MatPat, a gamer and theorist, discusses his addiction to mobile games, specifically "Dungeon Gems." He explains that mobile games are designed to be addictive by triggering the brain's dopamine pathway, releasing happy hormones and creating a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. He notes that mobile games use tactics like variable ratio schedules of reinforcement, similar to slot machines, and limits on playtime to keep players engaged and wanting more. Additionally, he mentions that approximately 10-15% of people have addictive personalities, which may be more prone to getting hooked on mobile games. MatPat concludes that while mobile games are designed to be addictive, gamers themselves are also more likely to get addicted due to their driven and motivated nature.
Here are the facts extracted from the text:
1. The Dopamine Pathway is a topic often covered in high school biology classes.
2. Dopamine is a molecule known as a Neurotransmitter that travels between neurons in the brain.
3. Dopamine is released when a person experiences happiness, excitement, or satisfaction.
4. When dopamine is released, it travels across the synapse and binds to dopamine receptors on the next neuron.
5. Dopamine receptors are located on the end of brain cells.
6. The feeling of happiness or satisfaction is the brain's way of giving the person a "pat on the back" for being successful.
7. Desensitization is a phenomenon where the brain becomes less responsive to dopamine over time.
8. Mobile games can regulate how much a person consumes, preventing desensitization.
9. Mobile games often use a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement to keep players engaged.
10. This schedule is also used in slot machines.
11. Mobile games limit the length of play sessions to keep players wanting more.
12. The hedonic treadmill is a concept that describes how people's expectations for happiness change over time.
13. Studies have shown that people who win the lottery or are paralyzed often return to their previous level of happiness over time.
14. About 10-15% of the population has addictive personalities.
15. Gamers are more likely to have addictive personalities than the general population.
16. One study found that 14-year-old gamers who played for more than 9 hours a week had more gray matter in the ventral striatum, a part of the brain associated with dopamine reward and addiction.
17. People with addictive personalities tend to be highly driven, motivated, risk-takers with a higher IQ and strong leadership potential.