Analysis of Uno as a Predictor and Assessor of Interpersonal Relationships Acquired from Cranial Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Raisa Tahsin, Ryan Jose, Ricardo Polanco and Bethanie Charles
Department of Uno and Neural Engineering, City College Grove School of Engineering
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (314) 159-2653
Abstract:
In this study, neuro engineers explore how a person’s emotional state is stimulated with response to playing the card game, Uno. Theoretical and analytical results are presented, evaluated and compared with respect to the card game. While previous research has demonstrated that inherently competitive and strategic games such as chess and monopoly enhance IQ, this paper investigates Uno as an inducer of Hyper Emotions. Modern technology and tests will be used throughout the study in order to measure said results. There are two phases to this study: one being Uno played traditionally (wherein several individuals play against one another) and the second being Uno played with alliances and teams. Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans and polygraph tests, a correlation between emotional state and Uno was discovered. There has been a lack of research in this particular field of recording one’s emotions when playing card games. The goal of this study is to assess and predict the effects of Uno on emotions and interpersonal relationships, particularly among friends.
Introduction:
In recent years, neurologists have observed that many college students are experiencing a sensation known as Hyper Emotions (HEs). HEs are extreme sensations of happiness (typically very rare), stress, anger, irritation, etc. They were initially thought to come in the form of a wave that enters the body during exam weeks and project deadlines. However, the latest research in emotive radioryanfluidation by Parr & Best (2017) has given the scientific community a new perspective on HEs indicating that they are in fact receptors located in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. When the body is exposed to a certain concentration of intense emotions, the Bethanase receptors are activated and the body’s emotional state rises.
Hyper Emotions have been extremely prevalent in generation Z, a collective group of individuals born between 1997 and the early 2000s (Dimock, 2019). Some researchers have asserted that it is the overwhelming presence of technology at home, classroom and the workplace. Others claim that parental expectations and meeting social media standards are the cause of such a high accumulation in generation Z brains (Appleseed, 2017). However, many researchers have failed to notice the HE-inducing board games popularized at the turn of the 21st century. This study focuses not on games such as chess and monopoly that are inherently strategic games or come with premeditated mistrust as Banner et al. (2019) have discovered (p. 103). Rather, the simple game of Uno will be studied. Though it is generally thought of as a form of entertainment, Uno not only deceptively engenders competitiveness and teamwork, but also a sense of rivalry and animosity. Some scientists have studied the first half of this problem, claiming that Uno can raise the IQ in children who play it regularly (Possible and Stoppable, 2015). None have yet to study the impact of Uno on EQ. Therefore there is a need to further examine Uno as it is a prevailing influence on individuals of generation Z.
In the following report, researchers explore how Uno acts as a predictor and assessor of interpersonal relationships by measuring emotional state using the fMRI, nonverbal communications, and polygraph tests.
Methods:
In this study, Uno was analyzed as a predictor and assessor of interpersonal relationships, specifically friendships (a magnitude of bonding between two people that lies between acquaintances and best friends in the relationship spectrum), through the use of qualitative data obtained from surveys administered to twenty participants before and after the experiment and quantitative data obtained from cranial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that will show the objective emotions the participants are feeling about the game, their opponents and their relationship as a whole. In this experiment, Uno is used to assess emotional state in two ways, as an assessor and as a predictor. There are two portions to this study: the first assesses how participants were feeling (a subjective state of being) and the second uses assessor data to make general inferences about how Uno affects friendships and emotional state.
- Uno as an Assessor
While the game was taking place, the emotional state was assessed by tracking nonverbal communication and card use. Participants assembled in a playing room where there would be a round table in the middle with a deck of cards. There were twenty participants, all members of generation Z, friends, and well-versed in the game of Uno. 5 separate games each with 4 participants were conducted simultaneously. Once instructed to begin the game, the hidden high-speed cameras and the force sensitive table will activate. Three hidden cameras were situated throughout the room (one directly above, another behind the one-way mirror and another behind the decorative plants). Cameras would be recording facial expressions and tracking card use (refer to Appendix A). The sensor underneath the table would detect any forces imparted onto the table, whether it be vigorous slapping, pounding or repeated strikes of the head. Once the game is completed, participants were notified that for the next game teamwork is permitted. All other parameters were held constant.
- Uno as a Predictor
A polygraph test is a machine designed to detect and record changes in physiological characteristics, such as a person’s pulse and breathing rates (Steinbrook, 1992). The polygraph test will be conducted on the participants when they are answering the survey questions regarding the experience of playing Uno, and how they feel about themselves and their opponents before and after the game. The twenty participants from the first part of the study will be asked a series of survey questions before and after they play Uno. During the administration of the survey, a polygraph exam was conducted to gauge the reliability of the participant’s answers.The survey questions serve as a collection of qualitative data while the polygraph test indicates whether the participant is lying and how they actually feel in the moment. Please refer to Appendix B for more information regarding the survey.
- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a noninvasive imaging scan used to map the brain activation patterns onto three dimensional images of the brain (Kropotov, 2016). This is a fairly new imaging technique that utilizes the blood flow in the brain to provide images of neuronal activity. The fMRI scan serves as a safe method to better understand the brains of the participants in the study. The scan maps out the fluctuations in neuronal activity which are sensitive to vision, hearing, touch, language and emotion. The changes in neuronal stimulation were accurately mapped to the areas of stimulation and activity in the brain as colored patterns. For this experiment, the fMRI was used to see which parts of the brain are stimulated when a player is shown a picture of their opponent before and after playing, which can show to what extent Uno can affect a relationship. For instance, the level of hatred or distaste for a person can determine if two friends can ever go back to their old relationship or if they will be mortal enemies until the day they die.
Results:
The first fMRI Scan
From pregame to post game, participants experienced an overall increase in emotional state as evidenced by neural activity. This is shown in Figure 1 which displays the presence of a dark red color in the right and left hemispheres of the occipital lobe (lower portion of the top view of the brain) that resemble the hue of flaming hot Cheetos. The term “hot-headed” can be derived from this phenomenon and is accurate in this case to rage and frustration post game. The parietal lobe (middle portion of the top view of the brain) has deep blue colors indicating the sensation of “feeling blue” and the shutting down of one’s sense of spatial reality as the participants retreats inwards towards a deep state of depression.
Polygraph Test
- Figure 2 – Survey Results (Qualitative)
Figure 2.1 was formulated from the survey questions asked after the game. “Emotional State Post Game” presented surprising results, indicating a variety of experiences caused by the game. Among all the Uno players, 8 were angry, 4 were depressed, 2 were calm and 6 felt none of the emotions mentioned. Emotions felt throughout the game can be quantified by the following equation.
The post-game polygraph test also provided calculations concerning the HE of intense hatred. Prior to the game, the survey question was asked, “On a scale of 1-10 how much do you hate your friend?” (1 being “Loathe with all my soul” & 10 being “Would catch a grenade for you”) Initially, 95% of the participants responded within the range of 8-10.
The general breakdown of the answers post-game are summarized in Figure 2.2. By the end of the game, the majority of the participants (60%) experience extreme hatred toward the other players. Only 10% remain unaffected by this HE.
Despite the drastic overall increase in hatred, the game was also shown to produce the HE happiness in rare cases. In order to calculate the strength of happiness in each participant, Equation 2 was used.
The more special cards a player has, and the less time they have spent in the game, the happier they are. It was discovered that this equation yields a positive value for only 30% of participants. Furthermore, only 66.7% of these experience 1500 or more Raisas of happiness (the amount necessary to constitute a HE).
B. Assessing Card Use and Nonverbal Communication (Quantitative)
The graph above outlines a general trend between number of wild draw four cards and the probability of speaking to the opponent ever again. The general relationship can be described as linear which shows that there is a correlation between the variables. The trend in the graph proves to be logical, as the number of draw four cards played increases, the probability of the player ever speaking to the person playing the draw four cards decreases which is an inversely proportional relationship. As shown above, after drawing four cards the probability of speaking to an opponent drastically drops to below fifty percent.
The force exerted on the person’s surface has initial inertia which is not taken into account in Equation #4 which is the major discrepancy between the two. Equation #4 shows the force of the palm of a player’s hand with respect to seconds. Figure 3.2 is a visual representation of how much time passes and its direct correlation to the amount of force behind one’s hand. There is a positive trend in the graph with its y-intercept being negative. The equation of the line that best approximates the curve is y = 44x – 62.333.
Although not the common trend, it is important to note that positive nonverbal communication, such as fist bumps, high fives, and smiles, did occur between members of winning teams, indicating an increase in the strength of friendship.
Second fMRI Scan
Figure 4, from left to right, is fMRI scans of two participants (preferred to be unnamed) who’s brains display the chemical activities of a winner and loser, respectively. The fMRI scan on the left is that of the participant that won and the one on the right is that of the loser. From the brain scans, it is evident that the one who lost was experiencing a mixture of emotions as evidenced by the widespread chemical activities present in the middle and top portion of their brain.
Discussion:
By comparing the initial states of the participants with the results from the polygraph test along with the data yield by calculation, it is evident that playing Uno has a significant emotional impact on the participant, as well as a substantial effect on relationships between the participants.
As was predicted, the game of Uno induced HEs in all of the participants, a finding that is consistent with Parr & Best’s research. Uno triggers hatred in the vast majority of the participants (see Figure 2.2). However, about 10% of the participants do experience extreme happiness as confirmed by the results of Equation 2. This is approximately equal to the number of participants who answered 8-10 concerning their magnitude of hatred. This data may correlate to the percentage of winners of the game. Thus, the small percentage of winners generally experience the HE happiness, while the remaining majority of players experience extreme anger, the HE hate.
The survey, though it gave a general idea of emotional trends experienced, may not have been the most accurate. Some participants may have answered survey questions without thoughtful consideration, perhaps due to frustration and early stages of denial that they lost the game. However, if the emotional state (a concentration of HEs) is considered, then emotions felt throughout the game can be quantified. For these reasons, non verbal communication was assessed.
Equation #4 is one of theoretical results which is believed to give accurate values for the nonverbal communication during the Uno game. As stated in the previous section, there is a direct and exponential relationship regarding the amount of time that passes and the amount of force exerted by one’s hand. According to Parr and Best (2017) a stimulus to one’s emotions can also bring out nonverbal actions that may impact a relationship. This is why the hidden cameras were set up so that any nonverbal communication could be tracked and assessed.
The high-speed cameras detected nonverbal communication and the time it took to strike a card on the table when air resistance was accounted for. Emotional state was at its lowest when the time of the game (t), the number of times the player strikes the table (q) were at a minimum and Ar was at its maximum. Emotional state was at its maximum when variables t and q were at their maximum and Ar was at its minimum. Therefore, the theoretical and experimental results align in that the relationship between the variables t, q and Ar aligned well with the nonverbal communication measured in-game. In other words, the emotional state of the players increased overall as the game progressed.
Neural and chemical activities were much more evident after playing Uno. Termed “hot-headed” some players were in an excitable state after the game, while others were short-tempered and irritated or “feeling blue”. When comparing brain scans of the winner and loser, the winner had less neural activity which indicates that the loser experienced a wide variety of emotions while the winner had an overall state of happiness and satisfaction.
Conclusion:
While the happiness among winners in collaborative games along with positive nonverbal communication such as high fives and fist bumps points to relationships strengthening when teamwork was allowed, the majority of the data suggests that Uno generally ruins friendships. Still, much remains to be discovered about the tremendous impact of Uno on the brain, emotions, and relationships.
For instance, the scope of this experiment was limited to 5 trials with a fixed number of players and conducted with standard Uno rules. However, two of the aspects of Uno that contribute to its universal popularity is that it accommodates varying numbers of participants and it is highly customizable based on player preferences. Thus, future research could be conducted with an increased number of trials. In addition, trials with different numbers of participants, in varied settings, and with varied rules, may offer more insight on the role of Uno in both emotions and relationships. Perhaps the Uno can have therapeutic purposes as well. By having a specialized version of Uno where no one loses can possibly reduce the negative Hyper Emotions linked to this current generation. Thus it is certainly useful to focus on creating a method to expand the HE happiness by reducing the game’s level of competitiveness. This can ultimately lead to therapeutic clinics that utilize Uno as a way to mitigate the stresses associated with generation Z.
In this study, the influence of Uno on both emotions and relationships was assessed. Several games were analyzed and the emotions were measured and evaluated with fMRIs, Polygraph tests and nonverbal communication. Data trends point to the production of positive HEs, specifically happiness, for the winners and negative HEs, specifically hatred, for the losers. Analysis of the non-verbal communication along with the images from the fMRI scans confirms this analysis by showing that emotional state levels rose overall as the game progressed. Moreover, fMRI scans reveal that neural and chemical activities in the brain were much more apparent among the players that lost as compared to those who won.
References:
Appleseed, J. (2017). Helicopter parenting and the Hyper Emotive impact of social media on today’s technologically driven generation. The Journal of Apple Picking, 23(7), 45-49.
Banner, B., Parker, P., & Stark, T. (2019). The impact of competitive card games on gamma waves in the brain from EEG analysis. Marvels of Cognitive Research,13(2), 97-110.
Dimock, M. (2019). “Defining generations: Where millennials end and Generation Z begins.” Pew Research Center. 11, 67-75
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Parr, R., & Best, L. (2017). The causes and impact of Hyper Emotions on the human brain. The Incredible Journal of Neuroscience, 2(3), 13-24.
Possible, K. A., & Stoppable, R. (2015). Uno as a lifestyle: How regularly playing Uno can change the shape and power of the brain and thereby raise IQ in children. The Journal of Childhood Cognitive Development, 24(2), 17-24.
Steinbrook, R. (1992). The polygraph test . The New England Journal of Medicine, 327(2), 122-123.
Wataru Sato, T. K. (2004). Enhanced neural activity in response to dynamic facial expressions of emotion: an fMRI study. Elsevier, 81-91.
Appendices:
Appendix B: Link to Survey administered to participants
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Nc5kXd2KIg2BaJ20gvq8jVClBhLXzBHkDk5A88EBGJ0/edit
