult redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus), spotfin or satinfin shiner (Cyprinella spp), margined madtom (Noturus insignis),and river chub (Nocomis micropogon). Historic streamflow statistics for the summer low-flow period during July, August, and September were used as benchmark low-flow conditions and compared to habitat simulation results and water-withdrawal scenarios based on 2005 withdrawal data. To examine habitat and recreation characteristics during droughts, daily fish habitat or recreation suitability values were simulated for 2002 and other selected drought years. Recreation suitability during droughts was extremely low, because the modeling demonstrated that suitable conditions occur when the streamflows are greater than the 50th percentile flow for July, August, and September. Habitat availability for fish is generally at a maximum when streamflows are between the 75th and 25th percentile flows for July, August, and September. Time-series results for drought years, such as 2002, showed that extreme low-flow conditions less than the 5th percentile of flow for July, August, and September corresponded to below-normal habitat availability for both game and nongame fish in the upper section of the river. For the middle section near Luray, margined madtom and river chub habitat area were below normal, whereas adult and sub-adult smallmouth bass habitat area remained near the median expected available habitat. In the lower section near Front Royal, time-series results for adult smallmouth bass, sub-adult smallmouth bass, and margined madtom habitat were below normal when streamflows were below the 10th percentile flow for July, August, and September. All other species of fish had habitat availability within the normal range for July, August, and September. Water-conservation scenarios representing a 50 percent water-withdrawal reduction resulted in game fish habitat availability within the normal range for habitat in upper and middle river sections, instead of below normal conditions which were observed during the 2002 drought. The 50 percent water-withdrawal reduction had no measurable effect on recreation. For nongame fish such as river chub, a 20 percent withdrawal reduction resulted in habitat availability within the normal range for habitat in the upper and middle river sections. Increased water-use scenarios representing a 5 percent increase in water withdrawals resulted in a slight reduction in habitat availability; however, increased withdrawals of 20 and 50 percent resulted in habitat availability substantially less than the 25th habitat percentile, or below normal. Habitat reductions were more pronounced when flows were lower than the 10th percentile flow for July, August, and September. The results show that for normal or wet years, increased water withdrawals are not likely to correspond with extensive habitat loss for game fish or nongame fish. During drought years, however, a 20 to 50 percent increase in water withdrawals may result in below normal habitat availability for game fish throughout the river and nongame fish in the upper and middle sections of the river. These simulations of rare historic drought conditions, such as those observed in 2002, serve as a baseline for development of ecological flow thresholds for drought planning.

Violence in television commercials during nonviolent programming. The 1996 Major League Baseball playoffs.

PubMed

Anderson, C

1997-10-01

To identify the frequency of violent television commercials aired during major league baseball playoffs, traditionally thought to be a family-oriented viewing time. All 6 World Series games televised on the Fox Television Network (Fox), all 5 American League Championship Series playoff games televised by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), and 4 first-round playoff games televised by ESPN Sports Television Network (ESPN) were videotaped in October 1996. During the 15 televised games reviewed, 104 (6.8%) of the 1528 commercials contained violent content. Sixty-one commercials (10 per game) that included violent interactions were noted during the World Series, 30 (6 per game) during the American League Championship Series, and 13 (3 per game) during the 4 first-round playoff games for a total of 104. In these 104 violent commercials, 69 contained at least 1 violent act, 90 contained at least 1 violent threat, and 27 contained evidence of at least 1 violent consequence. Seventy (67.3%) of the violent commercials were promotions for television programs, 7 (6.7%) were cable television program advertisements, and 20 (19.2%) were big-screen movie promotions. Twenty (71.4%) of 28 big-screen movie promotions were violent. Twenty-two (21.2%) of the 104 violent commercials and 7 "nonviolent" commercials contained blood or other graphic content, all of which were televised during the Fox presentation of the World Series. Fox also accounted for all 24 violent commercials that used a knife. Guns were involved in 25 violent commercials on NBC (5.0 per game), in 20 on Fox (3.33 per game), and in 7 on ESPN (1.75 per game). Overt violent content in commercials during the 1996 major league playoffs was common and consisted mainly of promotions for television programs and big-screen movies. It is counterintuitive to find such commercials in nonviolent programming and makes it difficult for parents to avoid exposing their children to this form of violence.

Game-Based Rehabilitation for Myoelectric Prosthesis Control.

PubMed

Prahm, Cosima; Vujaklija, Ivan; Kayali, Fares; Purgathofer, Peter; Aszmann, Oskar C

2017-02-09

A high number of upper extremity myoelectric prosthesis users abandon their devices due to difficulties in prosthesis control and lack of motivation to train in absence of a physiotherapist. Virtual training systems, in the form of video games, provide patients with an entertaining and intuitive method for improved muscle coordination and improved overall control. Complementary to established rehabilitation protocols, it is highly beneficial for this virtual training process to start even before receiving the final prosthesis, and to be continued at home for as long as needed. The aim of this study is to evaluate (1) the short-term effects of a commercially available electromyographic (EMG) system on controllability after a simple video game-based rehabilitation protocol, and (2) different input methods, control mechanisms, and games. Eleven able-bodied participants with no prior experience in EMG control took part in this study. Participants were asked to perform a surface EMG test evaluating their provisional maximum muscle contraction, fine accuracy and isolation of electrode activation, and endurance control over at least 300 seconds. These assessments were carried out (1) in a Pregaming session before interacting with three EMG-controlled computer games, (2) in a Postgaming session after playing the games, and (3) in a Follow-Up session two days after the gaming protocol to evaluate short-term retention rate. After each game, participants were given a user evaluation survey for the assessment of the games and their input mechanisms. Participants also received a questionnaire regarding their intrinsic motivation (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) at the end of the last game. Results showed a significant improvement in fine accuracy electrode activation (P<.01), electrode separation (P=.02), and endurance control (P<.01) from Pregaming EMG assessments to the Follow-Up measurement. The deviation around the EMG goal value diminished and the opposing electrode was activated less frequently. Participants had the most fun playing the games when collecting items and facing challenging game play. Most upper limb amputees use a 2-channel myoelectric prosthesis control. This study demonstrates that this control can be effectively trained by employing a video game-based rehabilitation protocol. ©Cosima Prahm, Ivan Vujaklija, Fares Kayali, Peter Purgathofer, Oskar C Aszmann. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 09.02.2017.

How to Assess Gaming-Induced Benefits on Attention and Working Memory.

PubMed

Mishra, Jyoti; Bavelier, Daphne; Gazzaley, Adam

2012-06-01

Our daily actions are driven by our goals in the moment, constantly forcing us to choose among various options. Attention and working memory are key enablers of that process. Attention allows for selective processing of goal-relevant information and rejecting task-irrelevant information. Working memory functions to maintain goal-relevant information in memory for brief periods of time for subsequent recall and/or manipulation. Efficient attention and working memory thus support the best extraction and retention of environmental information for optimal task performance. Recent studies have evidenced that attention and working memory abilities can be enhanced by cognitive training games as well as entertainment videogames. Here we review key cognitive paradigms that have been used to evaluate the impact of game-based training on various aspects of attention and working memory. Common use of such methodology within the scientific community will enable direct comparison of the efficacy of different games across age groups and clinical populations. The availability of common assessment tools will ultimately facilitate development of the most effective forms of game-based training for cognitive rehabilitation and education.

How to Assess Gaming-Induced Benefits on Attention and Working Memory

PubMed Central

Mishra, Jyoti; Bavelier, Daphne

2012-01-01

Abstract Our daily actions are driven by our goals in the moment, constantly forcing us to choose among various options. Attention and working memory are key enablers of that process. Attention allows for selective processing of goal-relevant information and rejecting task-irrelevant information. Working memory functions to maintain goal-relevant information in memory for brief periods of time for subsequent recall and/or manipulation. Efficient attention and working memory thus support the best extraction and retention of environmental information for optimal task performance. Recent studies have evidenced that attention and working memory abilities can be enhanced by cognitive training games as well as entertainment videogames. Here we review key cognitive paradigms that have been used to evaluate the impact of game-based training on various aspects of attention and working memory. Common use of such methodology within the scientific community will enable direct comparison of the efficacy of different games across age groups and clinical populations. The availability of common assessment tools will ultimately facilitate development of the most effective forms of game-based training for cognitive rehabilitation and education. PMID:24761314

Evolution of fairness and coalition formation in three-person ultimatum games.

PubMed

Nishimura, Takeshi; Okada, Akira; Shirata, Yasuhiro

2017-05-07

We consider the evolution of fairness and coalition formation in a three-person ultimatum game in which the coalition value depends on its size. Traditional game theory, which assumes selfish and rational players, predicts the largest and efficient coalition with a proposer exploiting most of the total value. In a stochastic evolutionary model (the frequency-dependent Moran process with mutations) where players make errors in estimating the payoffs and strategies of others, evolutionary selection favors the formation of a two-person subcoalition under weak selection and in the low mutation limit if and only if its coalition value exceeds a high proportion (0.7) of that of the largest coalition. Proposers offer 30-35% of the subcoalition value to a coalition member, excluding a non-member. Multilateral bargaining is critically different from the bilateral one. Coalition-forming behavior may cause economic inefficiency and social exclusion. Stochastic evolutionary game theory thus provides theoretical support to explain the behavior of human subjects in economic experiments of a three-person ultimatum game. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuzzy logic and A* algorithm implementation on goat foraging games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsani, P.; Mulyana, I.; Zakaria, D.

2018-03-01

Goat foraging is one of the games that apply the search techniques within the scope of artificial intelligence. This game involves several actors including players and enemies. The method used in this research is fuzzy logic and Algorithm A*. Fuzzy logic is used to determine enemy behaviour. The A* algorithm is used to search for the shortest path. There are two input variables: the distance between the player and the enemy and the anger level of the goat. The output variable that has been defined is the enemy behaviour. The A* algorithm is used to determine the closest path between the player and the enemy and define the enemy's escape path to avoid the player. There are 4 types of enemies namely farmers, planters, farmers and sellers of plants. Players are goats that aims to find a meal that is a plant. In this game goats aim to spend grass in the garden in the form of a maze while avoiding the enemy. The game provides an application of artificial intelligence and is made in four difficulty levels.

Adaptive Multi-Agent Systems for Constrained Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macready, William; Bieniawski, Stefan; Wolpert, David H.

2004-01-01

Product Distribution (PD) theory is a new framework for analyzing and controlling distributed systems. Here we demonstrate its use for distributed stochastic optimization. First we review one motivation of PD theory, as the information-theoretic extension of conventional full-rationality game theory to the case of bounded rational agents. In this extension the equilibrium of the game is the optimizer of a Lagrangian of the (probability distribution of) the joint state of the agents. When the game in question is a team game with constraints, that equilibrium optimizes the expected value of the team game utility, subject to those constraints. The updating of the Lagrange parameters in the Lagrangian can be viewed as a form of automated annealing, that focuses the MAS more and more on the optimal pure strategy. This provides a simple way to map the solution of any constrained optimization problem onto the equilibrium of a Multi-Agent System (MAS). We present computer experiments involving both the Queen s problem and K-SAT validating the predictions of PD theory and its use for off-the-shelf distributed adaptive optimization.

GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM1 Is Required for Steroidal Alkaloid Glycosylation and Prevention of Phytotoxicity in Tomato[W

PubMed Central

Itkin, Maxim; Rogachev, Ilana; Alkan, Noam; Rosenberg, Tally; Malitsky, Sergey; Masini, Laura; Meir, Sagit; Iijima, Yoko; Aoki, Koh; de Vos, Ric; Prusky, Dov; Burdman, Saul; Beekwilder, Jules; Aharoni, Asaph

2011-01-01

Steroidal alkaloids (SAs) are triterpene-derived specialized metabolites found in members of the Solanaceae family that provide plants with a chemical barrier against a broad range of pathogens. Their biosynthesis involves the action of glycosyltransferases to form steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs). To elucidate the metabolism of SGAs in the Solanaceae family, we examined the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM1 (GAME1) gene. Our findings imply that GAME1 is a galactosyltransferase, largely performing glycosylation of the aglycone tomatidine, resulting in SGA production in green tissues. Downregulation of GAME1 resulted in an almost 50% reduction in α-tomatine levels (the major SGA in tomato) and a large increase in its precursors (i.e., tomatidenol and tomatidine). Surprisingly, GAME1-silenced plants displayed growth retardation and severe morphological phenotypes that we suggest occur as a result of altered membrane sterol levels caused by the accumulation of the aglycone tomatidine. Together, these findings highlight the role of GAME1 in the glycosylation of SAs and in reducing the toxicity of SA metabolites to the plant cell. PMID:22180624