iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 10h

198 students learned prosocial behaviors in a game under different reward and punishment sizes. "Big" feedback made them learn faster and play more consistently, but it didn't show up in their attention or choices after the game ended. doi.org/10.1007/s121...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Conceptual paper proposes 5 mechanisms (narrative distance, psychological safety, intrinsic motivation, identity exploration, emotional regulation) for why Dungeons & Dragons might help kids with early anxiety at school. No data yet, but a research agenda. doi.org/10.3390/bs16...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This is going to be the view of me for any Teams or Zoom meetings I attend for the next 31 days. I will not be taking any questions about this during calls.

My videoconference view in my office, showing me in the foreground and a Halloween skeleton sitting on the couch behind me.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New scale measuring burnout specifically in esports players. Three dimensions came through physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and negative feelings toward sport (basically same as in work context). Flagged high burnout risk in ~2% of the study's sample. doi.org/10.1111/sjop...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Meta-analysis of 5 experiments featuring ~215 people with mild cognitive impairment: video-game interventions raised cognitive assessment scores a bit relative to control groups. It's not a huge effect, but this meta analysis picks it up. doi.org/10.3389/fnag...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Know what's fun? Jumping in for a round of Warhammer: Darktide and not realizing that a new patch reset your talent tree and you're playing a round of a co-op game with NO TALENTS active and you die SO MANY TIMES and your teammates ARE NOT AMUSED.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Researchers combed through 478,912 Reddit comments from parenting groups talking about Roblox. Their top worry was digital safety and moderation (24.5%), with in-game spending close behind (15.2%). Screen time itself ranked lower than money, safety, and kids' feelings. doi.org/10.1186/s403...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A review of 48 studies on toxic behavior in online games: researchers find 4 incompatible ways the field defines 'toxic' (umbrella, subconcept, impact-based, intent-based) and argue that's making findings hard to compare across studies. doi.org/10.1177/2152...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hey, I'm on three panels next weekend at the sci-fi and fantasy convention Archon (archonstl.org)! I'll be talking about the future of TTRPGs, imposter syndrome among writers and other artists, and about Project Hail Mary. Gonna bring psychology angles to all those. Come see me if you're there!

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Study: ~350 students were surveyed on why they game and how they feel after: 64% use gaming to cope with stress. Playing for story, social connection, or escapism predicted more positive feelings. Playing for autonomy/exploration cut negative emotions the most. doi.org/10.3389/fcom...

doi.org

Frontiers | Motivations for the use of games in coping and emotional regulation

IntroductionThis study explores motivations for the use of video games in coping, using the twin theoretical lenses of mood management and stress response th...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Year-long ethnography of a Japanese Splatoon 3 Discord: players joined to improve their skill, stayed for belonging. The server flattened workplace-style hierarchy and let members be someone other than their 'real world' role with friendships moving offline. doi.org/10.1177/2056...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Experiment (174 undergrads, same Dimension 20 D&D actual play episode): viewers told to focus on the STORY felt more transported and more parasocially bonded to the cast than viewers told to track dice rolls. Comprehension didn't differ — attention framing did. Unsurprising. doi.org/10.3389/fpsy...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

An actual study finds that heritage-themed serious games cut state anxiety more than ordinary games. The mechanism ran through cultural identity and place attachment, not just distraction like other research on games & stress. doi.org/10.3389/fpsy...

doi.org

Frontiers | Beyond entertainment: cultural–psychological mechanisms underlying the reduction of state anxiety in heritage-based serious games

Anxiety has become an increasingly prominent mental health concern among university students, highlighting the need for effective and engaging intervention a...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I'm not affiliated, but here's a study recruiting adults for Playing with Emotion, an online research study examining video games and mood. If you’re 18+, you can participate from your phone or computer in about 10–15 minutes at playingwithemotion.com

playingwithemotion.com

Playing with Emotion

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

A rare RCT actual experiment of TTRPG players appears! 3 weekly D&D-style sessions boosted meaning in life and cut existential anxiety (N=23). ...But so did a plain reflection-discussion control group, with no significant difference between them. doi.org/10.1007/s442...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Loot boxes! 490 loot box openings across 13 livestreams: 93% happened in multi-opening streaks, not one-offs. Monetization cues (offers, currency displays) drove opening streaks more than rare rewards did. Streamers talking about restraint didn't actually stop them. doi.org/10.3389/fpub...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Quasi-experimental study: first-year college students who played 5 weekly Dungeons & Dragons sessions showed bigger drops in college stress and better emotional adjustment than a no-intervention comparison group. Neat! Though it was a small, non-randomized sample. doi.org/10.1080/1540...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Six Twitch Partners on being an accidental mental-health resource for their communities: real benefits, real strain, and monetization complicating their own coping strategies. Small qualitative study, but a first look at this angle. doi.org/10.3390/bs16...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Rolled credits on Big Walk and I absolutely love this game! Puzzle solving requiring coordination of actions and information. Chill stretches of traversal requiring just navigation and sticking together. Game has never made me feel more present with other players. Gotta write on the psychology of it

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Meta-analysis of 133 studies, 14,245 participants: gaming shows a small overall cognitive benefit vs. controls, mostly in memory, plus edges in spatial ability, visual attention, and cognitive control. Genre and demographics didn't change the picture much. doi.org/10.1016/j.ac...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I wrote about in-person vs. online D&D in my book. Related: survey of TTRPG players shows in-person gave more meaningful social support than virtual ones, though virtual play still helped and was more accessible. Game masters gave significantly more support than players. doi.org/10.1177/2161...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Trolling judgments and retaliation in video games depend on context cues. Researchers used clips of Overwatch players performing emotes over the bodies of others' avatars and looked at what contextual information made this come across as trolling or not. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Systematic review of 14 studies (2013-2025): trans and gender-diverse players who customize game avatars to match their identity report less gender dysphoria and more gender euphoria, especially when other players affirm it in-game. doi.org/10.1080/2689...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Let's keep going on the self-determination theory front, but with psychological research on Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeon Masters' style shapes whether players' basic psychological needs are met. I wrote about this in my book on the psychology of D&D, too! PDF available. journals.uu.se/IJRP/article...

A screenshot of the abstract for the cited article.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Dark Souls & self-determination theory: Qualitative content analysis of Reddit comments found punishing difficulty paired with meaningful choice and community support maps cleanly onto SDT's competence, autonomy, and relatedness. doi.org/10.24016/202...

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I swear, half my feed is about AI. The other half is about Dungeon Crawler Carl. Stahp.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Guidance counselor: What do you want to do when you grow up? Me: Use Microsoft Authenticator eight to ten times per day to repeatedly log into the same three apps Guidance counselor [writing in notebook]: Absolute legend.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Spent the last 30 minutes trying to log into my Xbox. Dealing with resetting my password using forms that didn’t accept controller input and getting error messages randomly. What a lousy user experience.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Is it weird I wanted to fight this guy in my D&D game last weekend just so we could use the mini?

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Sometimes I still think about the Wallgreens cashier who asked if I wanted to buy a king-sized Snickers since all proceeds went to fund diabetes research.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

I've gotten multiple scam emails asking to feature one of my books in a virtual book club meeting ...for a fee. Weirdly, getting targeted like this makes me feel like a real author somehow.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Heading to New Orleans tomorrow for the Society for I-O Psychology annual conference! Looks like every other panel is about AI and IO. Anyone else seeing this going to be there?

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Have you written a non-fiction book about Dungeons & Dragons or other TTRPG? Something that's NOT a source book, a rules expansion, adventure, or a book about how to play the game? I'm putting a panel together for #GameholeCon this year and could use another author or two. Hit me up!

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

[Every Weyland-Yutani Project Manager sitting down with their morning coffee to read their email]: Okay, time to read this status update on the team we sent to capture and contain that alien bioweapon. ... Ah, beans.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

It is once again time for this image.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Ooh, Crash Course is doing a unit on scientific thinking! Cool. The first video on cognitive bias is great: youtu.be/d2r7Bk1NlgU?...

youtu.be

Introduction to Cognitive Bias: Crash Course Scientific Thinking #1

YouTube video by CrashCourse

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Cool thing about my job is that I just started a three week winter break, during which I'm told not to even look at email. So got some projects lined up, including some psychology of games stuff, some writing, and misc stuff around the house. Oh and spending time with my family. That too.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

1982: "The idea that Dungeons & Dragons promotes devil worship is ludicrous. How dare you." 2025: "Here's a trailer for a Dungeons & Dragons game where the main character gets their incredible powers by making a pact with a devil." youtu.be/s4Td1B8Ne3k?...

youtu.be

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons - Official Announcement Trailer | The Game Awards 2025

YouTube video by IGN

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Fun video about using Dungeons & Dragons as a vehicle for therapy. And yes there is an item in D&D that gives you infinite mayonnaise, though you are limited to two gallons per day. And yes, I have a chapter on this in my book. The therapy thing. Not the mayonnaise thing. youtu.be/SvVmg2Xp-cA?...

youtu.be

Yes, You Can Use DnD As Therapy

YouTube video by SciShow

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

I wrote in my book chapter about the psychology of collecting Dungeons & Dragons stuff how I was only missing the PHB from my original childhood AD&D collection. And how a reprint wouldn’t feel right. Check what my friend just gave me for Xmas: an original edition, near perfect condition. Yay!

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Thanks @alphastream.bsky.social for the plug in your video on RPG gift ideas! To everyone else: the whole video is worth watching front to back. Some great picks if you have a gamer on your shopping list. Or, you know, if you want to just treat yourself. youtu.be/WBJTXZBdsMU?...

youtu.be

New Stranger Things D&D Book and Other Amazing RPG Gift Ideas!

YouTube video by Alphastream

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Are you holiday shopping for a Dungeons & Dragons player?Get 'em my book on the psychology of D&D instead of yet another set of dice! It's fun, approachable for anyone, and available wherever you buy books! Go here for the table of contents and more info: www.psychologyofgames.com/2024/07/psyc...

psychologyofgames.com

The Psychology of Dungeons & Dragons

My new book on the psychology of D&D is out! See the table of contents, listen to audiobook excerpts, and buy wherever you order books.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Fun video. I also had a whole chapter on the psychology of random dice rolls in my book the Psychology of Dungeons & Dragons.

youtu.be

The Quantum Quest for a Perfectly Random d20

YouTube video by SciShow

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Okay then It doesn’t sound like a very good pick, does it?

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

There are so many historical events happening so fast that if Billy Joel did another rewrite of We Didn't Start The Fire he would never get to stop singing. Someone would be frantically shoving pages of new lyrics in front of him in real time.

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Jamie Madigan @jamiemadigan.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

On the internet, nobody knows you're an AI-generated dog.

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Reposted by Jamie Madigan

Edmond Chang @edmondchang.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Roll with Advantage: Creative, Collaborative, and Critical Responses to Dungeons & Dragons (Play Story Press 2025) edited by Suzanne Richardson & Edmond Y. Chang: playstorypress.org/books/roll-w... - in print or open access PDF! #analoggamestudies #creativewriting #dungeonsanddragons #dnd

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