I help really cool people craft really cool experiences that leave a real impact on the world. I can confidently bridge the gap between high level design and technical implementation, and I believe building trust is the key to any team success.
“The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.”
Throughout my career, I have honed the unique skill of translating complex behavioral, psychological, and learning concepts into intuitive and enjoyable gameplay. Leading cross-functional teams has taught me the importance of weaving in-depth knowledge from fields like psychology and education into engaging experiences that deliver measurable outcomes.
My design journey began with training as an architect, which spring-boarded me into the commercial game industry as an Environment Artist before moving into Level Design. Since then, over the past decade, I have worked alongside psychologists, clinicians, and educators to design a framework for interactive experiences that prioritize both fun and impact.
What defines me as a designer is the versatility and empathy I bring to every project. Whether I'm creating game rules or an emotional arc, my goal is to make "play" a powerful tool for growth and shaping player journeys to be both meaningful and aligned with each project's objectives. I believe that serious games, while immersive and entertaining, can also drive positive change when designed with purpose, insight, and a clear vision of impact.
Smoking is one of the leading public health problems in the world. In the Netherlands today, still 1 in 4 youth between the ages of 16 and 25 smoke. Even more worrisome is that there are almost no evidence-based interventions available to help them quit smoking. That’s why we, in collaboration with scientists, game designers and smoking youth, developed and tested a game to help youth quit smoking. HitnRun is a mobile game in which you can train your impulse control, and in which you collaborate in teams, support each other’s quit attempts, and compete against other teams.
The work of a police officer can be seen as an evolutionary paradox: in places and situations where most people would fall prey to survival instincts of self-preservation, police officers ought to act calm, with proportionality and benevolence. This is why police officers need to train control over their responses to threat as much as possible. To enable this, we develop a virtual training environment with real-time biofeedback. We combine virtual reality and biofeedback to create a personalized, realistic training experience, while honing state-of-the-art technology and psychophysical theory.
Welcome to Detour, the innovative mobile game designed to help youths quit smoking by offering guidance, social support, and goal setting. Developed by a team of researchers, game developers, and youths, Detour utilizes cutting-edge psychology research to distract from smoking urges, build healthier habits, and focus on a smoke-free future. With daily reminders, just-in-time interventions, and a habit tracker feature for motivation, Detour empowers young individuals to lead healthier, happier lives. Join the community today and take the first step toward a smoke-free future!
In my PhD project I study social games for the prevention of depression. In my project I take part in both the development and testing of games. I want to use video games to help youth become more emotionally resilient and to decrease the stigma that surrounds depression. I do this in close collaboration with other researchers and game designers. I am particularly interested in games that are played in a social context, because I believe that both social threat and social support are key factors in the development and maintenance of depression.
People with large social networks on average live longer, happier, less stressed lives. We can potentially leverage video games and virtual spaces to increase the experience of social support and impact daily stress and anxiety. Therefore, this project aims to show that virtual social support can lower stress, and potentially impact stress coping behaviours.
Scholten, H., Luijten, M., Poppelaars, A., Johnson-Glenberg, M. C., & Granic, I. (2021). Health Psychology, 40(12), 998-1008. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001068
Author: Hanneke Scholten
Upload date: 07-01-2021
Scholten, H., Luijten, M., & Granic, I. (2019). Development and Psychopathology, 31, 1923-1943. doi: 10.1017/S0954579419001378
Author: Hanneke Scholten
Upload date: 06-17-2020
Scholten, H., Scheres, A., De Water, E., Graf, U., Granic, I., & Luijten, M. (2019). Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 26, 1803-1849. doi: 10.3758/s13423-019-01629-2
Author: Hanneke Scholten
Upload date: 07-03-2019
Scholten, H., Granic, I., Chen, Z., Veling, H., & Luijten, M. (2019). Psychology & Health, 34(5), 609-625. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2018.1554184
Author: Hanneke Scholten
Upload date: 01-29-2019
A. Michela (2024). Preparing The Heart for Duty: Virtual Reality Biofeedback in an Arousing Action Game Improves in-action Voluntary Heart Rate Variability Control in Experienced Police. Doctoral Thesis. Radboud University.
Author: Abele Michela
Upload date: 06-13-2024
Michela, A., van Peer, J. M., Brammer, J. C., Nies, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Oostenveld, R., Dorrestijn, W., Smit, A. S., Roelofs, K., Klumpers, F., & Granic, I. (2022). Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 29. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.806163
Author: Abele Michela
Upload date: 02-10-2022
Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. (2014). American Psychologist, 69, 66-78.
Author: Isabela Granic
Upload date: 01-17-2014
Brammer, J. C., van Peer, J. M., Michela, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Oostenveld, R., Klumpers, F., Dorrestijn, W., Granic, I., & Roelofs, K. (2021). Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 586553. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.586553
Author: Jan Brammer
Upload date: 03-12-2021
Michela, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Klumpers, F., van Peer, J. M. J. M., Roelofs, K., & Granic, I. (2019). Psychological Inquiry, 30(4), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2019.1693872
Author: Abele Michela
Upload date: 01-04-2020
A. Tuijnman (2023). Developing and testing social video games for adolescent depression. Doctoral Thesis. Radboud University.
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 11-28-2023
Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Olthof, M., Hoogendoorn, E., Granic, I., & Engels, R. C. (2022). A Game-Based School Program for Mental Health Literacy and Stigma on Depression (Moving Stories): Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health, 9(8), e26615. https://doi.org/10.2196/26615
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 08-17-2022
Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Chen, S., Engels, R. C., & Granic, I. (2021). A game-based assessment of the effects of rejection on young adults. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CHI PLAY), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1145/3474681
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 10-06-2021
Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Hoogendoorn, E., Granic, I. & Engels, R.C. (2019). JMIR Research Protocols, 8(3):e11255, doi: 10.2196/11255
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 03-14-2019
Tuijnman, A., Granic, I., Whitkin, J., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2017). In CHI PLAY'17 Extended Abstracts: Extended Abstracts Publication of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 213-221). New York, NY: ACM.
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 10-15-2017
Tuijnman, A. & Weerdmeester, J. (2017). CHI PLAY, October 15 - 18, 2017, Amsterdam.
Author: Anouk Tuijnman
Upload date: 10-15-2017
Lobel, A., Engels, R., Tuijnman, A., de Valk, T., & Granic, I. (2013, April). Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, WA.
Author: Adam Lobel
Upload date: 04-15-2013