Abstract
Auditory attention is fundamental also in serious games. This paper synthetizes the results of a recent statistical analysis of auditory attention of non-native learners and proposes indications for serious game design. We propose a 3-dimensional difficulty level model that can be applied both for designing game levels and adaptivity to keep a player in the flow. The model suggests using background noise level as a prime factor to increase the difficulty of the game, followed by the length of the stimulus and the semantic complexity of the message. We also propose the concept of a mini-game format specifically aimed at training auditory attention and performance. As a format, it could be easily customized in different context domains and implemented as a service or a game engine plug-in.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Kail, R.: Speed of information processing: developmental change and links to intelligence. J. Sch. Psychol. 38(1), 51–61 (2000)
Anderson, J.R.: Chapter 3: Attention and Performance: Cognitive Psychology and its Implications, 8th edn. WH Freeman/Times Books/Henry Holt & Co., New York (1985)
Spence, C., Santangelo, V.: Auditory attention. In: Plack, E.C. (ed.) Oxford Handbook of Auditory Science: Hearing, vol. 3, p. 249. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Ingram, J.C.: Neurolinguistics: An Introduction to Spoken Language Processing and its Disorders. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2007)
Treisman, A.M.: Monitoring and storage of irrelevant messages and selective at-tention. J. Verbal Learn. Verbal Behav. 3, 449–459 (1964)
Deutsch, J.A., Deutsch, D.: Attention: some theoretical considerations. Psychol. Rev. 70(1), 80–90 (1963)
Lavie, N.: Distracted and confused? selective attention under load. Trends Cogn. Sci. 9(2), 75–82 (2005)
Bajaj, N., Bellotti, F., Carriòn, J.R., Berta, R., De Gloria, A.: Analysis of factors affecting the auditory attention of non-native speakers in learning environments. Submitted for review (2018)
Susi, T., Johannesson, M., Backlund, P.: Serious games: an overview (2007)
Carvalho, M.B., et al.: An activity theory-based model for serious games analysis and conceptual design. Comput. Educ. 87, 166–181 (2015)
Chatham, R.E.: Games for training. Commun. ACM 50(7), 36–43 (2007)
De Gloria, A., Bellotti, F., Berta, R.: Serious games for education and training. Int. J. Serious Games 1(1), 43–58 (2014)
Stege, L., Van Lankveld, G., Spronck, P.: Serious games in education. Int. J. Comput. Sci. Sport. 10(1), 1–9 (2011)
Read, J.C.: Serious games in education. EAI Endorsed Trans. Serious Games 2(6), 1–5 (2015)
Hamdaoui, N., Khalidi Idrissi, M., Bennani, S.: Serious Games in Education towards the standardization of the teaching-learning process. Adv. Educ. Technol. 174, 174–181 (2014)
Read, J.L., Shortell, S.M.: Interactive games to promote behavior change in prevention and treatment. JAMA 305(16), 1704–1705 (2011)
Burke, J.W., McNeill, M., Charles, D.K., Morrow, P.J., Crosbie, J.H., Mc Donough, S.M.: Optimising engagement for stroke rehabilitation using serious games. Vis. Comput. 25(12), 1085 (2009)
Fleming, T.M., et al.: Serious games for the treatment or prevention of depression: a systematic review (2014)
Barkley, R.A., DuPaul, G.J., McMurray, M.B.: Comprehensive evaluation of attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity as defined by research criteria. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 58(6), 775 (1990)
Wegrzyn, S.C., Hearrington, D., Martin, T., Randolph, A.B.: Brain games as a potential nonpharmaceutical alternative for the treatment of ADHD. J. Res. Technol. Educ. 45(2), 107–130 (2012)
Chan, P.A., Rabinowitz, T.: A cross-sectional analysis of video games and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in adolescents. Ann. Gen. Psychiatry 5(1), 16 (2006)
Fròlich, J., Lehmkuhl, G., Doepfner, M.: Computer games in childhood and adolescence: relations to addictive behavior, ADHD, and aggression. Zeitschrift fur Kinder-und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie 37(5), 393–402 (2009)
Shaw, R., Grayson, A., Lewis, V.: Inhibition, ADHD, and computer games: the inhibitory performance of children with ADHD on computerized tasks and games. J. Atten. Disord. 8(4), 160–168 (2005)
Pope, A.T., Bogart, E.H.: Extended attention span training system: video game neurotherapy for attention deficit disorder. Child Study J. 26(1), 39–50 (1996)
Colombo, V., Baldassini, D., Mottura, S., Sacco, M., Crepaldi, M., Antonietti, A.: Antonyms: a serious game for enhancing inhibition mechanisms in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In: 2017 International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR), pp. 1–2. IEEE (2017)
Rivera, L.A.: Augmented reality serious games design to improve attention of children with ADHD. In: IEEE 11CCC (2016)
Berger, A., Jones, L., Rothbart, M.K., Posner, M.I.: Computerized games to study the development of attention in childhood. Behav. Res. Methods Instrum. Comput. 32(2), 297–303 (2000)
Ku, C.-H., Huang, S.-L., Li, T.-Y.: The design and study of a serious game for attention training of the older adults. In: Vaz de Carvalho, C., Escudeiro, P., Coelho, A. (eds.) Serious Games, Interaction, and Simulation. LNICST, vol. 161, pp. 50–57. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29060-7_9
Navarro, J., Marchena, E., Alcalde, C., Ruiz, G., Llorens, I., Aguilar, M.: Improving attention behaviour in primary and secondary school children with a computer assisted instruction procedure. Int. J. Psychol. 38(6), 359–365 (2003)
Fontana, E., Gregorio, R., Colussi, E.L., De Marchi, A.C.B.: Trainbrain: a serious game for attention training. CEP 99052, 900 (2017)
Green, C.S., Bavelier, D.: Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature 423(6939), 534 (2003)
Green, C.S., Bavelier, D.: Effect of action video games on the spatial distribution of visuospatial attention. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 32(6), 1465 (2006)
El-Nasr, M.S., Yan, S.: Visual attention in 3d video games. In: Proceedings of the 2006 ACM SIGCHI International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, p. 22. ACM (2006)
Dye, M.W., Bavelier, D.: Playing video games enhances visual attention in children. J. Vis. 4(11), 40 (2004)
Ricci, K.E.: The use of computer-based videogames in knowledge acquisition and retention. J. Interact. Instr. Dev. 7(1), 17–22 (1994)
Lee, M., Faber, R.J.: Effects of product placement in on-line games on brand memory: a perspective of the limited-capacity model of attention. J. Advert. 36(4), 75–90 (2007)
Song, K., Lee, S., Pyun, S.-B., Kim, L.: Comparative study of tangible tabletop and computer-based training interfaces for cognitive rehabilitation. In: Antona, M., Stephanidis, C. (eds.) UAHCI 2016. LNCS, vol. 9739, pp. 414–424. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40238-3_40
Trang Ho, A.S.: Tatoeba: open collaborative multilingual “sentence dictionary”. https://tatoeba.org. Accessed 16 Jan 2017
Subramaniam, S., Aggarwal, P., Dasgupta, G.B., Paradkar, A.: Cobots-a cognitivemulti-bot conversational framework for technical support. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, pp. 597–604 (2018)
Csikszentmihalyi, M.: Toward a psychology of optimal experience. Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology, pp. 209–226. Springer, Dordrecht (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_14
Perttula, A., Kiili, K., Lindstedt, A., Tuomi, P.: Flow experience in game based learning–a systematic literature review. Int. J. Serious Games 4(1), 57–72 (2017)
Peddycord-Liu, Z., Cody, C., Kessler, S., Barnes, T., Lynch, C.F., Rutherford, T.: Using serious game analytics to inform digital curricular sequencing: What math objective should students play next? In: Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, pp. 195–204. ACM (2017)
Georgiev, A., et al.: The RAGE advanced game technologies repository for supporting applied game development. In: Bottino, R., Jeuring, J., Veltkamp, Remco C. (eds.) GALA 2016. LNCS, vol. 10056, pp. 235–245. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50182-6_21
Bellotti, F., Kapralos, B., Lee, K., Moreno-Ger, P., Berta, R.: Assessment in and of serious games: an overview. Adv. Hum. Comput. Interact. 1, 1–11 (2013)
Bellotti, F., Berta, R., De Gloria, A., Dùrsi, A., Fiore, V.: A serious game model for cultural heritage. J. Comput. Cult. Herit. (JOCCH) 5(4), 17 (2012)
Carvalho, M.B., Bellotti, F., Berta, R., De Gloria, A., Gazzarata, G., Hu, J., Kickmeier-Rust, M.: A case study on service-oriented architecture for serious games. Entertain. Comput. 6, 1–10 (2015)
Carmosino, I., Bellotti, F., Berta, R., De Gloria, A., Secco, N.: A game engine plug-in for efficient development of investigation mechanics in serious games. Entertain. Comput. 19, 1–11 (2017)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Bajaj, N., Bellotti, F., Berta, R., Requena Carriòn, J., De Gloria, A. (2019). Auditory Attention, Implications for Serious Game Design. In: Gentile, M., Allegra, M., Söbke, H. (eds) Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11385. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11548-7_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11548-7_19
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11547-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11548-7
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)