Did you, too, as a child, take things apart to understand how they worked? We still do it now… This time we opened a head – hey, metaphorically – to see what happens in the brain, when you participate in playful activities.

So, Quark theme song (Bach, forgive us, but we too are children of pop culture) and let's embark on an enlightening walk through the folds of gray matter. The brain in question is that of a candidate who, during a company assessment, is put to the test with one of our simulation games.

We have said it many times, but it is good to repeat it. Using gamification in the professional and educational fields is an approach that effectively enhances the expression of talent and facilitates its identification and evaluation. This happens for various reasons related to both human psychology and the biochemistry of our brain. That is, the game is so effective because we are biologically made to play. This is precisely the aspect that interests us today.

Science has proven that when we do something, in our case when we play, biochemical and neurological processes are activated in the brain. Without resorting to scientific jargon, biochemical processes are reactions that occur inside living cells and influence how we perceive what happens around us and how it makes us feel. They are, to use a computer simile, the back end of the experience. In simple terms, the brain receives a stimulus and secretes substances – hormones or neurotransmitters (depending on the context of their release) – that provoke an automatic emotional response. The more intense the stimulus, the more significant the response.

If you've suddenly lost some faith in your potential as a Nietzschean superman, that's understandable. But remember that Nietzsche was also a child of Mother Nature and, much to his ego's chagrin, couldn't escape his own neurotransmitters.

And that said, let's see in practice what are the main four hormones that the brain produces during gaming activity and why they increase engagement, motivation, memorization and learning.

1) Dopamine, the “reward”

It's the kiss on the forehead that makes us happy when we reach goals or overcome challenges. When it's released, we feel good and motivated. And since du gust is megl che uàn, we keep playing, trying harder, to get more and more. The same thing happens to us when they give thumbs up and hearts to our posts on social media. This biochemical mechanism explains why our games keep our attention and engagement high.

2) Endorphins, the natural anti-stress

These substances help improve general well-being when we are under pressure. They are responsible for the feeling of euphoria we experience when we play intensely but having fun. You know when, after a devastating workout in the gym, you feel great despite your muscles being so swollen that not even the quarters of beef in Rocky? That's thanks to endorphins. This effect, in the context of our games, reduces anxiety related to evaluation and encourages more spontaneous and authentic participation.

3) Noradrenaline, the concentration “bomb”

It is released in challenging or exciting situations. It works by increasing attention, concentration and alertness, allowing us to better deal with complex situations. Once in circulation, only what we have to do exists and everything else disappears. The effect is like wearing a pair of selective lenses, allowing you to focus on one thing at a time. During an assessment or in training, this focus helps participants to fully immerse themselves in simulations, improving both performance and learning.

4) Oxytocin, the social “glue”

It is often called the attachment hormone because it promotes trust and bonds. In group settings, such as team games or collaborative business games, shared activities can stimulate its production. When this happens, it strengthens the sense of belonging and improves cooperation. It's a bit like when you call your friends to move. You may end up having to pay for physical therapy for everyone, but the experience will have brought you closer to each other. Regardless of how much broken stuff you unpack.

Here, in short, is what happens in our brain when we play. This rapid incursion into biology has helped us to scientifically explain why gamification is such an effective approach and increasingly adopted by companies to conduct assessments and provide training. The great thing is that there is nothing extraordinary behind it. It is just a matter of choosing a "natural" approach, that is, one that follows the mechanisms of our biology. The effects obtained, however, are extraordinary when compared to those of classic methods. Because rewarding, less stressful, more focused and engaging experiences improve the identification and evaluation of talent as well as learning and memorization. Results that, every day, confirm that designing gamification tools for the professional and training dimension is the right choice for us.