Video games could help uncover your hidden talents ? and make you happier

For instance, one piece of research has found that a player’s real values match their in-game decisions, suggesting that their true personality often gets reflected in a game scenario. In other words, we are so involved in the game scenario that we are reacting more authentically instead of filtering behavior through our perceived social expectations and rules.Given that these characteristics often stay in the area of game play and aren’t put to use in the real world, there is a clear need to make people more aware that games have this revelatory power. The software monitors the behavior and choices made during play and logs them in a unique profile for that player.Drawing on research that categorizes gamers according to what motivates them to play, the game will let players choose between actions that indicate skill levels and personality types, as defined by tests such as Myers Briggs. If someone has the opportunity to work in a real job that reflects their talents in the same way the right video game does, they’re more likely to frequently experience the gratifying state of flow, resulting in greater happiness and satisfaction.In psychology, we call this kind of realizing or fulfilling the potential of your talents “self-actualization”, and it sits on top of the hierarchy of what we need to be happy.