All posts tagged: interaction

PEGI expands video game age ratings to address online gambling interaction risks

PEGI expands video game age ratings to address online gambling interaction risks

Published by skeptic

Europe’s video game ratings system is preparing a major update that changes how it judges modern games and their online features. Pan European Game Information, better known as PEGI, says it will expand its classification criteria starting in June 2026. This will apply to games submitted for rating from that point forward and will look more closely at design features that influence how players interact with games over time. Under the new changes, PEGI will now weigh gameplay systems tied to online communication, in-game purchases, randomized rewards, and mechanics designed to keep players returning regularly, such as loot boxes. Games with loot boxes will soon receive a PEGI 16 rating across Europe, including the UK. The move aims to highlight concerns that these features can blur the line between gaming and gambling, but will a higher age rating actually reduce young people’s exposure? 1/2 pic.twitter.com/catXp83lbU — Gambling Harm UK (@gamblingharmuk) March 13, 2026 According to the organization, the aim is to give parents clearer guidance about how contemporary games actually function, especially as many titles …

If Strangers Are Unusually Nice To You For No Reason, You Likely Have These 11 Rare Traits

If Strangers Are Unusually Nice To You For No Reason, You Likely Have These 11 Rare Traits

Published by Jenni Sidey

If strangers are unusually nice to you for no reason, you likely have certain rare traits. Whether it’s a quiet sense of calmness or a confidence that’s contagious for the people around you, it’s clear that your personality and presence makes people feel safe and seen. If strangers are unusually nice to you for no reason, you likely have these 11 rare traits 1. You appreciate silence Inside Creative House | Shutterstock Even if it’s overlooked in the average conversation by people interrupting, trying to cope with “awkwardness,” and filling the space, silence is an incredibly important part of healthy interactions. Not only does it boost the connection between people, but it also offers everyone a break to reflect and regulate their emotions. They can feel seen by someone, while also thinking thoughtfully before they speak. If strangers are unusually nice to you, chances are you allow them to feel seen and valued by simply listening. It’s why quietness is so admirable, and active listeners spark reward centers in people’s brains. It makes us feel …

Viral AI agent OpenClaw highlights the psychological complexity of human-computer interaction

Viral AI agent OpenClaw highlights the psychological complexity of human-computer interaction

Published by José Betancourt

PsyPost’s PodWatch highlights interesting clips from recent podcasts related to psychology and neuroscience. On Thursday, February 12, the Lex Fridman Podcast, featured Peter Steinberger, a software engineer and the creator of the viral AI agent OpenClaw. The episode touched on the psychological evolution of human-computer interaction and how developers are attempting to imbue artificial intelligence with personality to foster deeper connections with users. The conversation relevant to psychology took place roughly an hour and a half into the recording, beginning with a concept Steinberger calls the “soul” of software. He described his experiment with a file named “soul.md,” a document designed to define the core values and personality traits of his AI agent. Steinberger explained that while automation is efficient, it often lacks the style and affection that human builders infuse into their work. To counter this dry efficiency, he encouraged his AI to rewrite its own template files to include humor and warmth, creating a user experience that feels “cozy” rather than purely functional. The most significant moment in this segment occurred when the …

How Vox is using Patreon grow reader revenue and interaction

How Vox is using Patreon grow reader revenue and interaction

Published by Sam Flores

Vox’s page on Patreon Explainer journalism brand Vox is using membership and subscriptions platform Patreon to help build a “two-way relationship” with its audience. US-based Vox expanded its existing paid memberships onto Patreon in November, providing subscribers with additional video content, ad-free video and podcast libraries, livestreams and chats with Vox journalists, and unlimited access to the main Vox website. Vox editor-in-chief and publisher Swati Sharma told Press Gazette she believes Vox is “the first national newsroom to use Patreon at scale”. She said they had chosen to do so because: “We are a multi-platform newsroom, and what Patreon offers is really great tools to engage with an audience that does care about multi-platform offerings.” The main Vox membership costs $6 (£5) per month and a “champion” tier with an extra chat feature and a special video thank-you is $10 (£8). Vox (which was founded in 2014) already had paying members via its website, with readers invited to pay between $5 and $50 per month to get full access to the website. The membership was …

The unexpected interaction between CBD and THC in caffeinated beverages

The unexpected interaction between CBD and THC in caffeinated beverages

Published by José Betancourt

A new study suggests that adding cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, to products containing caffeine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can intensify the drug’s psychoactive effects and increase impairment. The research indicates that while caffeine alone does not substantially alter the body’s processing of THC, the addition of CBD changes how the body metabolizes the intoxicating compound. These findings were published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. The legal landscape for cannabis is shifting rapidly across the United States. State-level legalization and federal provisions such as the 2018 Farm Bill have led to a proliferation of cannabis-derived products. One emerging trend in the commercial marketplace is the sale of beverages that mix cannabinoids with caffeine. These products are often marketed as energy boosters or alternatives to alcoholic drinks. Despite the growing availability of these mixtures, very little scientific data exists regarding how these chemical constituents interact within the human body. Public health officials and regulators lack precise information on whether combining stimulants like caffeine with depressants or psychoactive compounds like THC creates unique safety risks. Most existing knowledge comes …