MindHabits: The Development of an Emotion Trainer Game for Stress Reduction Mark Baldwin, PhD Department of Psychology, McGill University President, MindHabits Inc.

Can a computer game train positive habits of thought, to build self-confidence and reduce stress? Research Background Game development and marketing

Can a computer game train positive habits of thought, to build self-confidence and reduce stress?

Research Background

Game development and marketing

Social intelligence – one’s way of thinking about self and other – is central to human health and happiness throughout life.

Social intelligence – one’s way of thinking about self and other – is central to human health and happiness throughout life.

Automatic habits of thought Attention, emotional associations, rumination

Automatic habits of thought

Attention, emotional associations, rumination

Visual Probe Test

Visual Probe Test

Visual Probe Test

Dandeneau, Baldwin, et al. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007

Social Intelligence and Social Neuroscience research is investigating possibilities for training thought processes about self and others.

Social Intelligence and Social Neuroscience research is investigating possibilities for training thought processes about self and others.

Emotion Training How might we help people train automatic habits of thought, to boost self-esteem and self-confidence, and to reduce stress?

How might we help people train automatic habits of thought, to boost self-esteem and self-confidence, and to reduce stress?

Emotion Training Similar to Brain Trainers, but instead of aimed at helping you THINK better; aimed at helping you FEEL better

Similar to Brain Trainers, but instead of aimed at helping you THINK better; aimed at helping you FEEL better

Emotion Training ACTIVATING thoughts of acceptance makes it easier to notice social support in daily life ASSOCIATING acceptance to cues, including the self-concept, makes it more likely to come to mind when needed INHIBITION TRAINING can help the person learn to disengage from social threat

ACTIVATING thoughts of acceptance makes it easier to notice social support in daily life

ASSOCIATING acceptance to cues, including the self-concept, makes it more likely to come to mind when needed

INHIBITION TRAINING can help the person learn to disengage from social threat

Find the smiling, accepting face

Find the 5-petalled flower

Results: Removes attentional bias to threat Students playing daily while studying become less stressed about final exam, are less anxious during exam Telemarketers playing daily report higher self-esteem & less stress at the end of the week; have 17% lower levels of stress hormone cortisol; are more confident and make more sales (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, October 2007)

Removes attentional bias to threat

Students playing daily while studying become less stressed about final exam, are less anxious during exam

Telemarketers playing daily report higher self-esteem & less stress at the end of the week; have 17% lower levels of stress hormone cortisol; are more confident and make more sales

(Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, October 2007)

Results: Golf, like many other kinds of performance, suffers from any distraction due to evaluative concerns 26 Golfers played the search-for-the-smile game (or control) before a round of golf Performed 5.24 strokes better on a round of golf, after playing the matrix. (Not yet published)

Golf, like many other kinds of performance, suffers from any distraction due to evaluative concerns

26 Golfers played the search-for-the-smile game (or control) before a round of golf

Performed 5.24 strokes better on a round of golf, after playing the matrix.

(Not yet published)

Scientific summary : Scientific studies demonstrate that specially-designed computer games can allow people to practice beneficial patterns of thought, leading to increased self-confidence and reduced stress.

Scientific studies demonstrate that specially-designed computer games can allow people to practice beneficial patterns of thought, leading to increased self-confidence and reduced stress.

Toward a Game : Panel of judges: Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal Ron Moravek, VP & COO, Electronic Arts Canada Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada) Rory Armes, Senior VP and Group General Manager, EA Black Box and EA Montreal Licensed to MindHabits Telefilm Canada’s “Great Canadian Video Game Competition”: Won $1.3 M

Panel of judges:

Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal

Ron Moravek, VP & COO, Electronic Arts Canada

Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada)

Rory Armes, Senior VP and Group General Manager, EA Black Box and EA Montreal

Licensed to MindHabits

Telefilm Canada’s “Great Canadian Video Game Competition”: Won $1.3 M

Created the MindHabits Trainer www.mindhabits.com Soon on multiple platforms, starting with casual game space

Created the MindHabits Trainer

www.mindhabits.com

Soon on multiple platforms, starting with casual game space

Four training games 100+ levels Five tracker tasks “ Outlook” score tracks progress Science Lab Explain how and why

Four training games

100+ levels

Five tracker tasks

“ Outlook” score tracks progress

Science Lab

Explain how and why

Inhibition

Association

Association

Activation

Trackers: Measurement modules to assess the player’s current state of mind.

Trackers: Measurement modules to assess the player’s current state of mind.

Focus

Look

Stroop

Blink

Self-Report

Outlook score is calculated from trackers; shows progress over time

Outlook score is calculated from trackers; shows progress over time

Science Lab section gives game info and scientific background

Science Lab section gives game info and scientific background

Marketing: Brand Building Media Friendly Jan: PC Gamer: 2.6M Feb: HomeMaker magazine: 1.9M March: Marketplace: 8.1M April: Women’s Health: 3.2M May: Prevention magazine: 11M

Media Friendly

Jan: PC Gamer: 2.6M

Feb: HomeMaker magazine: 1.9M

March: Marketplace: 8.1M

April: Women’s Health: 3.2M

May: Prevention magazine: 11M

Marketing: Distribution Patent protection: # USPTO 11/122,091 Game out on web our own portal Oberon Media (300M gamers) International distribution deals for PC MindHabits named one of Top 25 Canadian IT Up and Comers by Branham Group

Patent protection: # USPTO 11/122,091

Game out on web

our own portal

Oberon Media (300M gamers)

International distribution deals for PC

MindHabits named one of Top 25 Canadian IT Up and Comers by Branham Group

Marketing: Future Plans Additional platforms, channels (e.g., B2B) V2.0: Kids, relationships, self-regulation Embedding mini-games into other IP Partnerships (Contact us!): Games with a focus on wellbeing and health, particularly although not necessarily psychological Ideally although not necessarily with a science base

Additional platforms, channels (e.g., B2B)

V2.0: Kids, relationships, self-regulation

Embedding mini-games into other IP

Partnerships (Contact us!):

Games with a focus on wellbeing and health, particularly although not necessarily psychological

Ideally although not necessarily with a science base

www.MindHabits.com [email_address]

www.MindHabits.com

[email_address]

MindHabits: www.MindHabits.com Matthew Mather, CEO Fifth successful start-up; previous CEO Lycos Canada Founder of Immersion Corp – TouchSense in 100’s games Mark Baldwin Creator of technology and games, Two decades of research published in prestigious journals Rob Gordon, Article19 Group One of Canada’s hottest casual game developers Top selling games on market 2000 volunteers “ Gaming 2.0” from all over world

Matthew Mather, CEO

Fifth successful start-up; previous CEO Lycos Canada

Founder of Immersion Corp – TouchSense in 100’s games

Mark Baldwin

Creator of technology and games,

Two decades of research published in prestigious journals

Rob Gordon, Article19 Group

One of Canada’s hottest casual game developers

Top selling games on market

2000 volunteers

“ Gaming 2.0” from all over world

Social Intelligence Games Selected References: Dandeneau, S.D., Baldwin, M. W., Baccus, J. R., Sakellaropoulo, M., Pruessner, J. C. (2007, October). Cutting stress off at the pass: Reducing vigilance and responsiveness to social threat by manipulating attention. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(4). 651-666. Pruessner, J. C., Baldwin, M.W., Dedovic, K., Renwick, R., Mahani, N. K., Lord, C., Meaney, M., & Lupien, S. (2005). Self-esteem, locus of control, hippocampal volume, and cortisol regulation in young and old adulthood. Neuroimage, 28, 815-826. Dandeneau, S. D. M., & Baldwin, M. W. (2004). The inhibition of socially rejecting information among people with high versus low self-esteem: The role of attentional bias and the effects of bias reduction training. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23. 584-602. Baccus, J. R., Baldwin, M. W., & Packer, D. J. (2004). Increasing implicit self-esteem through classical conditioning. Psychological Science, 15, 498-502. Baldwin, M. W. & Kay, A. (2003). Adult attachment and the inhibition of rejection expectations. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 22, 275-293. Baldwin, M. W., & Main, K. J. (2001). The cued activation of relational schemas in social anxiety. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1637-1647. Baldwin, M. W., & Meunier, J. (1999). The cued activation of attachment relational schemas. Social Cognition, 17, 209-227. Baldwin, M. W., & Sinclair, L. (1996). Self-esteem and “if...then” contingencies of interpersonal acceptance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 1130-1141. Baldwin, M. W., Keelan, J. P. R., Fehr, B., Enns, V., & Koh-Rangarajoo, E. (1996). Social cognitive conceptualization of attachment working models: Availability and accessibility effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 94-104. Baldwin, M. W. (1992). Relational schemas and the processing of social information. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 461-484.

Selected References:

Dandeneau, S.D., Baldwin, M. W., Baccus, J. R., Sakellaropoulo, M., Pruessner, J. C. (2007, October). Cutting stress off at the pass: Reducing vigilance and responsiveness to social threat by manipulating attention. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(4). 651-666.

Pruessner, J. C., Baldwin, M.W., Dedovic, K., Renwick, R., Mahani, N. K., Lord, C., Meaney, M., & Lupien, S. (2005). Self-esteem, locus of control, hippocampal volume, and cortisol regulation in young and old adulthood. Neuroimage, 28, 815-826.

Dandeneau, S. D. M., & Baldwin, M. W. (2004). The inhibition of socially rejecting information among people with high versus low self-esteem: The role of attentional bias and the effects of bias reduction training. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23. 584-602.

Baccus, J. R., Baldwin, M. W., & Packer, D. J. (2004). Increasing implicit self-esteem through classical conditioning. Psychological Science, 15, 498-502.

Baldwin, M. W. & Kay, A. (2003). Adult attachment and the inhibition of rejection expectations. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 22, 275-293.

Baldwin, M. W., & Main, K. J. (2001). The cued activation of relational schemas in social anxiety. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1637-1647.

Baldwin, M. W., & Meunier, J. (1999). The cued activation of attachment relational schemas. Social Cognition, 17, 209-227.

Baldwin, M. W., & Sinclair, L. (1996). Self-esteem and “if...then” contingencies of interpersonal acceptance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 1130-1141.

Baldwin, M. W., Keelan, J. P. R., Fehr, B., Enns, V., & Koh-Rangarajoo, E. (1996). Social cognitive conceptualization of attachment working models: Availability and accessibility effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 94-104.

Baldwin, M. W. (1992). Relational schemas and the processing of social information. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 461-484.