Every gamer has experienced the thrill of winning & the agony of defeat. But what exactly is going on in our brains when we play, and why can't we stop playing even punishing games. Writer Greg Stevens likens the focused feeling when playing addictive games to the concept of "flow", as coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihaly:
"It arises when there is a perfect balance between stress and reward. If the task that you're engaged in is too hard and you don't succeed, then your emotions swing in one direction: anxiety, anger, and frustration. If the task is too easy, you swing in the other: boredom and disinterest. When challenge and success are balanced, the result can be emotionally intoxicating."
Playing video games also increases the dopamine and adrenaline in our brains, which is why some can be so addictive.
Source: {http://www.lifehacker.com/why-some-video-games-are-so-addictive-1520697996}
YOU ARE READING
Now You Know
Non-FictionThis is a compilation of some interesting questions- such as why do cats hate water? What's the difference between a tumor and cancer? How does Radiation effect the body? As well as cool lists, such as the world's rarest diseases, the world's most i...
