Minecraft - the power of play
The world is increasingly online and now billions of people labour, love, and learn virtually.
But how does this shape society and what impact will it have on future generations?
Essex is determined to answer these questions - so our pioneering psychologists have launched the world's first Minecraft-powered lab to understand our digital world.
Essex is at the forefront of psychology research as we explore the virtual worlds of the globe's most popular video game.
As well as allowing students to tour vast Lego-like maps, where they can design their own experiments, undergraduates will be taught statistics and other skills in the game they can take into the real world.
Led by Dr Wijnand van Tilburg his team will use the lab to research how the brain processes wayfinding, puzzle-solving, and online interaction.
Despite only launching last year the lab has attracted international interest and has sparked a global gaming research conversation.
With the innovative project covered by the world's media including the BBC.
The experiments have already launched and one is testing how depression relates to explorative and creative behaviour.
Scientists can track exploration paths in Minecraft and judge the originality of what is built - which they can't do in the real world.
Take a step inside the Mind-craft Lab in this video below
The block-based multiplayer sandbox Minecraft is being pushed to the forefront of science with this cutting-edge lab making massive fieldwork accessible to all.
Researchers will use the game to explore the differences between how neurotypical and neuro-divergent people act in a series of purpose-built inclusive environments.
With almost 170 million monthly active players - it is the best-selling video game of all time, selling over 300 million copies, and is instantly recognisable to undergraduates.
This familiarity will help them grasp and explore complex topics such as social interactions, creativity, and problem-solving.
Equipped with single and multiplayer game setups to learn about human behaviour the Lab supports teaching through its interactive and engaging content.
Hopefully, this will also help students enter the booming computer game industry worth £269 billion globally, which employs more than 47,000 people in the UK.
Head of the Department of Psychology Professor Silke Paulmann said: “We are proud to be the first psychology department that offers such a dedicated lab space to both students and researchers.
“It emphasises our commitment to providing high-quality psychology education that puts students’ learning first and conducting excellent research through innovation and methodological approaches that challenge the status quo."
“Hundreds of millions of people around the world live, laugh, and learn through gaming and how we interact online is an increasingly major area to research."
- Dr Wijnand van Tilburg -
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