Alan D.A. Mattiassi, PhD

I am a game psychologist. In my professional work, I operate as a psychologist, researcher, educator, and science communicator. I utilize games both as an empirical scientific probe and as a transformative methodology to gain deep insights into human cognition, brain mechanisms, and social behavior, nurturing authentic motivation and durable learning.

“I do not merely believe in the power of games: I study it. A game is not a magic cure-all that automatically solves every educational or organizational challenge; it is a structured system of rules and constraints that triggers specific cognitive processes. Once we understand these psychological mechanisms, we can harness them to genuinely elevate people's lives.”

I earned my Master's Degree in Psychology and completed my Ph.D. in Multimedia Communication. My work focuses on bridging rigorous empirical science and applied game design, engineering playful artifacts and instructional programs grounded in peer-reviewed cognitive psychology and neurosciences.

Over the years, I have collaborated with numerous international research teams and universities, contributing to high-impact EU-funded initiatives such as Free to Choose (countering gender bias in career decision-making). I also brought the science of games to the TEDx Udine stage with a talk examining how games allow us to map our identity and explore our cognitive boundaries.

Currently, I offer my advisory services as a game psychologist, consultant, and speaker for schools, universities, corporations, foundations, and public institutions. If you have a project or a strategic challenge to address, I will be delighted to connect and assess how we can collaborate.