Overview
- Presents research to demonstrate how gaming can be a pro-social, mentally healthy activity
- Contributes a psychological perspective to an emerging body of cross-disciplinary research on the positive aspects of gaming
- Synthesizes research from psychology, education, communication science, and media studies
Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Cyberpsychology (PASCY)
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
About this book
This book examines how video game mechanics and narratives can teach players skills associated with increased psychological well-being. It integrates research from psychology, education, ludology, media studies, and communication science to demonstrate how game play can teach skills that have long been associated with increased happiness and prolonged life satisfaction, including flexible thinking, openness to experience, self-care, a growth mindset, solution-focused thinking, mindfulness, persistence, self-discovery and resilience. The chapters in this volume are written by leading voices in the field of game studies, including researchers from academia, the video gaming industry, and mental health practitioners paving the way in the field of “geek therapy.”
This book will advance our understanding of the potential of video games to increase our psychological well-being by helping to mitigate depression, anxiety, and stress and foster persistence, self-care, and resilience.
This book will advance our understanding of the potential of video games to increase our psychological well-being by helping to mitigate depression, anxiety, and stress and foster persistence, self-care, and resilience.
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
Table of contents (11 chapters)
-
Front Matter
-
Back Matter
Reviews
“This is an interesting book. Video games and well-being is an evangelistic work, defending the worth of video games in providing innocent pleasure along with educational, intellectual, and emotional value. … Whether video games will be a valuable tool in the psychological growth of 21st century youth will be determined by clinical studies and, more importantly, the test of time.” (James Van Speybroeck, Computing Reviews, February 4, 2021)
“The book is worthwhile reading as it provides you with a solid understanding how video games can help us grow, learn, thrive, and acquire new skills. It is a must-read book for parents who are perturbed with their children being confirmed gamers. … the book should be considered a good choice for game developers who want to understand how to entice people into buying a brand-new game and at the same time to push up the value of it.” (Kateryna Nykytchenko, Acta Ludologica, Vol. 3 (1), 2020)
Editors and Affiliations
About the editor
Rachel Kowert is the Research Director of Take This, a US non-profit mental health organization that provides resources and information to the gaming industry and gaming communities. As a research psychologist, she has been studying games and gamers for more than 10 years with a specific focus on video game effects. She has published multiple scientific articles and books on this topic.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Video Games and Well-being
Book Subtitle: Press Start
Editors: Rachel Kowert
Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Cyberpsychology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32770-5
Publisher: Palgrave Pivot Cham
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-32769-9Published: 19 December 2019
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-32772-9Published: 19 December 2020
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-32770-5Published: 02 December 2019
Series ISSN: 2946-2754
Series E-ISSN: 2946-2762
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 166
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations
Topics: Clinical Psychology, Applied Psychology, Digital/New Media, Game Development, Psychiatry, Technology and Digital Education