Coding 2.0 and an Emerging Unintended Consequence

October 2025

After a first attempt that was bloated, dense, unwieldy, and far too detailed with far too many codes, I’ve decided to start coding from scratch. As I wrote about here, I had a bit of a mental health blip in the summer, so taking a few weeks off from all things PhD-related gave me space to gain perspective and reflect, and I realised that starting afresh was the best option. I could have rejigged and aggregated the hundreds of codes I’d already made, but it all felt like a metaphorical and cerebral quagmire. Starting again with a blank slate and a clear head made sense.

I’m now midway through the interview transcripts and this time I feel like everything has just ‘clicked’. I’m trying to be quick, instinctive, less detailed and more ‘encompassing’ with the language I use to generate codes, and, of course, memoing as I go. Oh, and for anyone out there considering a digital approach to coding, I need to warn you that NVivo is an absolute bastard. It’s simple enough to use, but try to do absolutely anything and it becomes non-responsive and just freezes after Every. Single. Operation. If I spend 3 hours coding, a good hour and a half is spent playing with my phone and waiting for NVivo to become responsive again. I’ve been in a load of online forums, it’s a common issue, and it pisses a lot of people off. I nearly threw my laptop across Costa earlier today because of it. Pitfalls of using NVivo aside, as I start to compare codes and incidents, I think I can see an unintended consequence emerging from the data. It’s all a bit embryonic but I’ve tried to pull it into something here, even if it’s only a vague starting point:

Unintended Consequence: neurodiverse gamers manage their symptoms, maintain their well-being and mental health, and can even thrive when they play Open World RPGs (click to read more)

I think I can say with some certainty that nobody ever went out and bought Skyrim or Assassin’s Creed Valhalla with the explicit intent of using it to manage their wellbeing. But I can say with growing confidence (and personal experience) that there are aspects of the mechanics of OWRPGs that neurodiverse gamers use to their advantage, even if they don't realise it at the time (so it's definitely an unintended consequence). Here's a breakdown of how OWRPGs can help neurodiverse gamers:

Instant Feedback and Rewards

Neurodiverse brains are often drawn to immediate gratification, and video games provide immediate feedback by ay of acquisition of points, levelling up, and earning achievements. Frequent rewards such as loot, upgrades, and even sim0ple story progression tap into the dopamine system, which can often be underactive in many neurodiverse gamers.

High Stimulation

OWRPGs offer fast-paced action, bright visuals and engaging sound (though this can, conversely, be over-stimulating for many). However, constant novelty and change provide a high level of stimulation, can help to maintain attention, and in doing so reduce boredom.

Clear Goals and Structure

OWRPGs have clear objectives and predictable and familiar rules. Importantly, they also provide clear, step-by-step progression. This structure can be comforting and motivating, especially for gamers with ADHD who can struggle with executive dysfunction and organisation.

‘Hyperfocus Potential’

Gamers with ADHD (especially) often experience a lack of attention, despite their best efforts. (Yes - I’m talking to myself here). They can also suffer from inconsistent attention. By playing OWRPGs, neurodiverse gamers can enter a state of ‘hyperfocus’ because of being deeply engaged in something stimulating.

Sense of Control and Mastery

Because OWRPGs allow players to control their environment and make meaningful choices, as well as providing the perfect environment in which to hone skills over time, players with ADHD can feel empowered in the game world – often more so than they feel in real life.

Social Connection

Multiplayer OWRPGs such as World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 offer social interaction without overwhelming face-to-face demands. This is in tune with the notion of ‘ambient sociability’ – being in the digital space shared by likeminded people, but with no pressure to socialise. Shared goals and teamwork can also be especially appealing for those who struggle with social cues or anxiety. On a personal level, ambient sociability in games and in real life helps me to manage my anxiety.

Cognitive Skill Development

OWRPGs often contain puzzles that challenge players to solve problems, plan, and adapt to new environments. These activities can improve executive function skills such as attention, memory, and emotional regulation (through neuroplasticity? May need to check that out…)

Sense of Accomplishment and Persistence

Video games (in general) often represent an area where players feel successful and motivated. The clear goals and structured progression in games can help sustain attention and persistence toward achieving a goal.

And let's not forget a second unintended consequence here: game studios such as Bethesda and Ubisoft did not set out to make their Elder Scrolls or Assassin's Creed franchises to provide mental health and wellbeing support for players. And yet, they have done just this by accident rather than design.

I'd like to write a book in the future, as a possible output of this research, that looks at how OWRPGs have provided explicit, in-game therapeutic tools for neurodiverse gamers. To that end, here's how I'd advertise OWRPGs as therapeutic tools to any gamer who may be, or suspect they may be, neurodiverse:

Discover your true self by experimenting and practising with your avatar!
Experiment with play style in a safe environment!
Develop your own rules of engagement!
Make your own cosy game - with added violence! (Remember: violence is cathartic!)
Navigate and practise scenarios in a safe space that you can transfer to real life!
Quiet the noise in your head by using your ability to focus to complete quests, level up and concentrate mental effort on small goal completion!
Improve your mood by using your innate sense of justice to make profound moral decisions!
Want to socialise but don’t want to interact? Play MMORPGs for ambient sociability!
Collect, organise and display your trophies, armour, and weapons in a customisable home away from the chaos of the digital world!
Free your creativity by building a house, crafting weapons and armour!

Enchantment! Enchantment!

Sandal (on the left) is my favourite character in the Dragon Age series of games. He is neurodiverse, incredibly powerful, and will always have your back in a fight. Like Groot or Hodor, he's a man of few words - 'Enchantment!' being pretty much all he says.

Of course, it pays to be critical. Overreliance on these strategies could lead to playing games to the detriment of real life.

BUT, to wrap this post up, I could be on to something here, and continued coding will either add weight to this emerging unintended consequence, or it will prove to be a load of old toot. Let's see what we find...

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse