A dedicated lab space to explore the virtual world of the globe's most popular video game and research how the brain processes wayfinding, puzzle-solving, and online interaction.
Gaming plays a crucial role in shaping social behaviour, particularly in today's generation, where online platforms serve as the primary space for interaction and Minecraft provides a highly customizable environment, enabling researchers to build virtual spaces tailored to their specific needs.
This flexibility makes it an ideal platform for studying human behaviour, offering unique insights into real-world interactions. By leveraging Minecraft and other gaming environments, researchers can gain valuable understanding of both neurodivergent and neurotypical communication patterns. Minecraft also offers an engaging platform for students to design and conduct experiments, encouraging creativity in research projects.
Students have use of our exceptional research labs and facilities including our Centre for Brain Science as part of their lectures, research projects and research experience.
Past student collaborators of the Minecraft Lab include:
"We are proud to be the first psychology department that offers such a dedicated lab space to both students and researchers. It emphasises our commitment to providing high-quality psychology education that puts students’ learning first and conducting excellent research through innovation and methodological approaches that challenge the status quo."
As the world's first video game psychology lab, students and researchers have the unique opportunity to explore, experiment, and build studies in the block-based multiplayer sandbox, offering an immersive environment to study human behaviour in a virtual world. Focusing on problem-based learning, this innovative approach enhances understanding and equips students with valuable skills to set their career in motion.