We all could use more smiling people and happy music!
If you are looking for a short burst of happiness, try playing the free MindHabits demo games. I recommend the Matrix Trainer for starters. You can uncheck the "email" box if you don't want to sign up for the newsletter.
If you are looking for a short burst of happiness, try playing the free MindHabits demo games. I recommend the Matrix Trainer for starters. You can uncheck the "email" box if you don't want to sign up for the newsletter.
The games have upbeat music playing in the background, but you can listen to your own music. In the Matrix game, the objective is to tap as many happy faces that you can find, out of a number of frowny or sad faces. The research shows that this is an effective way of reducing stress. I have used the on-line version for years with students who have autism, and it is a fun and effective way of "training" them to focus on facial features and expressions.
The desktop version of the suite of games is just under $20.00, and is available for Windows and Macs. The desktop version tracks data and and allows users to customize the games with their own photos.
I am about to explore MindHabit's new mobile apps: Psych Me Up PRO! and Happy Cat!
The desktop version of the suite of games is just under $20.00, and is available for Windows and Macs. The desktop version tracks data and and allows users to customize the games with their own photos.
I am about to explore MindHabit's new mobile apps: Psych Me Up PRO! and Happy Cat!
If you work with young people - special needs or otherwise, try playing the on-line demo with Pharrell William's "Happy" song in the background (see music video embedded below).
This is something that wouldn't hurt to try at home!
This is something that wouldn't hurt to try at home!
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Note:
I am sharing information about MindHabits because I have been following this company since 2005, when Dr. Mark Baldwin, the lead creator of the suite of games, gave a presentation. Dr. Baldwin is a psychology professor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He has devoted his career to the study of social intelligence, and more recently, how technology can help people reduce stress, build self-confidence, and development, and maintain positive states of mind.
According to the MindHabits website, the Psych Me Up Pro! ($.99) and PsychMeUp! (free) mobile apps were developed to help people focus attention on positive social feedback. A quiz is included with the application, as well as information about the research that supports the use of the games. The "pro" version has more options.
The children's version of PsychMeUp! is Happy Cat. The objective is to find the happy cats and ignore the grumpy cats. The smiling cat will meow.
HOW MINDHABITS WORKS
RELATED
MindHabits Game Tips
MindHabits FAQ
MindHabits Update
Lynn Marentette, Interactive Multimedia Technology, 2/24/08
McEwan, K., Gilbert, P., Dandeneau, S., Lipka, S., Maratos, F., Paterson, K.B., Baldwin, M. (2014) Facial Expressions Depicting Compassionate and Critical Emotions: The Development and Validation of a New Emotional Face Stimulus Set. PLOS One DOI: 10.1317/journal.pone.0088783
Dandeneau, S. D., Baldwin, M. W. (2009) The buffering effects of rejection-inhibiting training against social and performance threats in adult students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 34, 42-50
Stephane D. Dandeneau, Mark W. Baldwin, Jodene R. Baccus, and Maya Sakellaropoulo, Jens C. Pruessner (2007), Cutting Stress Off at the Pass: Reducing Vigilance and Responsiveness to Social Threat by Manipulation of Attention (pdf) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007, Vol. 93, No. 4, 651–666 American Psychological Association 0022-3514/07/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.93.4.651
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