This week’s must-reads: What Gaming Does to Your Brain — and How You Might Benefit

In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. I hope you enjoy them!

Children and Technology: 3 Things Parents Need To Know (NirAndFar)
Whatever your view of tech’s impact on our children, here are three common sense rules we can all follow.

The New York Times Uses the Very Dark Patterns it Derides [AUDIO] (Podcast) ‘Dark patterns’ aren’t always malicious mind control. They’re often a symptom of disjointed company culture.

No More Movies (Jay Riverlong) These days, you’re lucky if you find a movie worth immersing yourself in.

The Pandemic Did Not Affect Mental Health the Way You Think (The Atlantic) The world’s psychological immune system turned out to be more robust than expected.

What Gaming Does to Your Brain — and How You Might Benefit (WIRED)
Here are some ways to think about addiction, improved neurological function, and your overall relationship with video games on a better, more intuitive level.

The Most Precious Resource is Agency (Simon Sarris) Agency is the capacity to act. Gaining agency is the capacity to do something differently from, or in addition to, the events that simply happen to you.

Happy reading!

- Nir