Video Game Boosts Interpersonal Intelligence

If you lack self-confidence or feel edgy in crowds, a newly released video game may help change your perception of social threats. MindHabits Trainer, designed by McGill University researchers helps prepare people to change their perception of social threats. Here's how it works...

In playing the game the mind is trained to focus on friendly rather than threatening people, according to Mark Baldwin and Matthew Mather. The game's simple: choose the one smiling face in a crowd of frowns. In fact the suite of video games trains players in social situations to focus more on positive feedback rather than being distracted and deterred by perceived social slights or criticisms. By repeating this in many video scenarios, people will likely act similarly in crowds and social events. Wonder why?

"We found that stress is a social phenomenon programmed into our brains," Baldwin said. Hmmm... Do you find that interesting as I do? The researchers explain that babies are wired to be drawn to smiling faces and the absence of grins, especially among strangers, can make the world seem more hostile than it is.

"So if you walk into a room and you only focus on the threatening faces it can cause stress." That in turn releases stress-related cortisol into your brain. Playing the game helps build new brain dendrites that work against the stressors, and in fact can reduce them by 17 percent.

"There are many possible applications for this kind of game," said Prof. Baldwin, "from helping people cope with the social anxiety of public speaking or meeting new people, to helping athletes concentrate more on their game rather than worrying about performing poorly."

Ready to give MindHabits a try before your next speaking engagement?