Liquids and Their Effect On Our Minds

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

The general topic of interest in this experiment is liquid and its effect on the way a person thinks while being tested on cognitive function. People know that the human mind and body can multi-task voluntarily and most importantly involuntarily. The question that seems to have been unanswered seems to be that does it affect the level at which humans function. For example, does ingesting a liquid, in general, have an impact on the mind the way coffee or caffeinated drinks do? Does the mind work better by not having another function to do at the same time or does drinking something for example help stimulate the mind and keep it working better? There’s been many articles written about the effects of caffeinated drinks like coffee and energy drinks stimulating the mind, but there’s still one aspect missing. The aspect left to explore whether the mind works better or worse in general, with or without an additional process to conquer. Adding the consumption of liquid to the mind’s tasks may or may not help increase functionality. The work that has been done in the field suggests that energy drinks do indeed help stimulate cognitive performance. The main constant within these drinks is caffeine and “most researchers concur that caffeine seems to be the main compound that drives the stimulatory effects of these drinks” (Howard, 2010). What’s missing from all these experiments is the lack of control within the subjects overall. The food ingested through the day was not the same. The environment and state in which the subjects were in were not the same. The way to really understand this question would be test and experiment. In one study, the experimenter had “thirty-five healthy volunteers (16 male, 19 female) participate in two experimental sessions in which they remained awake between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. At 3:30 a.m. they consumed CAF or placebo in random order under double-blind conditions. Participants completed subjective effects questionnaires and performed computerized attention tasks before and after consuming capsules” (Childs, 2007). The goal was to see if whether capsulated caffeine had any effect on fatigued individuals. In another study, “twenty-four managers who normally consume between 400 and 1,000 mg of caffeine per day participated in all-day quasi-experimental simulations” (Streufert, 1997). What’s important to observe via this study is the best way to experiment would be to set a control and have an experimental variable. It’s important to keep the subjects health in mind as well, as there are certain side effects of caffeine for example that can really impact someone’s health. A study suggests “borderline hypertensive men maintained response to the stressor in the face of an exaggerated BP response to caffeine, suggesting that use of caffeine during behavioral stress may elevate BP in BH individuals to a clinically meaningful degree” (Lovallo, 2006). It is predicted that the independent variable of consumption of liquid (water) versus the dependent variable of not having consumed a liquid (water) will help the subject score better when tested on cognitive function.

There were ten subjects used for the game. The subjects were recruited in school, in the library and were students of CUNY York College. Students that were simply at the library for leisure were recruited. They volunteered at their will to participate; no incentive was given to motivate participants. Inclusion and exclusion criteria didn’t include factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, type and stage of disease, the subject’s previous treatment history, but instead the presence of a healthy medical condition. The conditions included students had to ingest a liquid diet throughout the day, which included all the healthy nutrients needed for optimal health. All subjects were assigned to these conditions. The subject demographics were simple, and found 5 males and 5 females to make the study even. The ages of participants ranged from 18-25 years old. Race, weight, sex, etc. were not important. Materials used to collect data included a notepad, an iPhone for the timer-app and a pen. The stimulus was simple Poland Spring water, which was the clear liquid. The stimuli were presented in a non-labeled bottle. The game was presented in a simple fashion, with an instructions page first. Responses were measured by the points accrued by each subject, after each round. A few conditions were created. One condition included the control group in which did not have anything to ingest at the start of each round. All subjects did have liquid diet before study though. The experimental group had a few conditions in which included the ingestion of water before the first round and a caffeinated drink before the second round. These instructions were explained to the subjects via an instruction sheet provided to them in the start of it all. Data was collected based on how many points they accrued through out their trials/rounds.

The outcome of the experiment were ten tallied scores which ultimately displayed that the independent variable subjects, which ingested the clear liquid (water), did better in the game then the dependent subjects that did not ingest a liquid prior to the game. In the experimental group the mean was 32 points and in the control the mean was 29.4 points, as shown in Figure 1. The standard deviation was 3.56 in the experimental group and the control group was 3.20 (Figure 1). The number of participants was 10 in both the experimental and control group (Figure 1). The variance was 12.67 in the experimental group and the control group was 10.27 (Figure 1). The mean scores of points scored by the experimental group were 32 points (SD = 3.56), and the mean scores of points scored by the control group were 29.4 points (SD = 3.20) (Figure 1). The results indicate that participants that ingested liquid prior to the starting the game were better and more attentive at the game then participants that did not ingest the liquid, e.g., water. T-test indicates 1.72 as a result (Figure 1).

In conclusion, the ingestion of a liquid or water before the start of any cognitive process indeed helps people function better and produces a better result, than someone that didn’t. The results support the notion that the ingestion of a liquid, before any exercising of the mind, helps people function better when prompted. The results indicated that the average of people that ingested liquid were 2.6 points higher than the average of the control group (Figure 1). This experiment solves a major problem in the field of education, where it can be implemented into the aspects of “how to study” and “what might help you to study”. Completing this missing piece of helping people to study further advances the field of education because as people get better at learning, the better it will be for us as human beings to find further parts of the world that are yet to be discovered. This experiment is different in a way that is solely tests the ingestion of a liquid, whereas there have been various studies and experiments on whether caffeine helps or doesn’t help in learning and focus. Potential problems within the study include getting the same type of human beings together, to make the tests more reliable. Another potential problem includes having the subjects on the same well-balanced liquid diet through the day. Implications of the study on the field include opening doors to better education and better learning techniques. Future experiments include using salted liquids rather than clear water.

(Figure 1)

(Figure 2)

Bibliography

Streufert, Siegfried, Usha Satish, Rosanne Pogash, Dennis Gingrich, Richard Landis, John Roache, and Walter Severs. “Excess Coffee Consumption in Simulated Complex Work Settings: Detriment or Facilitation of Performance?” Journal of Applied Psychology 82.5 (1997): 774-82. Web.

Lovallo, William R., Mustafa Al’absi, Gwen Pincomb A., Susan Everson A., and Et Al. “Caffeine and Behavioral Stress Effects on Blood Pressure in Borderline Hypertensive Caucasian Men.” Health Psychology 15.1 (1996): 11-17. Web.

Childs, Emma, and Harriet Wit De. “Enhanced Mood and Psychomotor Performance by a Caffeine-containing Energy Capsule in Fatigued Individuals.” Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 16.1 (2008): 13-21. Web.

Howard, Meagan A., and Cecile Marczinski A. “Acute Effects of a Glucose Energy Drink on Behavioral Control.” Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 18.6 (2010): 553-61. Web.

YorkCollegePoster

Liquids and Their Effect On Our Minds

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

The general topic of interest in this experiment is liquid and its effect on the way a person thinks while being tested on cognitive function. People know that the human mind and body can multi-task voluntarily and most importantly involuntarily. The question that seems to have been unanswered seems to be that does it affect the level at which humans function. For example, does ingesting a liquid, in general, have an impact on the mind the way coffee or caffeinated drinks do? Does the mind work better by not having another function to do at the same time or does drinking something for example help stimulate the mind and keep it working better? There’s been many articles written about the effects of caffeinated drinks like coffee and energy drinks stimulating the mind, but there’s still one aspect missing. The aspect left to explore whether the mind works better or worse in general, with or without an additional process to conquer. Adding the consumption of liquid to the mind’s tasks may or may not help increase functionality. The work that has been done in the field suggests that energy drinks do indeed help stimulate cognitive performance. The main constant within these drinks is caffeine and “most researchers concur that caffeine seems to be the main compound that drives the stimulatory effects of these drinks” (Howard, 2010). What’s missing from all these experiments is the lack of control within the subjects overall. The food ingested through the day was not the same. The environment and state in which the subjects were in were not the same. The way to really understand this question would be test and experiment. In one study, the experimenter had “thirty-five healthy volunteers (16 male, 19 female) participate in two experimental sessions in which they remained awake between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. At 3:30 a.m. they consumed CAF or placebo in random order under double-blind conditions. Participants completed subjective effects questionnaires and performed computerized attention tasks before and after consuming capsules” (Childs, 2007). The goal was to see if whether capsulated caffeine had any effect on fatigued individuals. In another study, “twenty-four managers who normally consume between 400 and 1,000 mg of caffeine per day participated in all-day quasi-experimental simulations” (Streufert, 1997). What’s important to observe via this study is the best way to experiment would be to set a control and have an experimental variable. It’s important to keep the subjects health in mind as well, as there are certain side effects of caffeine for example that can really impact someone’s health. A study suggests “borderline hypertensive men maintained response to the stressor in the face of an exaggerated BP response to caffeine, suggesting that use of caffeine during behavioral stress may elevate BP in BH individuals to a clinically meaningful degree” (Lovallo, 2006). It is predicted that the independent variable of consumption of liquid (water) versus the dependent variable of not having consumed a liquid (water) will help the subject score better when tested on cognitive function.

There were ten subjects used for the game. The subjects were recruited in school, in the library and were students of CUNY York College. Students that were simply at the library for leisure were recruited. They volunteered at their will to participate; no incentive was given to motivate participants. Inclusion and exclusion criteria didn’t include factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, type and stage of disease, the subject’s previous treatment history, but instead the presence of a healthy medical condition. The conditions included students had to ingest a liquid diet throughout the day, which included all the healthy nutrients needed for optimal health. All subjects were assigned to these conditions. The subject demographics were simple, and found 5 males and 5 females to make the study even. The ages of participants ranged from 18-25 years old. Race, weight, sex, etc. were not important. Materials used to collect data included a notepad, an iPhone for the timer-app and a pen. The stimulus was simple Poland Spring water, which was the clear liquid. The stimuli were presented in a non-labeled bottle. The game was presented in a simple fashion, with an instructions page first. Responses were measured by the points accrued by each subject, after each round. A few conditions were created. One condition included the control group in which did not have anything to ingest at the start of each round. All subjects did have liquid diet before study though. The experimental group had a few conditions in which included the ingestion of water before the first round and a caffeinated drink before the second round. These instructions were explained to the subjects via an instruction sheet provided to them in the start of it all. Data was collected based on how many points they accrued through out their trials/rounds.

The outcome of the experiment were ten tallied scores which ultimately displayed that the independent variable subjects, which ingested the clear liquid (water), did better in the game then the dependent subjects that did not ingest a liquid prior to the game. In the experimental group the mean was 32 points and in the control the mean was 29.4 points, as shown in Figure 1. The standard deviation was 3.56 in the experimental group and the control group was 3.20 (Figure 1). The number of participants was 10 in both the experimental and control group (Figure 1). The variance was 12.67 in the experimental group and the control group was 10.27 (Figure 1). The mean scores of points scored by the experimental group were 32 points (SD = 3.56), and the mean scores of points scored by the control group were 29.4 points (SD = 3.20) (Figure 1). The results indicate that participants that ingested liquid prior to the starting the game were better and more attentive at the game then participants that did not ingest the liquid, e.g., water. T-test indicates 1.72 as a result (Figure 1).

In conclusion, the ingestion of a liquid or water before the start of any cognitive process indeed helps people function better and produces a better result, than someone that didn’t. The results support the notion that the ingestion of a liquid, before any exercising of the mind, helps people function better when prompted. The results indicated that the average of people that ingested liquid were 2.6 points higher than the average of the control group (Figure 1). This experiment solves a major problem in the field of education, where it can be implemented into the aspects of “how to study” and “what might help you to study”. Completing this missing piece of helping people to study further advances the field of education because as people get better at learning, the better it will be for us as human beings to find further parts of the world that are yet to be discovered. This experiment is different in a way that is solely tests the ingestion of a liquid, whereas there have been various studies and experiments on whether caffeine helps or doesn’t help in learning and focus. Potential problems within the study include getting the same type of human beings together, to make the tests more reliable. Another potential problem includes having the subjects on the same well-balanced liquid diet through the day. Implications of the study on the field include opening doors to better education and better learning techniques. Future experiments include using salted liquids rather than clear water.

(Figure 1)

(Figure 2)

Bibliography

Streufert, Siegfried, Usha Satish, Rosanne Pogash, Dennis Gingrich, Richard Landis, John Roache, and Walter Severs. “Excess Coffee Consumption in Simulated Complex Work Settings: Detriment or Facilitation of Performance?” Journal of Applied Psychology 82.5 (1997): 774-82. Web.

Lovallo, William R., Mustafa Al’absi, Gwen Pincomb A., Susan Everson A., and Et Al. “Caffeine and Behavioral Stress Effects on Blood Pressure in Borderline Hypertensive Caucasian Men.” Health Psychology 15.1 (1996): 11-17. Web.

Childs, Emma, and Harriet Wit De. “Enhanced Mood and Psychomotor Performance by a Caffeine-containing Energy Capsule in Fatigued Individuals.” Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 16.1 (2008): 13-21. Web.

Howard, Meagan A., and Cecile Marczinski A. “Acute Effects of a Glucose Energy Drink on Behavioral Control.” Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 18.6 (2010): 553-61. Web.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

In conclusion, the ingestion of a liquid or water before the start of any cognitive process indeed helps people function better and produces a better result, than someone that didn’t.

The results support the notion that the ingestion of a liquid, before any exercising of the mind, helps people function better when prompted. The results indicated that the average of people that ingested liquid were 2.6 points higher than the average of the control group.

This experiment solves a major problem in the field of education, where it can be implemented into the aspects of “how to study” and “what might help you to study”.

Completing this missing piece of helping people to study further advances the field of education because as people get better at learning, the better it will be for us as human beings to find further parts of the world that are yet to be discovered.

This experiment is different in a way that is solely tests the ingestion of a liquid, whereas there have been various studies and experiments on whether caffeine helps or doesn’t help in learning and focus. Potential problems within the study include getting the same type of human beings together, to make the tests more reliable. Another potential problem includes having the subjects on the same well-balanced liquid diet through the day. Implications of the study on the field include opening doors to better education and better learning techniques. Future experiments include using salted liquids rather than clear water.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

There were twenty subjects used for the game. The subjects were recruited in school, in the library. Students that were simply at the library for leisure were recruited. They volunteered at their will to participate. Inclusion and exclusion criteria didn’t include factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, type and stage of disease, the subject’s previous treatment history, but instead the presence of a healthy medical condition.

The conditions included students had to ingest a liquid diet throughout the day, which included all the healthy nutrients needed for optimal health. All subjects were assigned to these conditions. The subject demographics were simple, and found 10 males and 10 females to make the study even. Race, weight, sex, etc. were not important.

Materials used to collect data included a notepad, an iPhone for the timer-app and a pen. The game was presented in a simple fashion, with an instructions page first. Responses were measured by the points accrued by each subject, after each round.

A few conditions were created. One condition included the control group in which did not have anything to ingest at the start of each round. All subjects did have liquid diet before study though. The experimental group had a few conditions in which included the ingestion of water before the first round and a caffeinated drink before the second round. These instructions were explained to the subjects via an instruction sheet provided to them in the start of it all. Data was collected based on how many points they accrued through out their trials/rounds.

In the experimental group the mean was 32 points and in the control the mean was 29.4 points. The standard deviation was 3.56 in the experimental group and the control group was 3.20. The number of participants was 10 in both the experimental and control group. The variance was 12.67 in the experimental group and the control group was 10.27.

The mean scores of points scored by the experimental group were 32 points (SD = 3.56), and the mean scores of points scored by the control group were 29.4 points (SD = 3.20). The results indicate that participants that ingested liquid prior to the starting the game were better and more attentive at the game then participants that did not ingest the liquid, e.g., water. T-test indicates 1.72 as a result.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

The game is trying to teach subjects to read specific letters and identify which words they are. The learning objective the game is trying to create for the subjects is to think faster and be more attentive. The dominant form of interaction the player has with the game is simply reading the flashcard, and thinking of the word that it could be. The player doesn’t have any physical interaction with the game. This does not get in the way of the learning objective as it still stimulates the brain and achieves the learning objective. Cognitive processes are most affected by the game design. The design affects this system simply by not having any physical interaction with the game. It is solely all cognitive processes in action.

Three people are engaged in the game. One person will be the player (subject), the other will be just someone to hold the index cards, and one person will be keeping tally of the score. They interact with one another by the person giving the answer, and the other person holding the index card responding if it was right or wrong. It is neither cooperative nor competitive amongst them. One is simply helping facilitate the game. One is playing the game. One is keeping score of the game. The primary objective of the game is to get as many words right as possible, under the amount of time allotted per word. Time would be set as 10-seconds/per word, for example. The game objective does reinforce the learning objective, as the game objective is to score as many points as possible and the only way to score points is to complete the words, which will then reinforce the learning objective. The rules of the game are simple. Each word will have a 10-second timer. If the timer passes 10 seconds then the game is over and whatever points you collected will be your score. Each word is equivalent to one point. If you get all the words, you get all the points and you successfully beat the game. This compliments the learning objective, as it encourages players to try and beat the game each time they lose, which should help them get better and be more attentive over time. Items such as points are accrued during the game. No resources are spent during the game. Since there are no resources spent, nothing governs the exchange of resources. The only conflicts between the player and the game elements include the difficulty/longevity of the word, the timer and every time the player loses. These conflicts are resolved by getting better each time they lose. The game prevents players from having physical interaction, which should then help them focus as they are solely using their minds to play the game. This limitation can be fun because when you have less things to touch, feel and think about, you’re more focused on doing one thing. This one thing will be thinking, and will contribute to the objective ultimately. The game ends when the player wins, which means the player has to get every word right each round, under the 10-second timer. The outcome does not conflict with the objective, as the end of the game is made long enough that the player has to lose a few times, before getting it right, which then helps the player use his mind more, be more focused and attentive and eventually the objective is achieved.

The main character is the player. The motivation is the difficulty of the game, and the fact that it looks easy in the beginning and seems beatable. There is no relationship between the player and the character, as it is not a video game. The challenges presented to the player include the timer on each word, the difficulty the word, and the longevity of the word. The player must master or learn the skill of reading and thinking fast. This game is a card-based game as it is not a video game, so it does not take place in a fictional world. The premise of the game is to get all fifty words right under the allotted time of ten seconds per word. The game uses a linear narrative, as it is simply one thing the player has to achieve over and over, until they beat the game. Player interactions related to the narrative by allowing them to only use their minds and no physical interaction. That should help isolate them from any other activity and help stimulate reading and thinking. The game is playful by being simple; not having too much going on can make a game fun, simple and playful. Of the many types of play, the most prevalent is the “solitary play”. Of the players in Bartle’s Taxonomy, the one to most likely enjoy this game would be the “achievers”. The tension and resolution are controlled in the game by beating each round. If the player loses then he/she comes back to beat it, which keeps the player at a constant to relieve the tension. The cycle continues. The story does not create conflict in the game, as there is none.

The objects used to build the game include a timer and a deck of index cards. The only object property required for the game includes the words written on the index cards. The only object behaviors that are required are reading and thinking of the word on the index card and speaking it out. The basic relationship between the system elements is associated with the player as it is up to him/her to read them. The player controls the dynamics of the game. The game system does not exist as an economy. No new systems emerge from the game play, as it is a pretty simple game with the same rules and objectives for each round. There are no procedurally generated systems. The rules of the game and how the game is to be played is exposed to the player, there is nothing hidden from the player. The player interacts with the system, controls the system and receives feedback from the system by reading, thinking and then saying out loud what his answer is. The feedback given to him/her is from the other person holding the index card, telling him/her whether or not he/she is right or wrong.

The game is fully functional, as it has all the components to help achieve the learning objective. The game is indeed complete. There is no voice that isn’t being represented in the game. All aspects needed are present. The game is balanced as it has a points system, a system to tell the player if he/she is wrong, etc. The only dominant strategy is to think faster, and read faster. This helps reinforce the learning objective. The game is also symmetrical in all aspects. The game is indeed engaging, as it has the player coming back for more, to eventually beat the game. The elements that support engagement promotes the learning objective by playing the game with the rules provided. Word choices are meaningful in the game and it relates to the objective, as it is needed to beat the game, thus help you get better at thinking. There are no parts of the game that are broken, micromanaging, boring or stagnant, have insurmountable obstacles, etc. It is very easy to play the game, as it is very simple. It takes 30 seconds to learn the game and players learn to play by reading instructions.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

There were twenty subjects used for the game. The subjects were recruited in school, in the library. Students that were simply at the library for leisure were recruited. They volunteered at their will to participate. Inclusion and exclusion criteria didn’t include factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, type and stage of disease, the subject’s previous treatment history, but instead the presence of a healthy medical condition.

The conditions included students had to ingest a liquid diet throughout the day, which included all the healthy nutrients needed for optimal health. All subjects were assigned to these conditions. The subject demographics were simple, and found 10 males and 10 females to make the study even. Race, weight, sex, etc. were not important.

Materials used to collect data included a notepad, an iPhone for the timer-app and a pen. The game was presented in a simple fashion, with an instructions page first. Responses were measured by the points accrued by each subject, after each round.

A few conditions were created. One condition included the control group in which did not have anything to ingest at the start of each round. All subjects did have liquid diet before study though. The experimental group had a few conditions in which included the ingestion of water before the first round and a caffeinated drink before the second round. These instructions were explained to the subjects via an instruction sheet provided to them in the start of it all. Data was collected based on how many points they accrued through out their trials/rounds.

The outcome of the experiment defended the hypothesis, that the ingestion of liquid does affect people’s attentiveness. Subjects that ingested the caffeinated drink had the best result, in terms of points. Subjects that ingested the caffeinated drink had about 25% more points than the control group.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

The game is trying to teach subjects to read specific letters and identify which words they are. The learning objective the game is trying to create for the subjects is to think faster and be more attentive. The dominant form of interaction the player has with the game is simply reading the flashcard, and thinking of the word that it could be. The player doesn’t have any physical interaction with the game. This does not get in the way of the learning objective as it still stimulates the brain and achieves the learning objective. Cognitive processes are most affected by the game design. The design affects this system simply by not having any physical interaction with the game. It is solely all cognitive processes in action.

Three people are engaged in the game. One person will be the player (subject), the other will be just someone to hold the index cards, and one person will be keeping tally of the score. They interact with one another by the person giving the answer, and the other person holding the index card responding if it was right or wrong. It is neither cooperative nor competitive amongst them. One is simply helping facilitate the game. One is playing the game. One is keeping score of the game. The primary objective of the game is to get as many words right as possible, under the amount of time allotted per word. Time would be set as 10-seconds/per word, for example. The game objective does reinforce the learning objective, as the game objective is to score as many points as possible and the only way to score points is to complete the words, which will then reinforce the learning objective. The rules of the game are simple. Each word will have a 10-second timer. If the timer passes 10 seconds then the game is over and whatever points you collected will be your score. Each word is equivalent to one point. If you get all the words, you get all the points and you successfully beat the game. This compliments the learning objective, as it encourages players to try and beat the game each time they lose, which should help them get better and be more attentive over time. Items such as points are accrued during the game. No resources are spent during the game. Since there are no resources spent, nothing governs the exchange of resources. The only conflicts between the player and the game elements include the difficulty/longevity of the word, the timer and every time the player loses. These conflicts are resolved by getting better each time they lose. The game prevents players from having physical interaction, which should then help them focus as they are solely using their minds to play the game. This limitation can be fun because when you have less things to touch, feel and think about, you’re more focused on doing one thing. This one thing will be thinking, and will contribute to the objective ultimately. The game ends when the player wins, which means the player has to get every word right each round, under the 10-second timer. The outcome does not conflict with the objective, as the end of the game is made long enough that the player has to lose a few times, before getting it right, which then helps the player use his mind more, be more focused and attentive and eventually the objective is achieved.

The main character is the player. The motivation is the difficulty of the game, and the fact that it looks easy in the beginning and seems beatable. There is no relationship between the player and the character, as it is not a video game. The challenges presented to the player include the timer on each word, the difficulty the word, and the longevity of the word. The player must master or learn the skill of reading and thinking fast. This game is a card-based game as it is not a video game, so it does not take place in a fictional world. The premise of the game is to get all fifty words right under the allotted time of ten seconds per word. The game uses a linear narrative, as it is simply one thing the player has to achieve over and over, until they beat the game. Player interactions related to the narrative by allowing them to only use their minds and no physical interaction. That should help isolate them from any other activity and help stimulate reading and thinking. The game is playful by being simple; not having too much going on can make a game fun, simple and playful. Of the many types of play, the most prevalent is the “solitary play”. Of the players in Bartle’s Taxonomy, the one to most likely enjoy this game would be the “achievers”. The tension and resolution are controlled in the game by beating each round. If the player loses then he/she comes back to beat it, which keeps the player at a constant to relieve the tension. The cycle continues. The story does not create conflict in the game, as there is none.

The objects used to build the game include a timer and a deck of index cards. The only object property required for the game includes the words written on the index cards. The only object behaviors that are required are reading and thinking of the word on the index card and speaking it out. The basic relationship between the system elements is associated with the player as it is up to him/her to read them. The player controls the dynamics of the game. The game system does not exist as an economy. No new systems emerge from the game play, as it is a pretty simple game with the same rules and objectives for each round. There are no procedurally generated systems. The rules of the game and how the game is to be played is exposed to the player, there is nothing hidden from the player. The player interacts with the system, controls the system and receives feedback from the system by reading, thinking and then saying out loud what his answer is. The feedback given to him/her is from the other person holding the index card, telling him/her whether or not he/she is right or wrong.

The game is fully functional, as it has all the components to help achieve the learning objective. The game is indeed complete. There is no voice that isn’t being represented in the game. All aspects needed are present. The game is balanced as it has a points system, a system to tell the player if he/she is wrong, etc. The only dominant strategy is to think faster, and read faster. This helps reinforce the learning objective. The game is also symmetrical in all aspects. The game is indeed engaging, as it has the player coming back for more, to eventually beat the game. The elements that support engagement promotes the learning objective by playing the game with the rules provided. Word choices are meaningful in the game and it relates to the objective, as it is needed to beat the game, thus help you get better at thinking. There are no parts of the game that are broken, micromanaging, boring or stagnant, have insurmountable obstacles, etc. It is very easy to play the game, as it is very simple. It takes 30 seconds to learn the game and players learn to play by reading instructions.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

There were twenty subjects used for the game. The subjects were recruited in school, in the library. Students that were simply at the library for leisure were recruited. They volunteered at their will to participate. Inclusion and exclusion criteria didn’t include factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, type and stage of disease, the subject’s previous treatment history, but instead the presence of a healthy medical condition.

The conditions included students had to ingest a liquid diet throughout the day, which included all the healthy nutrients needed for optimal health. All subjects were assigned to these conditions. The subject demographics were simple, and found 10 males and 10 females to make the study even. Race, weight, sex, etc. were not important.

Materials used to collect data included a notepad, an iPhone for the timer-app and a pen. The game was presented in a simple fashion, with an instructions page first. Responses were measured by the points accrued by each subject, after each round.

A few conditions were created. One condition included the control group in which did not have anything to ingest at the start of each round. All subjects did have liquid diet before study though. The experimental group had a few conditions in which included the ingestion of water before the first round and a caffeinated drink before the second round. These instructions were explained to the subjects via an instruction sheet provided to them in the start of it all. Data was collected based on how many points they accrued through out their trials/rounds.

The outcome of the experiment defended the hypothesis, that the ingestion of liquid does affect people’s attentiveness. Subjects that ingested the caffeinated drink had the best result, in terms of points. Subjects that ingested the caffeinated drink had about 25% more points than the control group.

Word-Bank

Usman Athar

CUNY York College

The game is trying to teach subjects to read specific letters and identify which words they are. The learning objective the game is trying to create for the subjects is to think faster and be more attentive. The dominant form of interaction the player has with the game is simply reading the flashcard, and thinking of the word that it could be. The player doesn’t have any physical interaction with the game. This does not get in the way of the learning objective as it still stimulates the brain and achieves the learning objective. Cognitive processes are most affected by the game design. The design affects this system simply by not having any physical interaction with the game. It is solely all cognitive processes in action.

Three people are engaged in the game. One person will be the player (subject), the other will be just someone to hold the index cards, and one person will be keeping tally of the score. They interact with one another by the person giving the answer, and the other person holding the index card responding if it was right or wrong. It is neither cooperative nor competitive amongst them. One is simply helping facilitate the game. One is playing the game. One is keeping score of the game. The primary objective of the game is to get as many words right as possible, under the amount of time allotted per word. Time would be set as 10-seconds/per word, for example. The game objective does reinforce the learning objective, as the game objective is to score as many points as possible and the only way to score points is to complete the words, which will then reinforce the learning objective. The rules of the game are simple. Each word will have a 10-second timer. If the timer passes 10 seconds then the game is over and whatever points you collected will be your score. Each word is equivalent to one point. If you get all the words, you get all the points and you successfully beat the game. This compliments the learning objective, as it encourages players to try and beat the game each time they lose, which should help them get better and be more attentive over time. Items such as points are accrued during the game. No resources are spent during the game. Since there are no resources spent, nothing governs the exchange of resources. The only conflicts between the player and the game elements include the difficulty/longevity of the word, the timer and every time the player loses. These conflicts are resolved by getting better each time they lose. The game prevents players from having physical interaction, which should then help them focus as they are solely using their minds to play the game. This limitation can be fun because when you have less things to touch, feel and think about, you’re more focused on doing one thing. This one thing will be thinking, and will contribute to the objective ultimately. The game ends when the player wins, which means the player has to get every word right each round, under the 10-second timer. The outcome does not conflict with the objective, as the end of the game is made long enough that the player has to lose a few times, before getting it right, which then helps the player use his mind more, be more focused and attentive and eventually the objective is achieved.

The main character is the player. The motivation is the difficulty of the game, and the fact that it looks easy in the beginning and seems beatable. There is no relationship between the player and the character, as it is not a video game. The challenges presented to the player include the timer on each word, the difficulty the word, and the longevity of the word. The player must master or learn the skill of reading and thinking fast. This game is a card-based game as it is not a video game, so it does not take place in a fictional world. The premise of the game is to get all fifty words right under the allotted time of ten seconds per word. The game uses a linear narrative, as it is simply one thing the player has to achieve over and over, until they beat the game. Player interactions related to the narrative by allowing them to only use their minds and no physical interaction. That should help isolate them from any other activity and help stimulate reading and thinking. The game is playful by being simple; not having too much going on can make a game fun, simple and playful. Of the many types of play, the most prevalent is the “solitary play”. Of the players in Bartle’s Taxonomy, the one to most likely enjoy this game would be the “achievers”. The tension and resolution are controlled in the game by beating each round. If the player loses then he/she comes back to beat it, which keeps the player at a constant to relieve the tension. The cycle continues. The story does not create conflict in the game, as there is none.

The objects used to build the game include a timer and a deck of index cards. The only object property required for the game includes the words written on the index cards. The only object behaviors that are required are reading and thinking of the word on the index card and speaking it out. The basic relationship between the system elements is associated with the player as it is up to him/her to read them. The player controls the dynamics of the game. The game system does not exist as an economy. No new systems emerge from the game play, as it is a pretty simple game with the same rules and objectives for each round. There are no procedurally generated systems. The rules of the game and how the game is to be played is exposed to the player, there is nothing hidden from the player. The player interacts with the system, controls the system and receives feedback from the system by reading, thinking and then saying out loud what his answer is. The feedback given to him/her is from the other person holding the index card, telling him/her whether or not he/she is right or wrong.

The game is fully functional, as it has all the components to help achieve the learning objective. The game is indeed complete. There is no voice that isn’t being represented in the game. All aspects needed are present. The game is balanced as it has a points system, a system to tell the player if he/she is wrong, etc. The only dominant strategy is to think faster, and read faster. This helps reinforce the learning objective. The game is also symmetrical in all aspects. The game is indeed engaging, as it has the player coming back for more, to eventually beat the game. The elements that support engagement promotes the learning objective by playing the game with the rules provided. Word choices are meaningful in the game and it relates to the objective, as it is needed to beat the game, thus help you get better at thinking. There are no parts of the game that are broken, micromanaging, boring or stagnant, have insurmountable obstacles, etc. It is very easy to play the game, as it is very simple. It takes 30 seconds to learn the game and players learn to play by reading instructions.