The Gaming Mind, Alexander Kriss, PhD
The Gaming Mind, Alexander Kriss, PhD
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The Gaming Mind
A New Psychology of Videogames and the Power of Play

Author: Alexander Kriss, PhD

Narrator: Matthew Josdal

Unabridged: 8 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/31/2020

Synopsis

Are videogames bad for us? It's the question on everyone's mind, given teenagers' captive attention to videogames and the media's tendency to scapegoat them. It's also—if you ask clinical psychologist Alexander Kriss—the wrong question.

In his therapy office, Kriss looks at videogames as a window into the mind. Is his patient Liz really "addicted" to Candy Crush—or is she evading a deeper problem? Why would aspiring model Patricia craft a hideous avatar named "Pat"? And when Jack immerses himself in Mass Effect, is he eroding his social skills—or honing them via relationship-building gameplay?

Weaving together Kriss's personal history, patients' experiences, and professional insight—and without shying away from complex subjects, such as online harassment—The Gaming Mind disrupts our assumptions about "gamers" and explores how gaming can be good for us. It offers guidance for parents, clinicians, and the rest of us to better understand the gaming mind. Like any mode of play, at their best, videogames reveal who we are and what we want from our lives.

About Alexander Kriss, PhD

Alexander Kriss, PhD, runs a psychotherapy practice in New York City, where he treats patients dealing with various issues, including videogame "addiction" (a term he disputes). He is an adjunct professor of psychology at the City College of New York and at Fordham University, and a clinical associate at the Safran Center for Psychological Services.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Tyler on February 07, 2021

This book is geared more towards those who are unfamiliar with video games. As a gamer, I soon learned that this book was not written for me. Dr. Kriss discusses the many aspects of different games for which I was already familiar with. At times, I felt like the description of different games took th......more

Goodreads review by Jozua on September 18, 2021

This book was a pleasure to read as a gamer, not only because it tries to remove the stigma surrounding videogames and people who like/love them, but it also reminded me of why I love games and want them in my life. It doesn't have all the answers, because there are more reasons we play videogames t......more

Goodreads review by Jim on March 02, 2020

I received a review copy of this from the publisher The Experiment through NetGalley, published previously in the UK with the title Universal Play: How Videogames Tell Us Who We Are and Show Us Who We Could Be. Though I finished it quickly, a little more than a week ago, I've been struggling a bit w......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on October 24, 2020

The Gaming Mind and psychologist/ author Alex Kriss are featured in our book festival this year. I was excited to read since my son is a "gamer". While I embrace my son's love of the game, I wanted to read this book to better understand how to communicate this to others. Gaming is not bad, it just g......more

Goodreads review by Ren on March 22, 2020

This book was received as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I prowled through this book while, believe it or not, playing games. The new Animal Crossing, in particular, and I swear this has to do with my review so stick with me here. I usually have a tendency to do this, and that's why this bo......more

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