107133 - USER PSYCHOLOGY

Subject type: Basic

Coordinator: Juan José Pons López

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 6

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 1

• Catalan

The subject is taught in Catalan, but both class contributions and assignments can be done in Catalan or Spanish.

The materials can be provided in Catalan as well as in Spanish or English.

The main objective of this subject is for students to have general knowledge about the psychological processes that impact the design of video games in order to be able to design with a focus on the optimal experience of the player.

It is necessary to know the cognitive processes that occur when we play and what the people who play are like, what their psychological characteristics are, the different motivations for playing and the profiles of gamers.

It is important to develop a critical vision in our students, which allows them to identify the risks of the sector and how to minimize them by designing inclusive and ethical recreational experiences. And also to be aware of the full social and educational potential of video games.

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer the prejudices of others.

1. Introduction and history of psychology
   1. History of Psychology 
   2. Applications of Psychology in Video Game Design
2. Play and Brain
   1. What do we know about the brain?
   2. Components of the human nervous system
   3. Neuromyths
   4. The psychological experience of playing
3. Perception and Attention
   1. Information Process
   2. Visual Perception
   3. Auditory and tactile perception
   4. Attentional process
   5. Automatic care and voluntary care
4. Annual report
   1. Memory Type
   2. Characteristics of our memory
   3. The curve of forgetting and the sins of memory
5. Human learning
   1. Classical conditioning 
   2. Operant conditioning
   3. Piaget and the stages of development
   4. Vygotsky's ZPD
6. Social Psychology Experiments
   1. Albert Bandura and modeling
   2. Solomon Asch and social pressure
   3. Stanley Milgram and obedience to authority
   4. Ron Jones and the Wave
   5. Philip Zimbardo and Stanford Prison
   6. Carolyn Sherif and Muzafer Sherif: the Cave of Thieves
7. Executive functions and SoftSkills
   1. Executive functions: types and components
   2. Soft Skills and video games to enhance them
8. Decision Making
   1. Decision-making strategies
   2. Daniel Kahneman's two systems of thought
   3. Cognitive biases
9. intelligence
   1. Definitions
   2. Measurement
   3. Theories of intelligence
10. Personality
    1. Definition and history
    2. Personality theories
    3. The OCEAN or Big Five model
11. Gender
    1. Basics
    2. Gender in the industry
    3. Gender in the Community
    4. Gender in games
12. Emotions
    1. Definitions
    2. Basic emotions: expression and functions
    3. Neurotransmitters
13. Motivations and Gamer Profile
    1. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations
    2. Why do we play? 
    3. Types of Quantic Foundry Players
14. Benefits and Risks of Video Games
    1. Risks associated with the use of Video Games
    2. Relationship between violence and video games
    3. Video game addiction?
    4. Soft skills or how video games help us improve
    5. Educational and social uses

A 1: Group work: Analysis of the psychological aspects of a traditional game and its application to video game design (Evidence of learning outcome E2.1 and E3.3)

Analyze a game activity and propose 1 video game that they consider related to the chosen classic game. Then, a critical written comment must be made relating it to the psychological aspects worked on.

A.2: Exercises in class:

10% - Theoretical questions in class about the content of the subject (Evidence of the learning outcome) Several assessable activities will be carried out throughout the course.

10% - Analyze a game from the point of view of the industry, the community and the game (narrative, mechanics and characters) with a gender perspective.

A.3: Final Exam: Development Questions (Evidence of learning outcome All) Final exam, integrating all the knowledge learned in class and put into practice.

General criteria of the activities:

• A statement will be presented for each activity and the evaluation criteria.

• You will be informed of the dates and format of the delivery of the activity.

Each student's grade will be calculated according to the following percentages:

• A1: 40%
• A2: 20%
• A3: 40%

To pass the subject, it is necessary that learning activity A.3, at least, obtain a minimum grade of 4, therefore: 

If the exam grade (A3) is > or equal to 4 Final grade = A1 0,4 + A2 0,2 + A3 0,4

If the exam grade (A3) is < 4 Final grade = Exam Grade 

Considerations:

An activity not delivered or delivered late is a 0. The grades of the activities will take into account the correct follow-up of the requirements. Misspellings, writing errors and formal and technical problems specific to the subject will be penalized with 0,10 points, up to a maximum of 2 points, in all assessable activities and tests

To pass the subject, it is necessary that the learning activity A.3, at least, obtains a minimum grade of 4.

In the event of detecting plagiarism, copying or fraud in any assessable activity or test, it will automatically obtain a final grade of 0. Additionally, in cases of copying or fraud, both the person copying and the person allowing copying are responsible for the conduct, and the consequences of the conduct affect all students involved in the irregular action. Regardless of the suspension caused by plagiarism, copying or fraud, the teacher will communicate the situation to the Department Management so that the applicable measures can be taken in terms of the sanctioning regime and the initiation of the relevant disciplinary proceedings.

Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship.

Recovery:

If the exam grade (A3) is > or equal to 4 Final grade = A1 0,4 + A2 0,2 + A3 0,4

If the exam grade (A3) is < 4 Final grade = Exam Grade 

Balsameda, Raquel and Calvo, Ana (2022) Applied neuropsychology Expanding horizons

Barrecheguren, Pablo (2021) Neurogamer. paid

Boyano, José T. (2022). That was not in my psychology history book. Editorial Almuzara.

Hodent, Celia (2017) The Gamer's Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design. CRC Press

Kahneman, Daniel (2012) Think Fast, Think Slow. debate

Leahey, Thomas Hardy (2013). History of psychology (7th ed.). Pearson Education.

McGonigal, Jane (2013). Why video games can improve your life and change the world?: An encounter between the virtual and the real world in which people are favored. Siglo XXI Publishers.

Sánchez-Elvira Paniagua, Ángeles (ed.) (2023). Introduction to the study of individual differences. UNITED.