Podcast appearances and mentions of pete etchells

In this guest slot episode, we're joined by Pete Etchells, the professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa, for a fascinating conversation on the effects Video Games have on your brains.Download the SAILY app - use our code thegadgetshow at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Listen or Watch The Gadget Show Podcast AD Free and get loads of extras via our Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/thegadgetshowTo get in touch with the Gadget Show Podcast, email: contact@northone.tvA North One ProductionProduced by Ewan Keil & Tom ClintSocial: @TheGadgetShowEmail: contact@northone.tvJoin our Gadget Show Patreon page to get exclusive content, listen ad-free and access to watch recordings in person!Membership Club: patreon.com/thegadgetshow#TheGadgetShow #SAILY Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  In this episode, Pete Etchells brings a fresh perspective to the discussion on rethinking our relationship with technology. He challenges prevalent assumptions and encourages a deeper exploration of the nuanced effects of technology on our mental health and overall well-being. Pete shares some of the complex research and distills it into comprehensible insights for a more informed understanding of the intricate relationship between digital devices and mental health. Key Takeaways: Understand the nuanced effects of screen time on mental health Discover effective digital detox methods to improve well-being Explore the impact of social media on overall mental and emotional health Learn strategies for managing and overcoming screen addiction Recognize the role of technology in attention and distraction, and how to navigate it effectively For full show notes, click here! Connect with the show: Follow us on YouTube: @TheOneYouFeedPod Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pete Etchells is a professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University. He researches the behavioural and wellbeing effects of playing video games, as well as metascientific issues regarding best practice in digital technology effects research. He's written articles for various publications including New Scientist, the Guardian, the Observer, the New York Times, WIRED and the Telegraph. His most recent book, UNLOCKED, investigates the science behind our relationship with digital technology.Pete Etchells' personal website: https://www.peteetchells.com/Faculty page: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/our-people/peter-etchells/Twitter/X page: https://x.com/peteetchellsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/peteetchells/Articles at The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/pete-etchells This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theclusterftheory.substack.com

Are smartphones and social media bad for kids' mental health? According to a number of recent books, articles, and op-eds, the answer is an emphatic yes: The rise of smartphones and social media corresponded not only to a rise in the incidence of mental health problems but to a decline in academic performance. Indeed, in […]

Are smartphones and social media bad for kids' mental health? According to a number of recent books, articles, and op-eds, the answer is an emphatic yes: The rise of smartphones and social media corresponded not only to a rise in the incidence of mental health problems but to a decline in academic performance. Indeed, in popular media, there almost seems to be a consensus emerging: It's the phones, stupid.But is the popular media consensus correct? What does the research say? And what is the state of the research? On this episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus discusses these questions and more with Pete Etchells.Pete Etchells is Professor of Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University in the UK and is the author of Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better).Show Notes:Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better) (Note: Unlocked is not yet available in US stores but can be purchased from UK booksellers and shipped to the US.)Scroll On: Why Your Screen-Time Habits Aren't as Bad as You Think They AreLost in a Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do for UsSmartphone Bans, Student Outcomes and Mental Health

We welcome Pete Etchells, one of the UK's foremost experts on the effects of screen time and screen-based activities, to talk about his new book, 'Unlocked'. We talk about attention, screens, and take a few detours along the way. Pete's book can be found here:

Joining me on the show today is Pete Etchells. Pete is a professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University. He's also the author of “Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better)”. I talk to Pete about: - What we get wrong about screen time and its effects on our health - The myths around blue light and sleep - Why banning phones in schools isn't the solution - Why TikTok and YouTube Shorts aren't sabotaging our focus - How Pete talks to his children about screen time - & much more Enjoy the episode. Connect with Pete: https://twitter.com/PeteEtchells https://www.peteetchells.com/ Pete's book: “Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better)” - https://amzn.eu/d/37BpHap Connect with me: https://www.twitter.com/samuelcwhart https://www.instagram.com/samuelcwhart https://www.facebook.com/samuelcwhart https://www.youtube.com/@samuelcwhart

Ever since there have been smartphones and social media, there have been concerns about how they might be affecting children. Over the past decade, doctors have seen a decline in mental health in the young in much of the rich world. But whether that rise can be attributed to technology is still a matter of fierce debate. Nevertheless, demands are growing to proactively restrict teenagers' access to phones and social media, just in case. How concerned should parents and teachers be? Or is this just another moral panic? Host: Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor. Contributors: Tom Wainwright, The Economist's technology and media editor; Clare Fernyhough, co-founder of Smartphone Free Childhood; Carol Vidal of Johns Hopkins University; Pete Etchells, a psychologist at Bath Spa University and the author of “Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time”.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever since there have been smartphones and social media, there have been concerns about how they might be affecting children. Over the past decade, doctors have seen a decline in mental health in the young in much of the rich world. But whether that rise can be attributed to technology is still a matter of fierce debate. Nevertheless, demands are growing to proactively restrict teenagers' access to phones and social media, just in case. How concerned should parents and teachers be? Or is this just another moral panic? Host: Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor. Contributors: Tom Wainwright, The Economist's technology and media editor; Clare Fernyhough, co-founder of Smartphone Free Childhood; Carol Vidal of Johns Hopkins University; Pete Etchells, a psychologist at Bath Spa University and the author of “Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time”.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

On this thought-provoking ep, we're joined once again by professor and psychologist Pete Etchells (@PeteEtchells) for a chat about his new book Unlocked, which is a well-researched and very reasonable take on the science of screentime. We also talk about Bluey, cryptic crosswords, libel laws, and more! Seriously, Pete's book is a breath of fresh air-- check it out wherever you get your books (and on a delay if you're in the US). Follow us on Twitter at @leightonnight and on Instagram/TikTok at @leighton_night. You can find Brian on Twitter/Instagram at @bwecht, and Leighton at @graylish (Twitter)/@buttchamps (Instagram). And please follow Jerik's future adventures in audio and send him some love @jerikcenteno on instagram!

Just about everywhere we look today, screens, and in particular social media, are being called addictive, and being blamed for causing mental health problems and damaging childhood development. But does the evidence support this? In today's episode we catch up with Pete Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University and author of Unlocked: The real science of screen time. Pete tells us why we need to redefine our relationship with technology and why social media, for all its ills, may not be as bad as we often make out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days we see a lot of negative stories related to screen time – how we're addicted to our phones and social media is damaging our mental health. But is our panic about screens justified? Pete Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University, talks Claudia Hammond through the latest evidence in this field – and it turns out it's all a lot more complicated than we think.Many of us will often get catchy tunes stuck in our head, or have an inner monologue narrating our experiences. But this isn't the case for everyone – some people have what they describe as a silent inner world. This inability to hear sounds in your head has been named anauralia, which PhD student Sang Hyun Kim experiences, and he describes his inner life to Claudia. We also hear from Professor of Psychology Tony Lambert, who has been running studies into anauralia at the University of Auckland. And Claudia is joined in the studio by Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, who has also recently published a study on anauralia – and puts Claudia's auditory imagery skills to the test. And Catherine also talks us through a new study on how live music can amplify emotional responses in the brain.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Sophie Ormiston Studio Manager: Tim Heffer Production Coordinator: Siobhan Maguire Editor: Holly Squire

This week Vicki is joined by Pete Etchells, professor of Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University to discuss the topic of screen time and some of the debate that surrounds it.Talking points:What is ‘screen time', and how hard is it to accurately measure? Why do we tend to look at tech through a harmful lens, and does this stand in the way of digitally flourishing?Do some policies just help us avoid thinking about children's tech use?Tech Shock is a Parent Zone production. Follow Parent Zone on social media for all the latest on our work on helping families to thrive in the digital age. Presented by Vicki Shotbolt. Tech Shock is produced and edited by Tim Malster.wwwTwitterFacebookInstagram

The thesis of Johann Hari's bestselling 2022 book Stolen Focus is that tech companies—via the internet, smartphones, and social media—are wrecking our attention spans. Hari argues that Facebook, Apple, and all the rest, in their deliberate attack on our ability to concentrate, are doing huge damage to the human species.In this episode of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart (whose microphone sounds a bit odd this week - sorry about that!) discuss the data on whether people's attention spans are getting shorter, ask whether there's evidence people are too distracted to finish tasks—such as writing podcast descriptions—that they've started, andThe Studies Show is sponsored by Works in Progress, the online magazine about science, technology, and human progress. Find all their deeply-researched, beautifully-written essays about ideas that have changed, and will change, the world right here at this link.The Studies Show is also supported by the i, a snappy, non-partisan UK newspaper for people with open minds. You can get a money-off deal on your digital subscription—which includes full access to all Stuart's science writing—by following this special podcast link.Show notes* Pre-order Pete Etchells's book Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better)* Johann Hari's 2022 Guardian article on attention spans* Stuart's review of Stolen Focus, including some background on Hari's “interesting” journalistic career* “You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish”, apparently* Just watch this video. No spoilers.* The lizardman's constant is 4%* 2009 PNAS study on multitasking* 2021 Cyberpsychology meta-analysis on cognitive control and multitasking* 50% of people think tech is ruining people's attention spans* Satirical study from 2020 on the addiction to “spending time with friends”* One of Matthew Sweet's Twitter investigations of Johann Hari's references* Stuart's look at some of the other studies cited in the bookCreditsThe Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thestudiesshowpod.com/subscribe

I chat with Prof Pete Etchells about video games, the stories they tell, and his book LOST IN A GOOD GAME: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do For Us. Please do support Pete by checking out his book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Good-Game-video-games/dp/1785784811 You can support the show via my Ko-fi page here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare You can pre-order my forthcoming book COWARD from Storysmith Books here: https://storysmithbooks.com/product/coward-tim-clare/ Thank you.

Hosted by Robin Ince and Dr Helen Czerski this episode of the Science Shambles podcast is an audio recording of our weekly Sunday Science Q and A show that goes out at 10am BST on our YouTube channel. This week Robin and Helen are joined by Prof Pete Etchells and Ginny Smith to talk of brain beliefs, FMRIs, cobalt recycling and video game research... Watch them on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/cosmicshambles and get bonus content and extended conversations with guests by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

It's another science-y episode of Leighton Night this week, featuring psychology professor/science communicator/video game researcher, Dr. Pete Etchells (@PeteEtchells)! Pete is a lovely guy and we have a fascinating discussion about academics, video games, John Hughes movies, Swiss freak outs, screen time, and more. It's a fun & informative episode, and if you have any interest in video games (which we know you do), you'll love it.Follow us on Twitter at @leightonnight and on Instagram at @leighton_night. You can find Brian on Twitter/Instagram at @bwecht, and Leighton at @graylish (Twitter)/@buttchamps (Instagram).Get Pete's book "Lost in a Good Game" at https://iconbooks.com/ib-title/lost-in-a-good-game/

This week on the Science Focus Podcast, we're joined by Dr Pete Etchells, a professor of psychology with a particular interest how video games affect our mood and behaviour.Pete is also the author of the book Lost in a Good Game which explores why we love video games, and what they do for us.Today we’re talking about the relationship between gambling and video games: what we know and what don’t. We want you to help us with the research, so if you want to get involved in a real-life scientific study that could shape the conversation around gaming and gambling, stayed tuned and listen in for details at the end.Let us know what you think of the episode with a review or a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.Subscribe to the Science Focus Podcast on these services: Acast, iTunes, Stitcher, RSS, OvercastRead the full transcription [this will open in a new window]Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:Pete Etchells: Are video games good for us?Project Discovery: Could computer games help find a cure for COVID-19?The neuroscience of happiness – Dean BurnettDr Julia Shaw: Why do we do bad things?Anthony David: Why is there still such stigma around mental health?Brendan Walker: Where is the best place to sit on a rollercoaster? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What does it mean to build a game based around empathy rather than power? Find out more about kindness in games from video game developer Ziba Scott, producer/director Elin Festøy, Aardman animation creative director Dan Efergan and Dr Pete Etchells. The panel was hosted by Elle Osili-Wood.

This is Episode 19 of PsychCrunch, the podcast from the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest, sponsored by Routledge Psychology.  Do we worry too much about screen time? The issue of screen use by children and teenagers is rarely out of the headlines, and institutions including the World Health Organization have recommended specific limits on screen time for the youngest age groups. But what does the science actually say about the effects of screen time? To find out, our presenter Ella Rhodes talks to Dr Amy Orben, Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge and winner of the 2019 BPS award for Outstanding Doctoral Research, who has explored the psychological effects of screen time in her research.  Episode credits: Presented and produced by Ella Rhodes, journalist for The Psychologist, with help from the Research Digest and Psychologist teams. Mixing and editing by Jeff Knowler. PsychCrunch theme music by Catherine Loveday and Jeff Knowler; additional music by Ketsa. Artwork by Tim Grimshaw. Background resources for this episode:  Screen Time, Laptop Bans, and the Fears that Shape the Use of Technology for Learning, a paper by Dr Torrey Trust in the Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, is free to access thanks to our sponsors Routledge Psychology. The work by Amy Orben and her colleagues discussed in this episode includes: The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use Screens, Teens, and Psychological Well-Being: Evidence From Three Time-Use-Diary Studies How Much Is Too Much? Examining the Relationship Between Digital Screen Engagement and Psychosocial Functioning in a Confirmatory Cohort Study Social media’s enduring effect on adolescent life satisfaction Here are the WHO guidelines on screen time mentioned at the beginning of the podcast. Both The Psychologist and Research Digest have a number of articles on screen time and media effects, including: The Psychologist Presents… Screen time debunked A transcript of Professor Andrew Przybylski’s session with editor Jon Sutton at Latitude Festival in summer 2019. Seeing screen time differently Jon Sutton reports from a one-day event on research, policy and communication in a digital era, held out the Wellcome Collection in London in 2018. 'There are wolves in the forest…' Professor Andrew Przybylski picks three myths around screen time – and how science, and some common sense, can help. What is actually behind the screen? Ella Rhodes reports on last year's parliamentary report from the Science and Technology Committee. ‘Games have helped me a lot throughout my life’ Annie Brookman-Byrne interviews Dr Pete Etchells, Reader in Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University, about his book Lost in a Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do For Us. Amy Orben honoured Dr Orben wins the British Psychological Society's Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research. Link Between Teens’ Time On Digital Devices And Lower Wellbeing Is “Too Small To Merit Substantial Scientific Discussion” Abstaining From Social Media Doesn’t Improve Well-Being, Experimental Study Finds These Violent Delights Don’t Have Violent Ends: Study Finds No link Between Violent Video Games And Teen Aggression Hard-core players of violent video games do not have emotionally blunted brains

En este episodio hago una revisión en la que repaso estudios neurocientíficos acerca de los videojuegos. En una primera parte voy a resolver las dudas y miedos que continúan circulando acerca de los posibles riesgos de los videojuegos. En una segunda hablaré de los efectos y beneficios que tiene sobre nuestro cerebro dedicar tiempo a jugar a videojuegos.Top 25 de compañias de videojuegos que más ingresaron en 2018. Y aquí tenéis el primer informe económico en el que se analiza el impacto de la industria de los videojuegos sobre la economía de española. Códigos PEGI para clasificar los contenidos de los videojuegos. Sistemas de clasificación de contenidos en todo el mundo. Resolución de la Asociación Americana de Psicología sobre los videojuegos violentos.Pete Etchells y su nuevo libro “Lost In a good game”. Pablo Francescutti y su libro “La pantalla profética”. Paul J. C. Adachi and Teena Willoughby en su investigación de 2011 sobre competición y violencia.Estudio de 2019 sobre el nulo efecto de la violencia en los videojuegos sobre la conducta agresiva.Revisión sistemática acerca del tiempo de pantalla y el bienestar en niños y adolescentes. Guía para padres sobre el uso de pantallas. Estudio sobre adicción a pantallas.Revisión sistemática de 116 artículos sobre los efectos de los videojuegos. Estudio sobre los videojuegos y el desarrollo en niños. Paper con teoría sobre la autodeterminación en los videojuegos.Dejadme vuestros comentarios y sugerencias en mis redes sociales (facebook, twitter, linkedin e instagram) o en mi correo. Más acerca de mí en la web. Si queréis ayudarme a que este podcast llegue a más personas, dejadme una valoración en iTunes.

It's our annual books of the year edition of Book Shambles recorded with various guests back stage at the Compendium and Nine Lessons shows. In this year's edition Robin chats to Josie Long, Michael Legge, Pete Etchells, Claudia Hammond, Gecko, Chris Lintott, Chris Hadfield, Jo Neary, Suzi Gage, Lucie Green, Ben Moor, Tim Peake, Lucy Rogers, Peter Buckley Hill, Melinda Burton and Trent Burton. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles

Psychologists’ advice is that play is beneficial for children developmentally and socially. In this Christmas episode of All in the Mind Claudia visits the Play Well exhibition at Wellcome Collection which looks at the significance of play in childhood and across society as a way of learning, expressing emotions and building empathy. Claudia’s joined at the exhibition by play experts Maia and Rachel. Children in the UK have written letters to Father Christmas since Victorian times and Dr Sian Pooley at the University of Oxford shows how they reveal the history of play. LEGO Professor of Play Paul Ramchandani at the University of Cambridge researches the developmental benefits for children and looks at how fathers play with their children. And how do you get children off the computer and playing outside? Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology at Reading Univesity, and Dr Pete Etchells, Reader in Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University, look at the evidence and ask if a balance can be achieved.

Chris Ferguson recommended the Atari 2600 console. Sam Illingworth recommended Betrayal at House on the Hill  Pete Etchells recommeded Untitled Goose Game Sam Wake recommended Cain's Jawbone Nic Whitton recommended the Librarian's Almanaq Holly Gramazio recommended Board games to create and play I recommended a few things: The floor is lava Board games in 100 moves Quest for El Dorado Ticket to Ride London

There is a growing body of scientific literature about video games. Not how their made, but how they impact our brains and our lives. Researchers are looking at questions like: do violent video games make us more violent in real life? Can games be addictive? Or, how much time sitting in front of the screen is really good for us? Our guest in this episode, psychology professor Pete Etchells, has taken an in-depth look at the research around video games in his new book, “Lost In a Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do for Us.” We talked about some common concerns parents, in particular, have about so-called screen time. The positive impact video games can have on our lives, including a touching personal story of Pete’s. And we spent a good deal of time talking about the common pitfalls of psychology research, which not only affect the study of video games, but literally every other sub-discipline of psychology. Links: Pete's website: https://www.peteetchells.com/ -- Receive 25% off your new web hosting plan using the promo code "science": http://hostgator.com -- Tell us what you thought of this episode: Email: feedback@sciencentric.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/sciencentric Facebook: http://facebook.com/sciencentric Twitter: http://twitter.com/sciencentric

Psychology of Games Summer Book Club begins with an interview with Dr. Pete Etchells, author of the newly released Lost in a Good Game.

Are video games harmful to society? Recently the World Health Organisation classified 'gaming disorder' as a clinical mental health disorder and a danger to public health. But how real is the threat of video game addiction, and what about the potential benefits that gaming can bring to all of us? In this episode of the Intelligence Squared podcast we were joined by Pete Etchells, researcher into the psychological effects of video games and author of Lost In A Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do For Us. He was interviewed by Ros Urwin of The Sunday Times. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week’s PlayersToo Podcast we’re delighted to interview psychologist and science writer Dr. Pete Etchells, who's book Lost In a Good Game explores the science around some of gaming’s biggest issues, from the effect of violent games to problems around gambling and addiction. Our thanks to Pete, Icon Books and the Edinburgh International Book Festival! Before all that, Mark updates us on his Fire Emblem: Three Houses progress, we discuss the response of Ion Fury developers to accusations of homo- and transphobia, what Sony’s acquisition of Insomniac says about the future of the industry, and run through some of the week’s biggest releases, including Control, Astral Chain and Telling Lies. And remember our PlayAlong game for August is the cult classic RPG Undertale! Play along and let us know what you think on social media.  Buy Pete's book 'Lost In a Good Game' here Find and follow PlayersToo on: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube If you enjoy this podcast PLEASE give 5 stars and a review on Apple Podcasts - it would help us out so much! PlayersToo is back next week with more news and discussion - we hope you can join us! Until then, find all our written content over at playerstoo.com

We hear from a gamer who has been struggling with gaming addiction for years, and a treatment centre that helps people. The author Dr. Pete Etchells found that gaming helped him cope with the loss of his father. In other news, as Borderlands 3 announce an incense-holder version of their main baddy The Rampager (yes really) we look at the worst gaming merchandise of all time. As for new releases - we review Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and Love Island the Game! And we're going old school with "Retro Revival"... this time it's possibly the best game of all time with the longest title of all... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Books and Ideas 68 is an interview with psychologist Dr Pete Etchells about his new book Lost in a Good Game: Why we play video games and what they can do for us. We explore both the myths and the science behind video games and consider why the effects of video games are actually quite difficult to study. It seems strange that many people in this field don't play games themselves. Most of the bad things you have heard about video games do not stand up to the basic standards of good science. Whether or not you enjoy video games yourself this is a fascinating interview. Links and References: Lost in a Good Game: Why we play video games and what they can do for us by Dr Pete Etchells Announcements: Send email to docartemis@gmail.com or post voice feedback at http://speakpipe.com/docartemis. To win an Amazon gift certificate: post a review of Books and Ideas in iTunes and send me a screenshot. Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/booksandideas

Jordan Erica Webber talks to psychologist Pete Etchells about his new book, which explores both his personal relationship with video games and how society views – and could learn to view – this form of entertainment.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/chipspod

This week one of our Shambles bloggers, Pete Etchells, joins Robin and guest co-host Bec Hill, to talk about his brand new book Lost in a Good Game. They chat about the book, video games, Douglas Adams, the Stanford Prison Experiment and much more. Pete's book is out now and you can read his blog at cosmicshambles.com/words/blogs/peteetchells Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 

In this week's Science Focus Podcast, we dive into the world of video games. Over the past couple of decades, video games have often got a bad rap, blamed for everything from aggression and violence to addiction and mental health problems.But what does the research actually say? Dr Pete Etchells is a psychologist at Bath Spa University who researches the behavioural effects of video games. In his first book, Lost in a Good Game (£14.99, Icon Books), he gets to the bottom of our relationship with games, and reveals a more positive side to our game-playing habits.He speaks to BBC Science Focus staff writer James Lloyd.If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:What does it mean to be happy? – Helen RussellWhy ASMR gives you tingles – Emma WhispersRedWhat we got wrong about pandas and teenagersWhat’s the deal with algorithms? – Hannah FryChanging our behaviour with virtual reality – Jeremy BailensonProject Discovery and its search for exoplanetsFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For his first podcast episode, Max talks to Pete Etchells, psychologist and gamer, about his new book 'lost in a good game', attitudes to play and why neither of us like mobile games! Pete's book can be pre-ordered here Follow us on Twitter @playisthething1 Facebook: search 'Play is the thing' Email: playisthethingpod@gmail.com

The Ada Lovelace Day podcast highlights the work of women in STEM. We talk to women from around the STEM world about their careers, as well as talking to women and men about historic and modern women’s achievements, discoveries, and inventions. In this episode, we talk to structural engineer Roma Agrawal about her work on the iconic Shard skyscraper in London, and the challenges of retrofitting Victorian buildings. We also hear from biological psychologist Dr Pete Etchells about the work of Dr Suzanne Gage, who investigates the relationships between recreational drug use and mental health.

Psychologist Pete Etchells' father inspired him -- to hate neurons. Pete Etchells is a lecturer in biological psychology at Bath Spa University, UK, and a science blogger for the Guardian's psychology blog, Head Quarters. When he was growing up though, he really wanted to be a dinosaur. His research interests cover everything from how the human visual system works, to understanding how modern technology (particularly video games) affects behaviour and development. Every week the Story Collider brings you a true, personal story about science. Find more and subscribe to our podcast at our website: http://storycollider.org/ Help keep us going! If you love the podcast, please donate here: http://www.patreon.com/thestorycollider Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr Adam Rutherford asks whether the proposed ice wall around the Fukushima nuclear plant will finally halt the radioactive leaks they've suffered since the tsunami in 2011.BBC Tokyo correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes gives an insider's view on the current crisis and public reaction to the £300m rescue plan announced this week. Plus, Prof Neil Hyatt from Sheffield University describes the challenges ahead in building the ice wall, and decontaminating the water used to cool the crippled nuclear reactors.Amongst the many challenges of sending a manned mission to Mars is the problem of 'menu fatigue'. Eating the same ready meals for several years could send anyone over the edge. NASA recently completed a four month Mars simulation on a barren volcano in Hawaii, their mission was to invent dishes to recreate on the Red Planet. Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.School practicals may be popular with students and teachers but recent research suggests that they might not be a useful way to teach science. Is the aim to train up the technicians of the future, or teach children how to think scientifically? Science teacher and writer Alom Shaha and Prof Jim Iley, from the Royal Society of Chemistry, discuss how to make science demo more effective. And the best way to make cheese on toast.Finally, Dr Pete Etchells from the University of Bath shows us his instrument - an eye-tracker used in psychology experiments. Recent applications include discovering why professional cricketers are better than amateurs, and whether horses are conscious.