experimental psychologist games

A-Z Publications

Annual Review of Psychology

Volume 72, 2021, review article, experimental games and social decision making.

Eric van Dijk 1 , and Carsten K.W. De Dreu 1,2
View Affiliations Hide Affiliations Affiliations: 1 Department of Psychology, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; email: [email protected] 2 Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Amsterdam, 1012 WX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Vol. 72:415-438 (Volume publication date January 2021) https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-081420-110718
First published as a Review in Advance on October 02, 2020
Copyright © 2021 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved

Experimental games model situations in which the future outcomes of individuals and groups depend on their own choices and on those of other (groups of) individuals. Games are a powerful tool to identify the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying interpersonal and group cooperation and coordination. Here we discuss recent developments in how experimental games are used and adapted, with an increased focus on repeated interactions, partner control through sanctioning, and partner (de)selection for future interactions. Important advances have been made in uncovering the neurobiological underpinnings of key factors involved in cooperation and coordination, including social preferences, cooperative beliefs, (emotion) signaling, and, in particular, reputations and (in)direct reciprocity. Emerging trends at the cross-sections of psychology, economics, and the neurosciences include an increased focus on group heterogeneities, intergroup polarization and conflict, cross-cultural differences in cooperation and norm enforcement, and neurocomputational modeling of the formation and updating of social preferences and beliefs.

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Ideas for Psychology Experiments

Inspiration for psychology experiments is all around if you know where to look

Psychology experiments can run the gamut from simple to complex. Students are often expected to design—and sometimes perform—their own experiments, but finding great experiment ideas can be a little challenging. Fortunately, inspiration is all around if you know where to look—from your textbooks to the questions that you have about your own life.

Always discuss your idea with your instructor before beginning your experiment—particularly if your research involves human participants. (Note: You'll probably need to submit a proposal and get approval from your school's institutional review board.)

At a Glance

If you are looking for an idea for psychology experiments, start your search early and make sure you have the time you need. Doing background research, choosing an experimental design, and actually performing your experiment can be quite the process. Keep reading to find some great psychology experiment ideas that can serve as inspiration. You can then find ways to adapt these ideas for your own assignments.

15 Ideas for Psychology Experiments

Most of these experiments can be performed easily at home or at school. That said, you will need to find out if you have to get approval from your teacher or from an institutional review board before getting started.

The following are some questions you could attempt to answer as part of a psychological experiment:

Are people really able to "feel like someone is watching" them ? Have some participants sit alone in a room and have them note when they feel as if they are being watched. Then, see how those results line up to your own record of when participants were actually being observed.
Can certain colors improve learning ? You may have heard teachers or students claim that printing text on green paper helps students read better, or that yellow paper helps students perform better on math exams. Design an experiment to see whether using a specific color of paper helps improve students' scores on math exams.
Can color cause physiological reactions ? Perform an experiment to determine whether certain colors cause a participant's blood pressure to rise or fall.
Can different types of music lead to different physiological responses ? Measure the heart rates of participants in response to various types of music to see if there is a difference.
Can smelling one thing while tasting another impact a person's ability to detect what the food really is ? Have participants engage in a blind taste test where the smell and the food they eat are mismatched. Ask the participants to identify the food they are trying and note how accurate their guesses are.
Could a person's taste in music offer hints about their personality ? Previous research has suggested that people who prefer certain styles of music tend to exhibit similar personality traits. Administer a personality assessment and survey participants about their musical preferences and examine your results.
Do action films cause people to eat more popcorn and candy during a movie ? Have one group of participants watch an action movie, and another group watch a slow-paced drama. Compare how much popcorn is consumed by each group.
Do colors really impact moods ? Investigate to see if the color blue makes people feel calm, or if the color red leaves them feeling agitated.
Do creative people see optical illusions differently than more analytical people ? Have participants complete an assessment to measure their level of creative thinking. Then ask participants to look at optical illusions and note what they perceive.
Do people rate individuals with perfectly symmetrical faces as more beautiful than those with asymmetrical faces ? Create sample cards with both symmetrical and asymmetrical faces and ask participants to rate the attractiveness of each picture.
Do people who use social media exhibit signs of addiction ? Have participants complete an assessment of their social media habits, then have them complete an addiction questionnaire.
Does eating breakfast help students do better in school ? According to some, eating breakfast can have a beneficial influence on school performance. For your experiment, you could compare the test scores of students who ate breakfast to those who did not.
Does sex influence short-term memory ? You could arrange an experiment that tests whether men or women are better at remembering specific types of information.
How likely are people to conform in groups ? Try this experiment to see what percentage of people are likely to conform . Enlist confederates to give the wrong response to a math problem and then see if the participants defy or conform to the rest of the group.
How much information can people store in short-term memory ? Have participants study a word list and then test their memory. Try different versions of the experiment to see which memorization strategies, like chunking or mnemonics, are most effective.

Once you have an idea, the next step is to learn more about how to conduct a psychology experiment .

Psychology Experiments on Your Interests

If none of the ideas in the list above grabbed your attention, there are other ways to find inspiration for your psychology experiments.

How do you come up with good psychology experiments? One of the most effective approaches is to look at the various problems, situations, and questions that you are facing in your own life.

You can also think about the things that interest you. Start by considering the topics you've studied in class thus far that have really piqued your interest. Then, whittle the list down to two or three major areas within psychology that seem to interest you the most.

From there, make a list of questions you have related to the topic. Any of these questions could potentially serve as an experiment idea.

Use Textbooks for Inspiration for Psychology Experiments

Your psychology textbooks are another excellent source you can turn to for experiment ideas. Choose the chapters or sections that you find particularly interesting—perhaps it's a chapter on social psychology or a section on child development.

Start by browsing the experiments discussed in your book. Then think of how you could devise an experiment related to some of the questions your text asks. The reference section at the back of your textbook can also serve as a great source for additional reference material.

Discuss Psychology Experiments with Other Students

It can be helpful to brainstorm with your classmates to gather outside ideas and perspectives. Get together with a group of students and make a list of interesting ideas, subjects, or questions you have.

The information from your brainstorming session can serve as a basis for your experiment topic. It's also a great way to get feedback on your own ideas and to determine if they are worth exploring in greater depth.

Study Classic Psychology Experiments

Taking a closer look at a classic psychology experiment can be an excellent way to trigger some unique and thoughtful ideas of your own. To start, you could try conducting your own version of a famous experiment or even updating a classic experiment to assess a slightly different question.

Famous Psychology Experiments

Examples of famous psychology experiments that might be a source of further questions you'd like to explore include:

Marshmallow test experiments
Little Albert experiment
Hawthorne effect experiments
Bystander effect experiments
Robbers Cave experiments
Halo effect experiments
Piano stairs experiment
Cognitive dissonance experiments
False memory experiments

You might not be able to replicate an experiment exactly (lots of classic psychology experiments have ethical issues that would preclude conducting them today), but you can use well-known studies as a basis for inspiration.

Review the Literature on Psychology Experiments

If you have a general idea about what topic you'd like to experiment, you might want to spend a little time doing a brief literature review before you start designing. In other words, do your homework before you invest too much time on an idea.

Visit your university library and find some of the best books and articles that cover the particular topic you are interested in. What research has already been done in this area? Are there any major questions that still need to be answered? What were the findings of previous psychology experiments?

Tackling this step early will make the later process of writing the introduction to your lab report or research paper much easier.

Ask Your Instructor About Ideas for Psychology Experiments

If you have made a good effort to come up with an idea on your own but you're still feeling stumped, it might help to talk to your instructor. Ask for pointers on finding a good experiment topic for the specific assignment. You can also ask them to suggest some other ways you could generate ideas or inspiration.

While it can feel intimidating to ask for help, your instructor should be more than happy to provide some guidance. Plus, they might offer insights that you wouldn't have gathered on your own. Your instructor probably has lots of ideas for psychology experiments that would be worth exploring.

If you need to design or conduct psychology experiments, there are plenty of great ideas (both old and new) for you to explore. Consider an idea from the list above or turn some of your own questions about the human mind and behavior into an experiment.

Before you dive in, make sure that you are observing the guidelines provided by your instructor and always obtain the appropriate permission before conducting any research with human or animal subjects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finding a topic for a research paper is much like finding an idea for an experiment. Start by considering your own interests, or browse though your textbooks for inspiration. You might also consider looking at online news stories or journal articles as a source of inspiration.

Three of the most classic social psychology experiments are:

The Asch Conformity Experiment : This experiment involved seeing if people would conform to group pressure when rating the length of a line.
The Milgram Obedience Experiment : This experiment involved ordering participants to deliver what they thought was a painful shock to another person.
The Stanford Prison Experiment : This experiment involved students replicating a prison environment to see how it would affect participant behavior.

Jakovljević T, Janković MM, Savić AM, et al. The effect of colour on reading performance in children, measured by a sensor hub: From the perspective of gender . PLoS One . 2021;16(6):e0252622. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252622

Greenberg DM, et al. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles . PLoS One. 2015;10(7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131151

Kurt S, Osueke KK. The effects of color on the moods of college students . Sage. 2014;4(1). doi:10.1177/2158244014525423

Hartline-Grafton H, Levin M. Breakfast and School-Related Outcomes in Children and Adolescents in the US: A Literature Review and its Implications for School Nutrition Policy . Curr Nutr Rep . 2022;11(4):653-664. doi:10.1007/s13668-022-00434-z

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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How games can make behavioural science better

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Bria Long is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University, California, USA.

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Andrés Buxó-Lugo is an assistant professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo, New York, USA.

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When US cognitive scientist Joshua Hartshorne was investigating how people around the world learn English, he needed to get tens of thousands of people to take a language test. He designed ‘Which English?’ , a grammar game that presented a series of tough word problems and then guessed where in the world the player learnt the language. Participants shared their results — whether accurate or not — on social media, creating a snowball effect for recruitment. The findings, based on data from almost 670,000 people, revealed that there is a ‘critical period’ for second-language learning that extends into adolescence 1 .

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Long, B., Fan, J. E., Huey, H. Chai, Z. & Frank, M. C. Preprint at PsyArXiv https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5yv7x (2021).

Buxó-Lugo, A., Toscano, J. C. & Watson, D. G. Discourse Process. 55 , 305–323 (2018).

Hilton, C. B. et al. Nature Hum. Behav. 6 , 1545–1556 (2022).

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8 Effective Social Psychology Experiments & Activities For High School Students

In school, social interaction plays a crucial role and forms the core of one’s academic life. Have you ever been curious about what others are thinking? Have you ever found yourself wondering about the thoughts and opinions of others? This is something that crosses everyone’s mind. The study of social psychology gives you a peek into some of these interesting stances.

Social psychology is a field of psychology that investigates how the social environment shapes people’s thoughts, beliefs, and behavior. By studying social psychology, one can gain a deeper understanding of people’s actions and the consequences they have. Furthermore, engaging in practical experiments and activities can make this subject even more fascinating.

In this post, you will find such engaging specific activities that will offer students valuable hands-on experience in the field of social psychology, allowing them to gain practical knowledge and insights into this fascinating subject matter.

Social psychology experiments and activities for high school students

Here are a few interesting experiments and activities for high school students to learn about social psychology :

1. Bystander effect simulation

Group of people surrounding an infured boy

The bystander effect [ 1 ] is a social psychology phenomenon that studies how an individual is unlikely to help in an urgent situation if surrounded by other people. Students can conduct experiments to study this effect in controlled settings. They can choose a social setting and select one person to pretend to need help, such as someone with a false injury struggling to cross the road or gather scattered items.

The remaining students can observe their behavior while amongst the public. This experiment aims to display the phenomenon called “diffusion of responsibility”. It will also help one understand the importance of helping people, acts of kindness , and empathetic understanding. Understanding the Bystander effect helps one understand the concept of social initiation, and can further be useful when a real social situation needs their intervention.

2. Conformity experiment

Measuring and predicting the length of a rod

People tend to change their beliefs to match what they think is normal, which is called conformity bias. An experiment can be done to test this by asking a group of students to guess the length of a rod from three choices (25 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm), with 25 cm being the correct answer.

Some students might be told to give the wrong answer (like 40 cm) and act like they are sure it’s right, giving confident explanations for the same. This creates a situation of peer pressure and social conformity, making the students want to fit in and therefore agree with the group.

Other students might start to do the same thing as well to fit in with their friends. This experiment shows how conformity bias works. It also teaches students about the effects of peer pressure and social conformity, and how acting like others can affect things like confidence.

3. The marshmallow test

The marshmallow test is a study about delaying pleasure, called delayed gratification. This happens when something else gets in the way of enjoying something right away. In an experiment such as this, immediate gratification can be understood as being given something delicious and eating it immediately. High school students can perform this experiment on preschoolers who are between three and five years old.

The students will randomly select a few children and observe them individually. Each child will be given one marshmallow at a time and will be told that they will be given one more marshmallow if they resist eating this one until the observer returns. This is the process of delayed gratification [ 2 ]

The students would then observe and note the number of kids who attempted and succeeded in doing the same, and see if it agrees with their hypothesis. This test can help the students learn the importance of delayed gratification and how one can apply it to build virtues like discipline and organization.

4. Group polarization experiments

The society contributes tremendously to forming one’s beliefs, prejudices, stereotypes, and notions. This particular experiment focuses on how societal agreements and discussions can strengthen already existing beliefs, lead them to extremities, and increase the rigidity of one’s thoughts.

These experiments can take place both in classrooms and among peer groups. The first step is for students to express their opinions on a specific societal topic, such as gender norms. Then, the teacher can split the students into pairs, each holding a different viewpoint.

The pairs will engage in discussions about the topic, sharing their personal opinions and biases. This increases their insight into the topic and open to more agreeable or disagreeable opinions. As the next step, the students will be asked their personal stance on the same topics again after the discussion.

As per the hypothesis, their opinions will be more diversely spread and will have an increased intensity. This will help them notice any changes in the level of emphasis, aggressiveness, and rigidity of their opinions before and after the discussion. This experiment helps one realize the social effect on the rigidity of one’s thought formation and how social construct plays a role in molding one’s beliefs and values to polarized extremities.

5. Mirror neurons

The brain has a fascinating component called mirror neurons. Just like mirror images, these are activated by subconsciously copying or adapting to performing any action or feeling a certain emotion, because others are doing so.

This explains why laughter can be contagious, or when your friend feels sad without any apparent reason, you begin feeling down in the dumps too. This indicates how we have the natural ability to empathize and feel others’ emotions only by imagining us being in their shoes, or even by being in the same environment as they are. Conducting experiments and activities, such as imitation, can help us understand the workings of mirror neurons.

In a classroom or peer group setting, students can choose to perform a skit based on a story they know, but they must play a character they don’t particularly like. For instance, a student who dislikes Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series may be assigned to play that character. After the skit, the students can discuss the character traits of the parts they played and the qualities they possess.

In the end, it will be seen that the students have developed a sense of understanding and empathy towards the character that they previously disliked, by being in the same character for some time. Through these exercises, the students can learn how mirror neurons foster empathy, increase understanding, and make it easier to take on different perspectives.

6. Nonverbal cues and communication

Societal construct is built in a way that puts so much emphasis on communication skills but ironically conducts it more in nonverbal ways. For high school students, it is not only important for them to be aware of its importance, but to learn it through the perspective of social psychology. This can be manifested as a learning-based class activity similar to the game of dumb charades.

In this activity, the teacher or a peer will split the students into two teams. Then, one member from each team will be chosen to stand in front of the class and be given a list of emotions to express through facial expressions. Starting with simple emotions like happiness and sadness, they will gradually move on to more complex emotions like anticipation, confusion, grief, and sarcasm.

The other team members will have to guess the nonverbal cues being portrayed by their teammates and will earn five points for every correct guess. By working together, the class can gain a better understanding of nonverbal communication and its significant impact on even the smallest interactions. This fosters collaborative engagement and teamwork, along with increasing understanding and receptive levels.

7. Foot-in-the-door experiment

The foot-in-the-door technique is derived from the English idiom that means getting an initial start to something. This technique is studied in social psychology as a strategy used usually in the corporate or marketing sector. This social phenomenon can be observed in the form of organizing an activity like role play .

The class will be split into pairs, and each pair will act out a marketing scenario. For example, they might choose to sell a skincare product. In the scenario, the salesperson will start by offering a free sample product and explaining its qualities. This small request is more likely to be accepted by the customer as it does not require much attention or effort, or any form of financial demand.

Then, the salesperson will slowly follow up by convincing the customer to buy the product after trying it and agreeing with the description. In a social situation like this, it builds pressure on the customer to maintain the same agreeable behavior as before, which is why the customer will be more likely to buy the product. This experiment helps the student learn about social conformity and how society plays a role in shaping one’s moral values, categorizing their behavior as acceptable and non-acceptable.

8. Door-in-the-face experiment

Salesperson inviting people to the event

This technique is the exact opposite of foot-in-the-door activity. In the case of a marketing strategy, it is used very smartly. High school students can conduct a social experiment with the permission and supervision of their teacher or faculty member.

The experiment involves inviting someone to a fundraiser organized by their school or institution. The students will start by making an unreasonable request, such as asking a random person to donate a thousand dollars to the charitable initiative of the fundraiser.

The person is likely to deny the request, but that denial can make the person feel guilty for responding negatively. The students will then follow up with a small request to attend the fundraiser event. This is now possible and easy for the person to agree to, and also calms down the guilt of denying the earlier request by forming an acceptable image of an agreeable person.

This experiment teaches students about the importance of social acceptability in building self-image and confidence. It also lets them get an insight into how society can play a role in both building their values and morals, while at the same time, inducing feelings of unease and guilt.

Wrapping it up

Already an intriguing subject, social psychology can be made even more fun by incorporating practical experiments and activities. The experiments done in social psychology are for observational and comprehensive purposes.

They aim to better one’s understanding of social settings and their impact on an individual’s mind, together forming a cohesive psycho-social educational experience. Additionally, students can also engage in psychology games and activities for more clarity on the subject matter. These activities will help you dive deeper into how society operates, and also get to look at it from an observer’s perspective, giving you a clear, unbiased, and non-judgmental view of social occurrences and phenomena.

James M. Hudson, & Amy Bruckman. (2004). The Bystander Effect: A Lens for understanding patterns of participation. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(2), 165–195.
Mischel Walter; Ebbesen, Ebbe B. (1970). “Attention in delay of gratification”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . 16 (2): 329–337.

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

Learning Python and PsychoPy by writing games

1 introduction.

This book will teach you programming. Hopefully, it will do so in a fun way because if there is something more satisfying than playing a video game then it is creating one. Although it is written for the course called “Python for social and experimental psychology” , my main aim is not to teach you Python per se. Python is a fantastic tool (more on this later) but it is just one of many programming languages that exist. My ultimate goal is to help you to develop general programming skills, which do not depend on a specific programming language, and make sure that you form good habits that will make your code clear, easy to read, and easy to maintain. That last part is crucial. Programming is not about writing code that works. That, obviously, must be true but it is only the minimal requirement. Programming is about writing a clear and easy-to-read code that others and, even more importantly, you-two-weeks later can understand.

1.1 Goal of the book

The goal is for you to be able to program a sophisticated experiment that can have multiple blocks and trials, various conditions, complicated visual presentation, automatic logging of data and exception handling. If this sound ambitious, it is but we will proceed in small steps in the process you will learn

variables and constants
immutable data types such as integers, floats, strings, logical values, and tuples
mutable types such as lists and dictionaries
control structures such as if-else conditional statements and loops
object-oriented programming including concepts of inheritance, duck-typing, and mixing
file operations
PsychoPy: this is not core Python but it is a prime library for psychophysical experiments and you will learn key tools that are required for programming an experiment.
Writing clear code in iterative manner
Reading (your own) code
Documenting your code
Debugging your program in VS Code

I have tried to present concepts within the context that requires them and, therefore, best explain and presents their typical usage scenarios. This means that material is spread around and is presented in the need-to-now basis. For example, the concept of lists is presented first but operations on them are presented in the later chapter both because we only need this later and to keep your feeling of being overwhelmed to within reason. This makes this book harder to use as a reference (there are excellent references out where, starting with official Python documentation ) but the hope is that by giving you bite-sized chunks of new information, it will make it easier to understand the material and integrate it with whatever you already know.

Same “distributed” logic applies to exercises. Rather than being listed at the end of each chapter, they are embedded in the text and you should do them at that time point. A lot of them are designed to clarify concepts that were presented before them by using illustrative examples, so doing them immediately would be most helpful. Same goes for coding practice, although in that case, you can read the entire material to get a “bird’s eye view” of the entire program and then read the text again, doing the coding practice.

1.2 Prerequisites

The material assumes no foreknowledge of Python or programming from the reader. Its purpose is to gradually build up your knowledge and allow you to create more and more complex games.

1.3 Why games?

The actual purpose of this course is to teach psychology and social studies students how to program experiments . That is what the real research is about. However, there is little practical difference between the two. The basic ingredients are the same and, arguably, experiments are just boring games. And, be assured, if you can program a game, you can certainly program an experiment.

1.4 Why should a psychologist learn programming?

Why should a psychologist, who is interested in people, learn how to program computers? The most obvious answer is that this is a useful skill. Being able to program gives you freedom to create an experiment that answers your research question, not an experiment that can be implemented given constraints of your software.

More importantly, at least from my point of view, learning how to program changes the way you think in general. People are smart but computers are dumb 1 . When you explain your experiment or travel plans to somebody, you can be fairly vague, make a minor mistake, even skip certain parts. People are smart so they will fill in the missing information with their knowledge, spot and correct a mistake, ask you for more information, and can improvise on their own once they encounter something that you have not covered. Computers are dumb, so you must be precise, you cannot have gray areas, you cannot leave anything to “it will figure it out once it happens” (it won’t). My personal experience, corroborated by psychologists who learned programming, is that it makes you realize just how vague and imprecise people can be without realizing it (and without you realizing this as well). Programming forces you to be precise and thorough, to plan ahead for any eventuality there might be. And this is a very useful skill by itself as it can be applied to any activity that requires planning be that an experimental design or travel arrangements.

1.5 Why Python?

There are many ways to create an experiment for psychological research. You can use drag-and-drop systems either commercial like Presentation , Experiment Builder or free like PsychoPy Bulder interface . They have a much shallower learning curve, so you can start creating and running your experiments faster. However, the simplicity of their use has a price: They are fairly limited in which stimuli you can use and how you can control the presentation schedule, conditions, feedback, etc. Typically, they allow you to extend them by programming the desired behavior but you do need to know how to program to do this (knowing Python supercharges your PsychoPy experiments). Thus, I think that while these systems, in particular PsychoPy , are great tools to quickly bang a simple experiment together, they are most useful if you understand how they create the underlying code and how you would program it yourself. Then, you will not be limited by the software, as you know you can program something the default drag-and-drop won’t allow. At the same time, you can always opt in, if drag-and-drop is sufficient but faster or use a mix of the two approaches. At the end, it is about having options and creative freedom to program an experiment that will answer your research question, not an experiment that your software allows you to program.

We will learn programming in Python, which is a great language that combines simple and clear syntax with power and ability to tackle almost any problem. In this seminar, we will concentrate on desktop experiments but you can use it for online experiments ( oTree and PsychoPy ), scientific programming ( NumPy and SciPy ), data analysis ( pandas ), machine learning ( scikit-learn ), deep learning ( keras ), website programming ( django ), computer vision ( OpenCV ), etc. Thus, Python is one of the most versatile programming tools that you can use for all stages of your research or work. And, Python is free, so you do not need to worry whether you or your future employer will be able to afford license fees (a very real problem, if you use Matlab).

1.6 Seminar-specific information

This is a material for Python for social and experimental psychology seminar as taught by me at the University of Bamberg. Each chapter covers a single game, introducing necessary ideas and is accompanied by exercises that you need to complete and submit. To pass the seminar, you will need to complete all assignments, i.e., write all the games. You do not need to complete or provide correct solutions for all the exercises to pass the course and information on how the points for exercises will be converted to an actual grade (if you need one) or “pass” will be available during the seminar.

The material is structured, so that each chapter or chapter section typically correspond to a single meeting. However, we are all different, so work at your own pace, read the material and submit assignments independently. I will provide detailed feedback for each assignment and you will have an opportunity to address issues and resubmit again with no loss of points. Note that my feedback will cover not only the actual problems with the code but the way you implemented the solution and how clean and well-documented your code is. Remember, our task is not just to learn how to program a working game but how to write a nice clear easy-to-read-and-maintain code 2 .

Very important: Do not hesitate to ask questions. If I feel that you missed the information in the material, I will point you to the exact location. If you are confused, I’ll gently prod you with questions so that you will solve your own problem. If you need more information, I’ll supply it. If you simply want to know more, ask and I’ll explain why things are the way they are or suggest what to read. If I feel that you should be able to solve the issue without my help, I’ll tell you so (although, I would still probably ask a few hinting questions).

1.7 About the material

This material is free to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives V4.0 International License .

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Building a state-of-the-art online experiment does not need to be difficult! With our editor you can visually create and run any experiment without needing to write a single line of code. The Labvanced experiment editor is built based on design principles from Experimental Psychology, which means you'll understand the system in a short time! All of your experiments structure is visible at a glance and you can play the current task to test how this looks for the participant.

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The event system enables you to create powerful interactions and dynamics within your experiment. To define an event, you can listen for user input, variable changes, audio and video events, and more. Then, simply define the actions to determine what should happen: change stimuli, read or write variables, jump to a different part of the study, and many further options. Combining triggers and actions allows for infinite complexity with a simple to use interface.

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Our calibration measures go above and beyond what other online platforms offer. With Labvanced, you can determine much more regarding the experimental parameters and the participant's online environment. Our calibration techniques include measurements of physical screen size (inch/mm), distance to screen (inch/mm), screen refresh rate (hz), CPU and CPU performance (calc/sec), whether the participant is wearing headphones (yes/no), and much more. All these parameters can be either passively recorded or used as participant inclusion criteria.

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If you aim to record precise audio or video files, using the webcam or the microphone of participants in a GDPR compliant way, then you can easily achieve that with our system. You can even record the whole screen of the participant if that matches your experimental requirements. For audio recordings we offer both uncompressed (.wav) and size efficient (.mp3) encoding formats, and all binary files can be end-to-end (PGP) encrypted for maximal data security and data privacy.

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Longitudinal studies offer deep insights into the progress and performance of subjects over time. Labvanced has several built-in mechanisms to re-identify subjects in an anonymous way, i.e. using a self generated token, or using external identifiers such as the PROLIFIC_PID, provided by our partners at Prolific. Importantly, our system then sends out several reminder emails at customizable time slots to improve return rates in longitudinal designs.

Innovative Multi User Studies

Multi-user studies, often also called multiplayer studies, are studies in which 2 or more people perform a task together. Prisoner's Dilemma or the Public Goods Game are two standard examples here, but with our system you can go way beyond that by transferring any kind of data between subjects and building truly interactive tests or even games. Our system takes care of synchronizing state/variables between people automatically, so you can just focus on building the content.

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Answers to your most important questions

Can I use Labvanced for free? Are there limitations?

Yes, you can use Labvanced completely for free but of course there are some limitations. Experiment creation will be unlimited and without any restrictions as long as you do not use more than 300MB of storage space. You can test-record as much as you want, but online recordings are limited to 10 subjects (data sets) per month. Further recordings will then be locked, but they can be unlocked for a fee. Joint experiment creation/collaboration and external data storage are not available in the free version, and study imports are limited to Labvanced studies/templates only. In short, you might be able to use it completely for free if you have more time (a few months) for the data collection or only need a very few subjects. Otherwise, the free version is a great way to familiarize yourself, before making a decision to buy a single or group license. There are also special discounts for Bachelor and Master students! Find out more about our pricing.

How can I be sure that the platform is capable of creating my experiment?

We are 99.99% sure that the answer to this question is YES it is possible because we have almost never seen a paradigm that cannot be realized with our system. Importantly, our Sample Studies Page provides you with over 30 complete paradigm studies, feature demos, and other resources that you can directly use/import to find out if your idea is workable with our system. Even more studies and resources are available in our Public Experiment Library, filled with hundreds of previous studies from other researchers. This will give you a good idea of the flexibility of Labvanced and the range of studies that are possible to create. If you have checked that and are still not sure if your idea can be accomplished with Labvanced, just reach out to us via the Live-Chat. We are always happy to help!

Can Labvanced staff help me create my study? What level of support can I expect?

First and foremost, we try to help every user be successful in building their study, irrespective of the license they have. That said, the main portion of study creation must (in most cases) be completely carried out by you. If you want us to build it for you, it will incur additional costs of 50 Euro/hour of work we put into it. Furthermore, it is important to mention that the general level of support we can provide also depends on your commitment to us, i.e. the type of license you have. We will try to help all users by answering the Live-Chat requests and emails, but at times when we are busy, we have to prioritize based on user licenses. For instance, for group license owners, we give free bi-yearly consultation sessions, and in general we try to fix problems for them by actively supervising studies and logging into their experiments if required. This cannot be done for all users at all times.

What makes Labvanced different from other online platforms?

The main strength of our platform is the simultaneous combination of user-friendliness and offering powerful technological features. Labvanced is built around concepts and terminology of experimental psychology, so it will be especially easy for psychologists to pick up on how things work. Furthermore, we are a team of technology enthusiasts, committed to pushing the boundaries of what kind of online experiments are possible. The best example of this is our self-built webcam eye-tracking technology, with an improvement of 300-400% in accuracy compared to existing technologies like Webgazer.

Where do I find publications/previous work using Labvanced? How can I cite Labvanced?

We try to stay up to date regarding people citing our platform, and we are nearing a total of 100 citations from peer-reviewed journals! However not every work is published and some people also forgot to cite us in the past. A recent overview of citations mentioning Labvanced can be found here (please let us know if we missed your study/publication on the list). There, you will also find a publication that can be used to cite us / Labvanced as a platform. Even more importantly, we are currently preparing two new manuscripts (expected publication dates are Q4 2022 and Q1 2023). These two important studies will review all of our platform's features and our cutting-edge eye-tracking technology, respectively. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

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How to Become an Experimental Psychologist

Become an Experimental Psychologist

Exploring the depths of human cognition and behavior, experimental psychologists embody passion, dedication, and knowledge. The journey begins with a bachelor’s degree to form a foundation in the field’s theories and concepts.

Master’s and Ph.D. degrees offer the chance to specialize in cognitive, social, or developmental psychology . To apply knowledge to real-world settings, hands-on research projects and internships are key.

Staying current on new discoveries is essential for experimental psychologists. Reading publications and attending seminars and conferences is a great way to stay informed.

In conclusion, it takes unwavering dedication to become an experimental psychologist. Academic pursuits, practical experience, and engagement with the latest advancements can lead to an exciting career fueled by boundless intellectual curiosity.

What is an experimental psychologist?

An experimental psychologist explores the ins and outs of the human mind. They use research methods to analyze behavior and cognition to gain new insights. By conducting experiments, collecting data, and analyzing outcomes, they contribute to our knowledge of human behavior and mental processes.

Experimental psychologists utilize different tactics to examine psychological phenomena. Through controlled experiments, they modify variables to observe their effect on behavior or cognitive processes. This lets them establish cause and effect relationships and draw scientific conclusions. Their work is not limited to the laboratory as they often collaborate with professionals in disciplines such as neuroscience or social psychology.

To become an experimental psychologist, a robust understanding of research methodology and statistical analysis is essential. Prospective researchers typically pursue advanced degrees in psychology, concentrating on experimental or cognitive psychology. These programs provide intensive training in conducting empirical studies and interpreting data.

In addition, gaining practical experience through internships or research assistantships can be advantageous for aspiring experimental psychologists. Working with experienced researchers allows individuals to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios while improving their analytical capabilities.

Educational requirements to become an experimental psychologist

To pursue a career as an experimental psychologist, one must meet certain educational requirements. These requirements typically include completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field, followed by obtaining a master’s degree in experimental psychology.

Bachelor’s Degree: A foundational step in becoming an experimental psychologist is earning a bachelor’s degree. This degree should ideally be in psychology or a closely related field, providing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.
Master’s Degree: Once a bachelor’s degree is obtained, aspiring experimental psychologists usually go on to pursue a master’s degree in experimental psychology. This advanced degree allows for more specialized studies and research in the field.
Research Skills: In addition to formal education, aspiring experimental psychologists should develop strong research skills. This includes familiarity with research methods, statistical analysis, and experimental design.
Practical Experience: Gaining practical experience through internships or research assistantships can greatly enhance one’s qualifications as an experimental psychologist. This hands-on experience allows individuals to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Graduate Studies: For those looking to further their career and expertise in experimental psychology, pursuing a doctoral degree is a common path. A Ph.D. in experimental psychology provides the highest level of education and opens up opportunities for teaching, research, and leadership positions.

It is important to note that while these are general educational requirements, specific job positions and organizations may have additional or more specific qualifications. Always research and consult individual job postings and program requirements to ensure the necessary qualifications are met.

Here’s your chance to prove that all those hours spent pretending to analyze your friends’ behaviors actually paid off.

Undergraduate degree in psychology

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is the first step to becoming an experimental psychologist . This program gives students the knowledge and skills they need. Here are five important things about an undergraduate degree in psychology :

Core coursework : Students study different areas of psychology, including cognitive, social, developmental, and abnormal psychology . These classes help understand human behavior and mental processes.
Research opportunities : Undergraduate programs offer students chances to do research with faculty members. This helps them get practical knowledge and research skills.
Statistical analysis : Learning to analyze research findings is key to a psychology degree. Students learn to use software like SPSS to analyze data from psychological experiments.
Psychological assessments : Understanding how to give and interpret psychological tests is important. Students learn about tests like personality tests, intelligence tests, and behavioral inventories.
Communication skills : Communication is essential in psychology. Courses in writing and speaking help develop communication skills for presenting research findings and working with clients.

An undergraduate degree in psychology gives many career options, such as counseling and social work. Sarah’s experience is a good example. She got a bachelor’s degree in psychology and did research on memory and decision-making. This deepened her understanding of experimental methods and showed her commitment to the field.

After graduating, Sarah got a job as a research assistant at a research institute, where she worked with experienced experimental psychologists. Her success story shows that an undergraduate degree in psychology can lead to great career opportunities in the field of experimental psychology.

Graduate degree in experimental psychology

A graduate degree in experimental psychology is essential for becoming an accomplished experimental psychologist. This advanced program gives students the knowledge and skills they need to research, analyze data, and develop theories in psychology.

Aspiring experimental psychologists delve into human behavior, cognition, and emotion during their studies. They learn cutting-edge research methods and experimental designs to investigate psychological phenomena with precision. By studying theoretical frameworks and empirical studies, students build a solid base in the scientific principles that underpin experimental psychology.

Plus, graduate programs in experimental psychology offer ample opportunities for hands-on experience. Many programs involve research projects or internships, where students can work with experienced researchers and put their knowledge to use. Such experiences help to sharpen their analytical skills and critical thinking abilities.

Also noteworthy, pursuing a graduate degree in experimental psychology opens up many career paths. Graduates may go on to be professors or researchers at universities or research institutions, or work in clinical, organizational, or forensic psychology. This degree gives individuals the flexibility to apply their expertise across various domains of psychology.

Pro Tip: To do well in a graduate program in experimental psychology, take part in research opportunities and seek mentorship from experienced professionals. Creating a strong network early on can lead to collaborations and professional growth after graduation.

Specialized training and research experience

Get ready to go crazy! To become an experimental psychologist , one must earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field, and then pursue a master’s degree in experimental psychology or a specialized subfield.

Practical experience is also key – gain hands-on experience by working as a research assistant under experienced psychologists, and acquire practical knowledge through conducting experiments in laboratory settings. Statistical software and data analysis techniques are essential for interpreting findings.

Participate in conferences, workshops, and seminars to stay up-to-date on trends and research methods. Collaborating with other professionals can also be beneficial for enhancing one’s expertise. Independent research projects or partnering with professors can demonstrate dedication and passion for the field, while providing invaluable experience.

So, get ready to go wild and pave the way for a successful career in this fascinating field of experimental psychology!

Skills and qualities needed to excel as an experimental psychologist

To excel as an experimental psychologist, certain skills and qualities are required. These include:

Proficiency in conducting controlled experiments using scientifically validated methodologies.
Strong analytical skills to accurately interpret experimental data and draw meaningful conclusions.
Critical thinking abilities to design research studies that address specific hypotheses and research questions.
Excellent problem-solving skills to overcome challenges and implement effective solutions during experiments.
Effective communication skills to convey research findings and methodologies to both scientific and non-scientific audiences.
Attention to detail and meticulousness in data collection, analysis, and documentation.

Furthermore, it is important for experimental psychologists to possess a deep understanding of statistical analysis techniques and methods, as well as the ability to use advanced research tools and equipment.

A unique aspect of excelling as an experimental psychologist is the continuous pursuit of knowledge through staying updated with the latest research in the field. By actively engaging in professional development opportunities, such as attending conferences and workshops or collaborating with fellow researchers, experimental psychologists can further enhance their expertise and contribute valuable insights to the field.

A true fact related to the skills required for experimental psychologists is that according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , individuals who exhibit higher levels of cognitive flexibility tend to perform better in experimental psychology tasks.

Who needs a crystal ball when you can analyze minds and unravel human behavior as an experimental psychologist?

Strong analytical and research skills

Analytical skills help experimental psychologists make smart decisions about study design. They also need research skills to review the newest findings in the field. Analyzing data requires strong statistical knowledge and data interpretation abilities. Problem-solving and attention to detail are essential for an experimental psychologist. It’s also important to think creatively, so as to develop innovative questions and experiments. All of this contributes to advancing knowledge in the field and improving individual’s lives.

A great example of the importance of analytical and research skills is Dr. Jane Thompson . She was studying cognitive aging when she stumbled upon unexpected results. With her analytical skills, she identified potential confounding variables that impacted her findings. Resulting from her meticulous analysis and experiments, she discovered a complex relationship between physical activity levels and cognitive decline in older people – a breakthrough!

Attention to detail

Attention to detail is essential for experimental psychologists. Let’s look at some of the areas that require this skill.

Data analysis involves examining large data sets for patterns and correlations. Without careful attention, important information could be missed.

Experimental design requires considering every variable and controlling for confounding factors. Attention to detail ensures the results are valid and reliable.

Accurate record keeping is also crucial. Every observation, measurement, and result must be documented. Attention to detail guarantees nothing is overlooked or misrepresented.

It’s clear why attention to detail is valued in the field. In an age of information overload, detail-oriented researchers stand out. Focusing on the minutiae can lead to breakthroughs and a successful career. Embrace the power of attention to detail—it could be your ticket to success! Solving complex puzzles is the name of the game—just don’t expect to find the answers in a cereal box!

Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities

Critical thinking and problem-solving are key components in experimental psychology. Analytical skills, creativity, and flexibility are necessary for success.

Analytical skills involve breaking down problems and recognizing cause-effect relationships. Creativity allows thinking outside the box and generating new ideas. Flexibility is important for adapting strategies and dealing with uncertainty.

Experimental psychologists need these skills to design experiments, analyze data, and interpret results. They also help overcome any hiccups during the research process.

Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities let professionals identify variables which may influence their experiments’ outcomes. This helps ensure valid conclusions and research integrity.

So, if you’re ready for a wild ride in the world of experimental psychology, buckle up!

Job prospects and career opportunities in experimental psychology

Experimental psychology is an intriguing field with lots of opportunities. You can work in academia doing research or in industries like healthcare, marketing, and technology. As an experimental psychologist , you could be studying, analyzing data, and discovering things about human behavior . It’s a continuously growing field, making it an enticing choice for those interested in understanding the complex mind.

Academic research is typically connected to experimental psychology, but it goes beyond the laboratory. With a foundation in research methodology and stats, these psychologists are highly sought after in many industries. Their knowledge of human cognition and behavior helps in product development, user experience design, and market research.

In addition to traditional paths, some experiment psychologists are consultants or have their own private practice. They draw on their knowledge and research skills to give clients helpful solutions to difficult problems. They can aid people with mental health issues or give advice to businesses on employee wellness strategies. Their expertise is very important for society’s overall well-being.

True History: Wilhelm Wundt started the first psychological lab at the University of Leipzig in the late 1800s. This changed psychology from philosophy to empirical inquiry. Through experiments on introspection and perception, Wundt opened the door for future generations to explore the mysteries of the mind. His impact is still seen in this thriving field today. So, don’t worry, becoming an experimental psychologist is all fun and games until someone loses their control group!

Tips for aspiring experimental psychologists

Climbing the ladder to become an experimental psychologist takes dedication and a firm understanding of the field. Heed these tips for help:

Stay curious and ask questions. It’s essential to have a passion for inquiring and investigating. Nurture a curiosity, learn to ask thought-provoking questions that will support research.
Strengthen analytical skills. Analyzing data and making valid conclusions is a big part of being an experimental psychologist. Advance your math and stats abilities to make sense of experiments.
Get research experience. Practical experience is key in this field. Look for chances to collaborate or conduct your own experiments under a pro. This experience will aid you in understanding the scientific process.

Plus, networking with pros can give insights and access to research collaborations or job openings.

Fascinating fact: Wilhelm Wundt, aka “father of experimental psychology,” was one of the first to use lab methods to study mental processes.

Conclusion: If you love trying to figure out why people act strange, wait until you become an experimental psychologist and start doing strange things yourself!

We’ve gone deep into what it takes to be an experimental psychologist . We’ve looked at the education and skills necessary, as well as prospects and job outlook. Plus, the value of internships and research assistant positions.

Here are a few tips to help you along the way:

Keep learning – attend conferences, workshops, and seminars related to your field of interest.
Get hands-on experience – team up with professors or researchers in universities or contact organizations that do psychological research. You’ll pick up practical skills and make useful connections.
Network – join professional organizations or online forums and get mentoring, collaborations and resources.
Improve communication – communicate your research findings and insights to both academic and public audiences. And work on your scientific writing skills to get research papers published and contribute to psychology knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is experimental psychology?

Experimental psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on studying human behavior and cognitive processes through research methods and experiments. It involves designing, conducting, and analyzing experiments to understand how people think, learn, perceive, and behave in various situations.

2. How long does it take to become an experimental psychologist?

The path to becoming an experimental psychologist typically requires earning a Ph.D. in Psychology, which can take around 5-7 years to complete. This includes completing a bachelor’s degree (4 years) followed by a master’s degree (2-3 years) and then a doctoral program (3-4 years).

3. What qualifications do I need to become an experimental psychologist?

To become an experimental psychologist, you typically need to obtain a doctoral degree in experimental psychology or a related field. Prior to that, you will need a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. Additionally, gaining research experience through internships or working under a faculty member can be beneficial.

4. What skills are important for an experimental psychologist?

Some of the essential skills for an experimental psychologist include critical thinking, analytical skills, research design and statistical analysis skills, strong communication and writing abilities, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. Proficiency in using computer software for data analysis is also important.

5. What career opportunities are available for experimental psychologists?

Experimental psychologists can pursue careers in academia, research institutions, government agencies, and private industries. They can work as researchers, professors, consultants, or program evaluators. They may also contribute to fields such as human factors, neuropsychology, or cognitive psychology.

6. How much do experimental psychologists earn?

The salary of an experimental psychologist can vary depending on factors such as level of education, years of experience, and the job setting. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for psychologists, including experimental psychologists, was $82,180 as of May 2020.

Experimental Psychology Resources

American Psychological Association – Experimental Psychology : The APA provides resources and support for a variety of fields in psychology, including experimental psychology.
The Journal of Experimental Psychology : This journal, published by the APA, covers empirical research on topics in experimental psychology.
Experimental Psychology (Textbook) : This textbook provides an introduction to experimental psychology.
Society for Experimental Psychologists : The SEP is an organization that seeks to advance and communicate scientific research in experimental psychology.
British Journal of Psychology : This journal covers all branches of psychology, including experimental psychology.
The Experimental Psychology Society : The EPS is a UK-based society that promotes the advancement of scientific research within the field of experimental psychology.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General : This journal publishes articles describing empirical work that bridges the traditional interests of two or more communities of psychology.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology : This journal focuses on original empirical work in all areas of experimental social psychology.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology : This journal publishes innovative empirical research on several aspects of child development.
Frontiers in Psychology – Experimental Psychology : Frontiers in Psychology is an open-access journal that hosts several specialty sections, including Experimental Psychology.
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What Is Experimental Psychology?

The science of psychology spans several fields. There are dozens of disciplines in psychology, including abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology and social psychology.

One way to view these fields is to separate them into two types: applied vs. experimental psychology. These groups describe virtually any type of work in psychology.

The following sections explore what experimental psychology is and some examples of what it covers.

Experimental psychology seeks to explore and better understand behavior through empirical research methods. This work allows findings to be employed in real-world applications (applied psychology) across fields such as clinical psychology, educational psychology, forensic psychology, sports psychology, and social psychology. Experimental psychology is able to shed light on people’s personalities and life experiences by examining what the way people behave and how behavior is shaped throughout life, along with other theoretical questions. The field looks at a wide range of behavioral topics including sensation, perception, attention, memory, cognition, and emotion, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

Research is the focus of experimental psychology. Using scientific methods to collect data and perform research, experimental psychology focuses on certain questions, and, one study at a time, reveals information that contributes to larger findings or a conclusion. Due to the breadth and depth of certain areas of study, researchers can spend their entire careers looking at a complex research question.

Experimental Psychology in Action

The APA writes about one experimental psychologist, Robert McCann, who is now retired after 19 years working at NASA. During his time at NASA, his work focused on the user experience — on land and in space — where he applied his expertise to cockpit system displays, navigation systems, and safety displays used by astronauts in NASA spacecraft. McCann’s knowledge of human information processing allowed him to help NASA design shuttle displays that can increase the safety of shuttle missions. He looked at human limitations of attention and display processing to gauge what people can reliably see and correctly interpret on an instrument panel. McCann played a key role in helping determining the features of cockpit displays without overloading the pilot or taxing their attention span.

“One of the purposes of the display was to alert the astronauts to the presence of a failure that interrupted power in a specific region,” McCann said, “The most obvious way to depict this interruption was to simply remove (or dim) the white line(s) connecting the affected components. Basic research on visual attention has shown that humans do not notice the removal of a display feature very easily when the display is highly cluttered. We are much better at noticing a feature or object that is suddenly added to a display.” McCann utilized his knowledge in experimental psychology to research and develop this very important development for NASA.

Valve Corporation

Another experimental psychologist, Mike Ambinder, uses his expertise to help design video games. He is a senior experimental psychologist at Valve Corporation, a video game developer and developer of the software distribution platform Steam. Ambinder told Orlando Weekly that his career working on gaming hits such as Portal 2 and Left 4 Dead “epitomizes the intersection between scientific innovation and electronic entertainment.” His career started when he gave a presentation to Valve on applying psychology to game design; this occurred while he was finishing his PhD in experimental design. “I’m very lucky to have landed at a company where freedom and autonomy and analytical decision-making are prized,” he said. “I realized how fortunate I was to work for a company that would encourage someone with a background in psychology to see what they could contribute in a field where they had no prior experience.”

Ambinder spends his time on data analysis, hardware research, play-testing methodologies, and on any aspect of games where knowledge of human behavior could be useful. Ambinder described Valve’s process for refining a product as straightforward. “We come up with a game design (our hypothesis), and we place it in front of people external to the company (our play-test or experiment). We gather their feedback, and then iterate and improve the design (refining the theory). It’s essentially the scientific method applied to game design, and the end result is the consequence of many hours of applying this process.” To gather play-test data, Ambinder is engaged in the newer field of biofeedback technology, which can quantify gamers’ enjoyment. His research looks at unobtrusive measurements of facial expressions that can achieve such goals. Ambinder is also examining eye-tracking as a next-generation input method.

Pursue Your Career Goals in Psychology

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The 11 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History

The history of psychology is marked by groundbreaking experiments that transformed our understanding of the human mind. These 11 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History stand out as pivotal, offering profound insights into behaviour, cognition, and the complexities of human nature.

In this PsychologyOrg article, we’ll explain these key experiments, exploring their impact on our understanding of human behaviour and the intricate workings of the mind.

Experimental psychology.

Experimental psychology is a branch of psychology that uses scientific methods to study human behaviour and mental processes. Researchers in this field design experiments to test hypotheses about topics such as perception, learning, memory, emotion, and motivation.

They use a variety of techniques to measure and analyze behaviour and mental processes, including behavioural observations, self-report measures, physiological recordings, and computer simulations. The findings of experimental psychology studies can have important implications for a wide range of fields, including education, healthcare, and public policy.

Experimental Psychology, Psychologists have long tried to gain insight into how we perceive the world, to understand what motivates our behavior. They have made great strides in lifting that veil of mystery. In addition to providing us with food for stimulating party conversations, some of the most famous psychological experiments of the last century reveal surprising and universal truths about nature.

11 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History

Throughout the history of psychology, revolutionary experiments have reshaped our comprehension of the human mind. These 11 experiments are pivotal, providing deep insights into human behaviour, cognition, and the intricate facets of human nature.

1. Kohler and the Chimpanzee experiment

Wolfgang Kohler studied the insight process by observing the behaviour of chimpanzees in a problem situation. In the experimental situation, the animals were placed in a cage outside of which food, for example, a banana, was stored. There were other objects in the cage, such as sticks or boxes. The animals participating in the experiment were hungry, so they needed to get to the food. At first, the chimpanzee used sticks mainly for playful activities; but suddenly, in the mind of the hungry chimpanzee, a relationship between sticks and food developed.

The cane, from an object to play with, became an instrument through which it was possible to reach the banana placed outside the cage. There has been a restructuring of the perceptual field: Kohler stressed that the appearance of the new behaviour was not the result of random attempts according to a process of trial and error. It is one of the first experiments on the intelligence of chimpanzees.

2. Harlow’s experiment on attachment with monkeys

In a scientific paper (1959), Harry F. Harlow described how he had separated baby rhesus monkeys from their mothers at birth, and raised them with the help of “puppet mothers”: in a series of experiments he compared the behavior of monkeys in two situations:

Little monkeys with a puppet mother without a bottle, but covered in a soft, fluffy, and furry fabric. Little monkeys with a “puppet” mother that supplied food, but was covered in wire. The little monkeys showed a clear preference for the “furry” mother, spending an average of fifteen hours a day attached to her, even though they were exclusively fed by the “suckling” puppet mother. conclusions of the Harlow experiment: all the experiments showed that the pleasure of contact elicited attachment behaviours, but the food did not.

3. The Strange Situation by Mary Ainsworth

Building on Bowlby’s attachment theory, Mary Ainsworth and colleagues (1978) have developed an experimental method called the Strange Situation, to assess individual differences in attachment security. The Strange Situation includes a series of short laboratory episodes in a comfortable environment and the child’s behaviors are observed.

Ainsworth and colleagues have paid special attention to the child’s behaviour at the time of reunion with the caregiver after a brief separation, thus identifying three different attachment patterns or styles, so called from that moment on. kinds of attachment according to Mary Ainsworth:

Secure attachment (63% of the dyads examined) Anxious-resistant or ambivalent (16%) Avoidant (21%) The Strange Situation by Mary Ainsworth

In a famous 1971 experiment, known as the Stanford Prison, Zimbardo and a team of collaborators reproduced a prison in the garages of Stanford University to study the behaviour of subjects in a context of very particular and complex dynamics. Let’s see how it went and the thoughts on the Stanford prison experiment. The participants (24 students) were randomly divided into two groups:

“ Prisoners “. The latter were locked up in three cells in the basement of a University building for six days; they were required to wear a white robe with a paper over it and a chain on the right ankle. “ Guards “. The students who had the role of prison guards had to watch the basement, choose the most appropriate methods to maintain order, and make the “prisoners” perform various tasks; they were asked to wear dark glasses and uniforms, and never to be violent towards the participants of the opposite role. However, the situation deteriorated dramatically: the fake police officers very soon began to seriously mistreat and humiliate the “detainees”, so it was decided to discontinue the experiment.

4. Jane Elliot’s Blue Eyes Experiment

On April 5, 1968, in a small school in Riceville, Iowa, Professor Jane Elliot decided to give a practical lesson on racism to 28 children of about eight years of age through the blue eyes brown eyes experiment.

“Children with brown eyes are the best,” the instructor began. “They are more beautiful and intelligent.” She wrote the word “melanin” on the board and explained that it was a substance that made people intelligent. Dark-eyed children have more, so they are more intelligent, while blue-eyed children “go hand in hand.”

In a very short time, the brown-eyed children began to treat their blue-eyed classmates with superiority, who in turn lost their self-confidence. A very good girl started making mistakes during arithmetic class, and at recess, she was approached by three little friends with brown eyes “You have to apologize because you get in their way and because we are the best,” said one of them. The girl hastened to apologize. This is one of the psychosocial experiments demonstrating how beliefs and prejudices play a role.

5. The Bobo de Bbandura doll

Albert Bandura gained great fame for the Bobo doll experiment on child imitation aggression, where:

A group of children took as an example, by visual capacity, the adults in a room, without their behaviour being commented on, hit the Bobo doll. Other contemporaries, on the other hand, saw adults sitting, always in absolute silence, next to Bobo.

Finally, all these children were brought to a room full of toys, including a doll like Bobo. Of the 10 children who hit the doll, 8 were those who had seen it done before by an adult. This explains how if a model that we follow performs a certain action, we are tempted to imitate it and this happens especially in children who still do not have the experience to understand for themselves if that behaviour is correct or not.

6. Milgram’s experiment

The Milgram experiment was first carried out in 1961 by psychologist Stanley Milgram, as an investigation into the degree of our deference to authority. A subject is invited to give an electric shock to an individual playing the role of the student, positioned behind a screen when he does not answer a question correctly. An authorized person then tells the subject to gradually increase the intensity of the shock until the student screams in pain and begs to stop.

No justification is given, except for the fact that the authorized person tells the subject to obey. In reality, it was staged: there was absolutely no electric shock given, but in the experiment two-thirds of the subjects were influenced by what they thought was a 450-volt shock, simply because a person in authority told them they would not be responsible for it. nothing.

7. little Albert

We see little Albert’s experiment on unconditioned stimulus, which must be the most famous psychological study. John Watson and Rosalie Raynor showed a white laboratory rat to a nine-month-old boy, little Albert. At first, the boy showed no fear, but then Watson jumped up from behind and made him flinch with a sudden noise by hitting a metal bar with a hammer. Of course, the noise frightened little Albert, who began to cry.

Every time the rat was brought out, Watson and Raynor would rattle the bar with their hammer to scare the poor boy away. Soon the mere sight of the rat was enough to reduce little Albert to a trembling bundle of nerves: he had learned to fear the sight of a rat, and soon afterwards began to fear a series of similar objects shown to him.

8. Pavlov’s dog

Ivan Pavlov’s sheepdog became famous for his experiments that led him to discover what we call “classical conditioning” or “Pavlovian reflex” and is still a very famous psychological experiment today. Hardly any other psychological experiment is cited so often and with such gusto as Pavlov’s theory expounded in 1905: the Russian physiologist had been impressed by the fact that his dogs did not begin to drool at the sight of food, but rather when they heard it. to the laboratory employees who took it away.

He researched it and ordered a buzzer to ring every time it was mealtime. Very soon the sound of the doorbell was enough for the dogs to start drooling: they had connected the signal to the arrival of food.

9. Asch’s experiment

It is about a social psychology experiment carried out in 1951 by the Polish psychologist Solomon Asch on the influence of the majority and social conformity.

The experiment is based on the idea that being part of a group is a sufficient condition to change a person’s actions, judgments, and visual perceptions. The very simple experiment consisted of asking the subjects involved to associate line 1 drawn on a white sheet with the corresponding one, choosing between three different lines A, B, and C present on another sheet. Only one was identical to the other, while the other two were longer or shorter.

The experimentation was carried out in three phases. As soon as one of the subjects, Asch’s accomplice gave a wrong answer associating line 1 with the wrong one, the other members of the group also made the same mistake, even though the correct answer was more than obvious. The participants questioned the reason for this choice and responded that aware of the correct answer, they had decided to conform to the group, adapting to those who had preceded them.

psychotherapy definition types and techniques | Psychotherapy vs therapy Psychologyorg.com

10. Rosenbaum’s experiment

Among the most interesting investigations in this field, an experiment carried out by David Rosenhan (1923) to document the low validity of psychiatric diagnoses stands out. Rosenhan admitted eight assistants to various psychiatric hospitals claiming psychotic symptoms, but once they entered the hospital they behaved as usual.

Despite this, they were held on average for 19 days, with all but one being diagnosed as “psychotic”. One of the reasons why the staff is not aware of the “normality” of the subjects, is, according to Rosenhan, the very little contact between the staff and the patients.

11. Bystander Effect (1968)

The Bystander Effect studied in 1968 after the tragic case of Kitty Genovese, explores how individuals are less likely to intervene in emergencies when others are present. The original research by John Darley and Bibb Latané involved staged scenarios where participants believed they were part of a discussion via intercom.

In the experiment, participants were led to believe they were communicating with others about personal problems. Unknown to them, the discussions were staged, and at a certain point, a participant (confederate) pretended to have a seizure or needed help.

The results were startling. When participants believed they were the sole witness to the emergency, they responded quickly and sought help. However, when they thought others were also present (but were confederates instructed to not intervene), the likelihood of any individual offering help significantly decreased. This phenomenon became known as the Bystander Effect.

The diffusion of responsibility, where individuals assume others will take action, contributes to this effect. The presence of others creates a diffusion of responsibility among bystanders, leading to a decreased likelihood of any single individual taking action.

This experiment highlighted the social and psychological factors influencing intervention during emergencies and emphasized the importance of understanding bystander behaviour in critical situations.

The journey through the “11 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History” illuminates the profound impact these studies have had on our understanding of human behaviour, cognition, and social dynamics.

Each experiment stands as a testament to the dedication of pioneering psychologists who dared to delve into the complexities of the human mind. From Milgram’s obedience studies to Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment, these trials have shaped not only the field of psychology but also our societal perceptions and ethical considerations in research.

They serve as timeless benchmarks, reminding us of the ethical responsibilities and the far-reaching implications of delving into the human psyche. The enduring legacy of these experiments lies not only in their scientific contributions but also in the ethical reflections they provoke, urging us to navigate the boundaries of knowledge with caution, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to understanding the intricacies of our humanity.

What is the most famous experiment in the history of psychology?

One of the most famous experiments is the Milgram Experiment, conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s. It investigated obedience to authority figures and remains influential in understanding human behaviour.

Who wrote the 25 most influential psychological experiments in history?

The book “The 25 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History” was written by Michael Shermer, a science writer and historian of science.

What is the history of experimental psychology?

Experimental psychology traces back to Wilhelm Wundt, often considered the father of experimental psychology. He established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 at the University of Leipzig, marking the formal beginning of experimental psychology as a distinct field.

What was the psychological experiment in the 1960s?

Many significant psychological experiments were conducted in the 1960s. One notable example is the Stanford Prison Experiment led by Philip Zimbardo, which examined the effects of situational roles on behaviour.

Who was the first experimental psychologist?

Wilhelm Wundt is often regarded as the first experimental psychologist due to his establishment of the first psychology laboratory and his emphasis on empirical research methods in psychology.

If you want to read more articles similar to The 11 Most Influential Psychological Experiments in History , we recommend that you enter our Psychology category.

I'm Waqar, a passionate psychologist and dedicated content writer. With a deep interest in understanding human behavior, I aim to share insights and knowledge in the field of psychology through this blog. Feel free to reach out for collaborations, queries, or discussions. Let's dig into the fascinating world of psychology together!

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Experimental Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews)

Every theory and application in psychology can be traced back to the work of a psychologist. However, the roles and focuses of psychologists can vary widely. While some primarily apply established theories and work directly with patients, others are more involved in the genesis and testing of new theories, relying on intuition and empirical research to validate their insights. That said, many psychologists often blend both roles, applying theories in practical settings while simultaneously questioning and refining them based on their observations and experiences.

For those with a keen interest in the investigative aspects of the discipline, a career in experimental psychology may be the ideal path. Though it may not resemble the "typical" psychology career, experimental psychology is pivotal in ensuring the field remains dynamic, ever-evolving, and rooted in the latest insights and perspectives. Dive deeper to understand what it entails to become an experimental psychologist, the prerequisites for entering this niche, and how you can embark on this intriguing journey.

What does an Experimental Psychologist Do?

Experimental psychologists use the scientific method to test out different theories or questions they or others have developed in psychology. An experimental psychologist may spend their entire career attempting to answer one question, as one set of data or one study may not be enough to answer psychology’s larger questions.

Experimental psychologists may use data, surveys, focus groups, or other various experiments to seek out the answers that shape their careers. Many factors must be considered when these experiments are taken, especially regarding psychology. Motives, background, perception, and the diversity of subjects all come into play and shape the results of a study, survey, or experiment.

Job Requirements

You must know what you’re talking about to earn grant money for research. Experimental psychologists start by earning their doctorate in experimental psychology or another approach to psychology that might shape their experiments. Through this work, an experimental psychologist will build up their resume by working under other experimental psychologists and contributing to research that may be published. With enough credentials and by answering the questions that spark interest, an experimental psychologist may find work at a college or university and conduct their experiments using grant money or on the school’s dime.

Salary (How Much Do Experimental Psychologists Make?)

A well-respected experimental psychologist can live a comfortable life while answering the world’s biggest questions, but this salary is not guaranteed to all. Remember, your doctorate is usually the minimum requirement to conduct research at a university or in an esteemed research center. These salaries reflect experimental psychologists who have completed these degrees and are currently working to answer the questions they or others in their field have.


Economic Research Institute		$96,610
ZipRecruiter	$17,500	$62,493	$138,500
Salary.com	$73,459	$97,711	$122,148
VeryWellMind		$92,000

Schools for Experimental Psychology Degrees

Choosing the right educational institution becomes paramount when diving into experimental psychology. The reputation and quality of the program you attend can influence recognition from leaders in the field and potential research funding opportunities. Here are some top universities renowned for their experimental psychology programs, accompanied by a brief description of what makes them stand out:

The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI): Renowned for its extensive research facilities and faculty of leading researchers in the field.
Harvard University (Cambridge, MA): Harvard's storied history in psychology research and its vast resources offer students unparalleled research opportunities.
Yale University (New Haven, CT): Boasts a collaborative environment where students frequently work across disciplines to push the boundaries of psychological research.
Stanford University (Stanford, CA): Known for fostering innovation and emphasizing combining theoretical and applied research in psychology.
The University of South Carolina - Columbia (Columbia, SC): Recognized for its commitment to exploring diverse psychological phenomena and its strong community of researchers.
Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN): Offers state-of-the-art labs and facilities and a curriculum rooted in traditional and emerging psychological research areas.
University of Rochester (Rochester, NY): Celebrated for its research-intensive approach and a close-knit academic community that promotes collaborative studies.
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL): Holds a legacy of groundbreaking research in psychology and offers a rich environment for interdisciplinary studies.
University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI): Prides itself on its hands-on research opportunities and a curriculum that emphasizes real-world application of experimental findings.
Texas State University (San Marcos, TX): Offers a comprehensive program that blends rigorous academic training with practical research experiences, preparing students for diverse careers in psychology.

When choosing a school, always consider factors such as faculty expertise, research facilities, and the specific areas of experimental psychology the program emphasizes.

Companies That Hire Experimental Psychologists

Where do experimental psychologists work? There are a lot of options! Many organizations have questions that experimental psychologists can attempt to answer through data collection and research. Any of the following organizations could put out a job listing for an experimental psychologist to work in-house or with various clients:

Research centers
Colleges and universities
Government agencies
Private businesses

Research Opportunities in Experimental Psychology: From Assistant to Director

Experimental psychology isn't just limited to conducting experiments; it's also deeply intertwined with the broader world of research in psychology. Whether just starting in the field or aiming for leadership positions, there are many opportunities to delve into research. Here's a closer look at the potential roles within this realm:

Research Psychologist: At the heart of experimental psychology is the Research Psychologist. They are responsible for designing, executing, and interpreting experiments that answer vital questions within the field of psychology. Their work often involves:

Formulating research questions or hypotheses.
Designing experimental studies or surveys.
Collecting and analyzing data using statistical tools.
Publishing their findings in reputable journals.
Collaborating with other psychologists and professionals from various disciplines.

Research Assistant: This role is often an entry-level position, ideal for those new to the field or currently undergoing their graduate studies. Research Assistants play a crucial role in supporting the execution of experiments. Their tasks often include:

Assisting in data collection may involve conducting interviews, administering tests, or managing focus groups.
Data entry and preliminary analysis.
Literature reviews to support the groundwork for experiments.
Assisting in the preparation of research papers or presentations.

Research Director: This senior role is often found within larger research institutions, universities, or corporations. A Research Director oversees multiple research projects and ensures that they align with the organization's broader objectives. Their responsibilities often encompass:

Setting the direction and priorities for research initiatives.
Securing funding and grants for research projects.
Collaborating with stakeholders, including policymakers, corporate leaders, or academic heads, to ensure the research meets necessary standards and serves broader goals.
Mentoring and guiding younger researchers, helping them shape their career paths.
Ensuring ethical guidelines are adhered to in all research activities.

The field of experimental psychology is vast, and its research opportunities are diverse. Whether starting as a research assistant and learning the ropes or leading groundbreaking research initiatives as a director, there's a pathway for every aspiring experimental psychologist. As the field continues to evolve, the demand for dedicated researchers who can provide insights into human behavior and cognition will only grow, making this a rewarding career choice for many.

Interviews with an Experimental Psychologist

Want to learn more about specific graduate programs in experimental psychology? Watch this video from Seton Hall University. You may also take a path to a Ph.D. in experimental psychology by studying other fields of psychology, like YouTuber You Can Do STEM did!

Learn how experimental psychology differs from applied psychology with this video from Psy vs. Psy.

Famous Experimental Psychologists

The most famous experiments in psychology are often the most controversial, but they have also influenced how we think about the human mind, personality, and behavior.

For example, Stanley Milgram ’s obedience experiments showed the world what people would do if they felt they had to obey a researcher or authority figure.

Phillip Zimbardo ’s Stanford Prison Experiment took a terrifying look into what people could do if given a certain role in society.

Albert Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment showed how children pick up certain behaviors and traits through observation, including violent ones.

Martin Seligman’s Learned Helplessness Experiments showed how run-down we can feel and how helpless we can become if we do not believe that we are in control of what happens to us.

Finally, Jane Elliot’s Blue Eyes Brown Eyes experiment showed how easily children (and adults) can develop prejudiced behavior just because they are told they are in one group or another.

Experimental Psychology Examples

Experimental psychologists focus on one task within psychology: conducting experiments to answer the field’s largest questions. The average day of an experimental psychologist may include:

Sorting through participants in a study to ensure they are working with a diverse group
Administering tests to participants
Collecting and organizing survey data
Looking at trends in data to come to conclusions
Writing about their experiences and how it influenced their conclusions
Sharing their work in a journal
Applying for grants or funding to continue conducting their experiments

19+ Experimental Design Examples (Methods + Types)
40+ Famous Psychologists (Images + Biographies)
Careers in Psychology
Cognitive Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews)
Hasty Generalization Fallacy (31 Examples + Similar Names)

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How Playfulness Improves Relationships

Want to spice up your love life live to work and play..

Posted August 15, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

Playfulness involves reframing a context to be more interesting, entertaining, or intellectually stimulating.
Adult playfulness contributes to establishing and maintaining relationships.
The impact of playfulness has an indirect contribution to relationship durability.

We all know those couples that seem to effortlessly click with compatibility. Whenever they are around, others notice how easygoing and comfortable they are with each other. Their relaxation and easygoing nature are contagious. So is their laughter —which may be the key.

Playfulness and Romance

Kay Brauer et al. (2021) explored the impact of adult playfulness on romance. 1 They began by recognizing the increasing level of interest in examining individual differences in adult playfulness, focusing on how individuals frame or reframe scenarios to be experienced as personally interesting, entertaining, or intellectually stimulating. They then turned their examination to how and why playfulness is important in romance.

Brauer et al. note that, overall, research supports the reality that playfulness positively contributes to both establishing and maintaining relationships. Playfulness helps to create positive emotions, impacts biological processes, and influences interpersonal communication, including social skills utilized in managing stress through seeking social companionship, as well as surprising other people during daily interactions. They assume that playfulness affects individual partners as well as the couple as an interdependent unit by contributing to relationship satisfaction, conflict reduction through resolving interpersonal tension, resolving monotony through intimacy , and building trust. In turn, trust, low conflict, and high relational satisfaction predict stable, satisfying relationships. Brauer et al. in this fashion surmise that playfulness has an indirect contribution to relationship durability.

So, consider ways to explore the practical value of this theory.

Mood Games: How Couples Can Reconceptualize Conflict

Many couples face the dilemma of mood. Not “in the mood” in terms of romance, but mood swinging . Like those rings that changed colors that many of us grew up with, many partners look for emotional or physical signs to help interpret a partner’s mood and behave in a manner intentionally designed to maximize positive interaction. In many cases, however, whether partners can effectively interpret mood or not, playfulness is one of the ways people effectively lighten the emotional atmosphere to approach a wide variety of difficult conversations, requests for assistance, or other scenarios. Within personal relationships, an approach of reframing through playfulness may be particularly effective considering how much each partner already knows about the other. In many cases, whatever the issue to be addressed, an approach leaning toward playful rather than serious is likely to make the experience more bearable for everyone.

Serious topics that are best approached with pre-planned conflict management strategies include financial problems, childcare, health concerns, and negative habits such as alcohol abuse or gambling. Reframing these areas through a lens of optimism and confidence that a couple can work through them proactively and productively is easier with an approach designed to lighten the emotional atmosphere.

One practical way that playfulness is likely to improve relationship functioning is that, unlike other approaches to interaction, regardless of the topic or circumstance, playfulness is a nonthreatening approach to behavior designed to increase receptiveness through respect and comfort through calmness.

1. Brauer, Kay, René T. Proyer, and Garry Chick. 2021. “Adult Playfulness: An Update on an Understudied Individual Differences Variable and Its Role in Romantic Life.” Social and Personality Psychology Compass 15 (4). doi:10.1111/spc3.12589.

Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., Ph.D., is a career trial attorney, behavioral analyst, author of Red Flags , and co-author of Reading People .

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Insights into applying artificial intelligence methods in action video games for enhancement of psychomotor skills †.

1. Introduction

2. linking features of action video games to enhancement of cognitive skills, 3. combining the elements of an action game and a serious game: the directions of artificial intelligence, 4. machine learning method with genetic algorithm for online learning in a game mode for many players.

World Event Observing System: Produces game world events that are used in the GA process. An event can also be a signal for an acting state change in the behavior of a bot.
Bot Mind: Searches and sets a target based on the game world and makes a plan of decisions to be executed. It is also responsible for the variables that are applied as parameters for the fitness function of the evaluation step of the GA process.
Bot Will: Applies an ML model by producing specific reactions to world events that present the behavior of the bot. Given world events lead to a change in the current acting state of the bot.

5. Experimental Setting

Initial population of five genetic individuals (GIs), also described as five ways of playing. They were the same for all the three clients run on the players’ computers.
Each next population was of six GIs generated after full evaluation.
Fitness period (Tf) = 15 s—the time of one evaluation of a single GI.
Search time = 1.5 s—the period that dictates when the bot is searching and setting the best enemy target (described in Section 4 ).
Experiment days: 5.
Day 1: Dedicated for learning and configuring ML parameters.
Next 4 days: Using one specific version of the ML method and GA. A specific team setup was decided and used.
Human players: 3—players A, B, and C.
Bots: 3—corresponding to each player.
Team 1: Player A and the 2 bots of players B and C.
Team 2: Players B and C and the bot of player A.
Target Game Player;
Action Video Game Player;
Non-regular Video Game Player.
Goal: Each team has a base structure and has to take down the enemy’s base structure. The first team that takes down the enemy’s structure wins.
There are two character roles—A and B. Team 1 is playing as A and team 2 as B.
Role A is moving slower but has little bit longer range on thrown projectiles.
Role B is moving faster but has little bit shorter range of thrown projectiles.
Match circumstances:
All game agents are playing with one specific ability set. The latter corresponds to the four abilities that have been configured.
A small map, the y-axis of which can be travelled for around 6.5 s by the team 1 role, and for 5 s by the team 2 role.

6. Discussion

7. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

Green, C.; Bavelier, D. Action video game training for cognitive enhancement. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 2015 , 4 , 103–108. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
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Tsochev, G.; Ukov, T.; Rusev, A.; Sharabov, M. Insights into Applying Artificial Intelligence Methods in Action Video Games for Enhancement of Psychomotor Skills. Eng. Proc. 2024 , 70 , 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2024070050

Tsochev G, Ukov T, Rusev A, Sharabov M. Insights into Applying Artificial Intelligence Methods in Action Video Games for Enhancement of Psychomotor Skills. Engineering Proceedings . 2024; 70(1):50. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2024070050

Tsochev, Georgi, Teodor Ukov, Alexander Rusev, and Maksim Sharabov. 2024. "Insights into Applying Artificial Intelligence Methods in Action Video Games for Enhancement of Psychomotor Skills" Engineering Proceedings 70, no. 1: 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2024070050

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The 10 Most Disturbing Psychological Thrillers, Ranked

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Thrillers are exciting and excellent at building tension and suspense while subverting the audience's expectations. Psychological thrillers, however, are thrillers that excel at playing with the audience's psyche. Blood, gore, and special effects disturb people; but psychological thrillers dig deeper by disturbing the audience's expectations.

This subgenre explores the psychological and emotional parts of tension-building, which is why these films can be even more effective. They shock the audience's thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, which can have a lasting effect. The following films do precisely that, sticking with audiences long after the film has ended. These are the most disturbing psychological thrillers, ranked:

The following contains descriptions of grim and gruesome subject matter. Please be advised.

10 'Hard Candy' (2005)

Directed by david slade.

Hayley Stark looking back with a saddened expression in Hard Candy

Hard Candy is a revenge story for the internet era as young Elliot Page plays a fourteen-year-old who punishes a predator in a way that answers the question: What if To Catch a Predator was really violent? When a grown man ( Patrick Wilson ) tries to pick up a teenager online and lure the teen over to his place for sex, the teen goes along with the plan until the tables are turned in a satisfyingly gory way. The once innocent and naive teen is actually a calculating vigilante.

It is wild that Page's early work consists of Hard Candy and Juno as the two films could not be further apart. What is clear is that he has always been an incredible actor with great range, capable of displaying compassion and cruelty in one complex character. The violence of Hard Candy is disturbing, but the moral dilemma that sprung onto the audience is even more disturbing.

9 WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME 'Soft and Quiet' (2022)

Directed by beth de araujo.

Soft and Quiet is best viewed knowing next-to-nothing about it as there is a jaw-dropping reveal exactly ten minutes into the movie that tells the audience exactly what the film is about. The vague-sounding plot describes "a group of like-minded women whose meeting goes astray when someone from the past shows up". Even though that sounds obtuse, it also accurately describes the basis of the movie.

While Soft and Quiet does get very violent, the psychological torment befalls the viewer because of having to follow the unrelenting point-of-view of horrible people. Thanks to the cinematography, the film is punishing in the way that it continuously follows the women. Soft and Quiet is the debut film by filmmaker Beth de Araujo, and it is an exciting introduction to what she may do next.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

8 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' (2011)

Directed by lynne ramsay.

A sullen mother stares at her son in 'We Need To Talk About Kevin'

Mass violence is disturbing - being the mother of a perpetrator of such violence may be more disturbing than that. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a creative and prescient look into motherhood gone wrong as the film follows Tilda Swinton , the maligned mother of a son who killed several people in a shocking act of mass murder.

The film follows her in the present day as she moves about her small community as public enemy number one, and back in the day as a young mother who never felt an attachment to her son. Is that the issue? Is she to blame for what's next? Or does a mother love her son no matter what he does?

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Not available

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7 'Se7en' (1995)

Directed by david fincher.

Somerset aiming a gun at someone off-camera in David Fincher's Se7en

David Fincher is the modern master of thrillers that leave audiences biting their nails through tense plots. Se7en is the scariest of his thrillers as we watch a serial killer play cat-and-mouse with a seasoned detective ( Morgan Freeman ) and his rookie partner ( Brad Pitt ). The killer stages elaborate crime scenes based on the seven deadly sins. They have to stop him before he completes the cycle.

Se7en is praised for its disturbing ending, but that ending almost didn't happen. New Line sent the script to Fincher by mistake. They wanted the ending changed to something more mainstream, but Fincher was fascinated by the script and wanted to direct it with the ending intact. The result is an oft-quoted and bleak ending that makes this one of the most disturbing thrillers ever made.

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6 'Perfect Blue' (1997)

Directed by satoshi kon.

A young woman lying on a bed of plants and objects in Perfect Blue

Anime fans know that animation does not guarantee a happy-go-lucky viewing experience. Look to Perfect Blue as an example of that in this fascinating tale of obsession and celebrity. After a member of a J-Pop girl group decides to leave music to pursue a serious acting career, one of her obsessed fans stalks her to let her know how disappointed he is in her new career choice.

Perfect Blue was Kon's directorial debut, and it enjoyed international acclaim and analysis. It is a very modern look into the public's obsession with celebrities, particularly young female celebrities who are under constant scrutiny. Perfect Blue shows how dangerous public life can be, and it offers a very early look into the now-common phenomenon of parasocial relationships.

Perfect Blue (1997)

WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME

5 'Oldboy' (2003)

Directed by park chan-wook.

Choi Min-sik in Oldboy smiling hauntingly in Oldboy.

Oldboy follows a man named Oh Dae-su ( Choi Min-suk ) who has been held captive in a sealed hotel room for 15 years. He spends that time practicing martial arts and focusing hatred on his unknown captors, losing his sense of reality in the process. He is suddenly released and tasked with the mission of finding and killing his captors in five days. What transpires is a wild story with crazy twists that won't be spoiled here.

Oldboy was not Park Chan-wook's first film, but it is the one that garnered him international attention. It has been remade twice, once by Spike Lee and once in Hindi, but the original is the most disturbing due to an unhinged performance by Choi Min-suk. His twisted smile and exaggerated facial expressions stick with audiences well after the film ended.

Oldboy (2003)

4 watch on netflix 'the vanishing' (1988), directed by george sluizer.

Gene Bervoets and Johanna Ter Steege looking at each other while sitting under a tree in The Vanishing

George Sluizer' s Dutch drama The Vanishing is still one of the most disturbing kidnapping films ever made. The plot follows a Dutch couple vacationing in France. The couple stops at a rest stop and the young woman completely vanishes. Gene Bervoets stars as the helpless boyfriend searching for his missing girlfriend who starts receiving threatening clues from the kidnapper years after this happened. The boyfriend slowly loses his mind as he gets closer to the truth and meets the sadistic kidnapper.

The ending to The Vanishing is incredibly eerie as the plot unfolds in such a way that the audience starts to feel like the hero: senses unraveling, unable to tell whether the mystery is close to being solved. The film deftly manipulates the audience along with its grieving protagonist, which is why it is so masterfully disturbing. Even Stanley Kubrick thought it was one of the most terrifying films he had ever seen!

The Vanishing (1988)

3 rent on amazon prime 'jacob's ladder' (1990), directed by adrian lyne.

Since its release in 1990, Jacob's Ladder has had a cult following that managed to propel it to the forefront of conversations about psychological thrillers. Adrian Lyne directed this nerve-wracking thriller about a postal worker ( Tim Robbins ) whose experiences in the Vietnam War have given him haunting hallucinations. His suffering worsens, so he does whatever it takes to figure out what is happening to him and how he can make it stop. It is a twisted look into trauma and PTSD told only as Lyne could.

Critics at the time felt the film was punishingly sad, with Roger Ebert calling it "a thoroughly painful and depressing experience" and Owen Glieberman saying of watching it that "you just want out". Modern audiences are less likely to want to tap out of the film, but it will still disturb viewers.

Jacob's Ladder

2 watch on paramount+ 'the game' (1997).

Fans of psychological thrillers know that The Game is one of the most disturbing of David Fincher's unflinching filmography. The Game follows Michael Douglas as an investment banker whose brother gives him a peculiar birthday gift: taking part in an interactive game that bleeds into his everyday life. As the game goes on, he struggles to differentiate between his nightmarish new reality and the game and suspects there is a greater conspiracy at play.

The Game is ahead of its time in its terrifying use of gamified reality. Fincher's ability to create a dark atmosphere as a disturbing story unfolds is unparalleled. While The Game was not as successful at the box office when it was initially released, and it struggled to avoid comparisons t o Se7en; the tide has changed on the film and elevated it to one of the most disturbing thrillers ever made.

RENT ON AMAZON

1 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)

Directed by jonathan demme.

Hannibal smirks and looking intently ahead in The Silence of the Lambs

Is there a more chilling villain than Hannibal Lecter ( Anthony Hopkins )? Even those who have never seen Jonathan Demme 's masterpiece The Silence of the Lambs know the name Hannibal Lecter. They likely even know that he is a cannibal. The fact that people who have never seen the film can name those facts shows how pervasive this disturbing crime drama has been in American culture. As the Oscar-winning gold standard in this genre , Silence of the Lambs is such a good film that mainstream audiences did not mind its dark subject.

The film follows Jodie Foster as a rookie FBI agent assigned to solve a series of gruesome murders committed by a killer dubbed Buffalo Bill. She speaks to Hannibal Lecter to get into the mind of the criminal and forms an uneasy friendship with him in the process. There are two horror villains in the film: Buffalo Bill the active serial killer, and Lecter with the psychological games he plays on people (as well as his cannibalistic tendencies). As a result, the film is a multi-layered thriller with plenty of disturbing elements to obsess over.

Silence of the Lambs

WATCH ON MGM+

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Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds on picking a starting FS: 'We've got to get to the games'

WESTFIELD -- The Nick Cross experience has hit both ends of the spectrum the past two days.

There the Colts free safety was on Monday, cutting inside of Kylen Granson on a slant route and diving to the ground to intercept Anthony Richardson. As the defense began hooting and hollering, he took the football in his hands and punted the ball to the sidelines.

His coaches had been begging him to make plays like this.

But the very next practice, that aggression took him in a different direction. He was covering Josh Downs in the flats in 7-on-7 when the slot receiver caught the ball as he was sliding out of bounds. Once Downs was on the ground, Cross landed on his legs, causing his ankle to roll . Downs suffered a high ankle sprain, according to a source.

Josh Downs injury update: Colts receiver Josh Downs suffers ankle injury after ill-advised tackle by Nick Cross

“We’re playing football. We’re competing,” Cross said. “Josh is my guy. I love that boy to death."

Cross is playing like a man running short on time.

The free safety battle has been a lively one, with Cross trading off first-team reps with Ronnie Harrison Jr., Rodney Thomas II and even Julian Blackmon in recent practices. Cross has been the one to start out at free safety, but he's worked heavily with the second team at times and also bumped down to strong safety in moments to allow Blackmon to play in the free spot.

It's been experimental by design.

Doyel: Colts' WR room isn't good enough. Nick Cross injuring Josh Downs didn't help.

“I think as soon as someone consistently steps up," Bradley said when asked when he'll pick a starter. "... Once we feel good about, all right, this is the direction we're going to go, then we'll go. But I don't think we're any time close right now.”

The early tests for Cross and the other free safeties were to become reliable mentally to execute basic assignments in run fits, pursuit angles and coverages. Cross has started to show that aspect of the game more, but the coaches have been asking him to make more of an impact than simply becoming the second or third player to arrive at a tackle.

Monday's interception felt like the start of something. Wednesday's practice, though, was a case of taking it too far.

“We’ve got to be smart," Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "We’re competing like crazy but we’ve got to stay off the ground, and we can’t go down. Bottom line.”

Cross said he had no regrets about how he approached the play.

"We’re competing," Cross said. "We're playing football at the end of the day.”

The Colts have wanted Cross to take a starting safety position in Bradley's defense and run with it since they traded a future third-round pick to select him in the 2022 draft. He made an early impression in his first training camp and became the starter for every single snap of his first game, which ended in a tie to the Texans.

INSIDER: 10 Colts thoughts on training camp, Justin Simmons and the free safety conundrum

The next week, he lasted half the game in the strong safety role before he was benched for Rodney McLeod due to slipping communication and focus.

In the 32 games since, he's been locked in a battle to earn back his coaches' trust. He's played 298 total snaps, or less than 10 per game. A majority of those came in the final two weeks last season, when the Colts benched Thomas and gave Cross another look.

His snaps came with more ups and downs. He made an interception against the Steelers and a third-down tackle short of the sticks against the Buccaneers, but he also had a miscommunication against the Texans that allowed Nico Collins to score a 75-yard touchdown.

Indianapolis didn't add to either safety spot in the offseason, giving Cross a runway to take his old job back. The hope was that two years of seasoning could allow this safety to tap into his 4.34-second 40-yard dash speed and an athletic profile that ranks in the top 2% of all safety prospects since 1987, according to Relative Athletic Score.

"I just take every play, take this opportunity to show what I have and let the chips fall where they may," he said.

At the start of training camp, general manager Chris Ballard did say that the team could still add at the position, and at the time, two Pro Bowlers were available in Quandre Diggs and Justin Simmons. That list is down to Simmons now, after Diggs signed with the Titans this week. On Wednesday, Simmons took a visit to the Saints.

The clock is ticking on the the Colts to find an answer, but they continue to preach that they need more time.

"I think we've got to get to the games," assistant general manager Ed Dodds said. "We're just trying to find the best combination to get all the best people out there at the same time. ... It's figuring not just the best combination of two guys but which guy at free and which at strong, since there are different things stressed out of either one of those positions. ... We've just got to keep watching them."

Time is running short on Cross to run away with this job, and he's diving when the football is thrown like he knows it.

Where he lands next is anyone's guess.

“That’s what you come here for,” Cross said about the starting job. “You come here to compete. You come here to play. You come here to be great.”

Contact Nate Atkins at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

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Models, Psychological. Social Behavior. Experimental games model situations in which the future outcomes of individuals and groups depend on their own choices and on those of other (groups of) individuals. Games are a powerful tool to identify the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying interpersonal and group cooperation and coord ….
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This, Action Games as Experimental Paradigms for Cognitive Science (Game-XP), issue of topiCS, includes papers from eight diverse researchers, followed by commentaries from four distinguished cognitive scientists. Toward the end of this overview, each of these fine works is introduced, followed by a brief introduction to each commentator.
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Dr. Mireia Marimon

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Where do I find publications/previous work using Labvanced? How can I cite Labvanced?

Previous Grants and Sponsorships

How to Become an Experimental Psychologist