A systematic literature review of empirical evidence on computer games and serious games
Highlights
► Largest review of computer games & serious games literature that we are aware of. ► 7392 papers were identified on positive impacts of games on users over 14 years. ► 129 papers reported empirical evidence about impacts on learning and engagement. ► A multidimensional approach has been developed to categorize games. ► This research provides a significant basis for future work in this area.
Introduction
Over the last 40 years computer games have increasingly replaced more traditional games as leisure activities and have had a transformational impact on how we spend our leisure time. Entertainment games provide engaging activities and it would appear that far from waning, interest in games for leisure is still growing. The availability of new consoles, platforms and technologies for the delivery of games is an important factor in this continued growth.
Much of the early research on computer games focused on the negative impacts of playing digital games, particularly on the impact of playing violent entertainment games on aggression. Anderson and Bushman's influential meta-analyses suggested that playing violent video games leads to increases in aggressive thoughts, aggressive affect and physiological arousal, reduced arousal to subsequent depictions of violence and decreases in pro-social behaviour (Anderson, 2004; Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Other negative effects of playing digital entertainment games have also been reported, such as difficulties in regulating the amount of time spent playing games (Ogletree & Drake, 2007), addiction (Griffiths & Davies, 2002), social isolation and nauseogenic properties of games with head mounted displays (Merhi, Faugloire, Flanagan & Stoffregen, 2007).
Despite this early focus on the negative impacts of computer games, there has also been interest in positive effects of playing games. In his meta-analysis of both positive and negative effects of playing violent games, Ferguson (2007) found that playing violent games was associated with better visual spatial abilities, but found no effect of playing violent games on aggressive behaviour.
The motivating features of digital games and the suggestions that game players might actually be developing useful skills (Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 1994) led to optimism that games might provide a useful and attractive new method of learning (de Freitas, 2006). Initially interest focused on how COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) games, which are primarily designed for entertainment, might be used in learning, but interest also grew in games-based learning (GBL), designing games for educational purposes. Modern theories of effective learning suggest that learning is most effective when it is active, experiential, situated, problem-based and provides immediate feedback (Boyle, Connolly & Hainey, 2011). Games appeared to offer activities which have these features. There has also been interest in Serious Games (Sawyer & Smith, 2008) and persuasive games (Bogost, 2007) which have been used to change behaviours and attitudes more broadly in the areas of health, public policy and advertising as well as education and training. However, while there has been much speculation about the use of games in these ways, there has been less in the way of hard evidence to support these claims (Connolly, Stansfield & Hainey, 2008). The aim of the current paper is to carry out a systematic literature review of empirical evidence about the positive impacts and outcomes of computer games and serious games with respect to learning and engagement.
Section snippets
Previous research
It is clear that playing digital games leads to a variety of positive outcomes and impacts but it is also acknowledged that the literature on games is fragmented and lacking coherence (Ke, 2009). This lack of organisation is regarded as an obstacle to progress in understanding the effects of games, developing more effective games and proposing guidance about how best to use games in learning.
Empirical evidence on impacts and outcomes of games
Despite the optimism about the potential of games for learning, several authors have noted that there has been a dearth of high quality empirical evidence to support these claims (de Freitas, 2006; Wouters et al, 2009). Consequently the aim of the current paper is to address the question: “What empirical evidence is there concerning the positive impacts and outcomes of computer games?”. In line with modern accounts of effective learning, impacts and outcomes are defined very broadly to include
Databases searched
The electronic databases searched in this review included those identified as relevant to education, information technology and social science: ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), ASSIA (Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts), BioMed Central, Cambridge Journals Online, ChildData, Index to Theses, Oxford University Press (journals), Science Direct, EBSCO (consisting of Psychology and Behavioural Science, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts,
Papers identified by search terms
Table 1 below shows the number of papers in each of the databases that were identified using our search terms. As the table shows the search terms identified a large number of papers (7392) demonstrating the huge growth in interest in gaming during this time period.
Papers selected using our inclusion criteria
Table 1 also shows the number of papers in each database that met the inclusion criteria. Clearly most papers were found in the Science Direct database with Extended Academic ASAP and EBSCO the next most popular, followed by ERIC and
Discussion
It seems that, despite the overwhelming publicity given to the negative impact of games, like most technologies before them, computer games can have both positive and negative impacts. The current review focused on positive impacts of playing games, looking at how entertainment games, games for learning and serious games can engage players and support learning and skill acquisition.
The large number of papers (7392) identified using our search terms confirmed that there has been a surge of
Acknowledgements
This work has been co-funded by the EU under the FP7, in the Games and Learning Alliance (GaLA) Network of Excellence, Grant Agreement nr. 258169.
References (26)
An update on the effects of playing violent video games
Journal of Adolescence
(2004)- et al.
The role of psychology in understanding the impact of computer games
Entertainment Computing
(2011) - et al.
Effect of video game practice on spatial skills in girls and boys
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
(1994) - et al.
Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: a meta-analytic review of the scientific literature
Psychological Science
(2001) Persuasive games: The expressive power of videogames
(2007)- et al.
Development of a general framework for evaluating games-based learning
Games-based learning: a serious business application
(2006)A new century demands new ways of learning: an excerpt from the digital classroom
Educational video games design: a review of the literature
Journal of Applied Educational Technology
(2007)The good, the bad and the ugly: a meta-analytic review of positive and negative effects of violent video games
Psychiatric Q
(2007)
Learning in immersive worlds
Games, motivation, and learning: a research and practice model
Simulation and Gaming
Excessive online computer gaming: implications for education
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
Cited by (1910)
Effectiveness of applied and casual games for young people's mental health: A systematic review of randomised controlled studies
2024, Clinical Psychology ReviewGame-based learning approach in computer science in primary education: A systematic review
2024, Entertainment ComputingDesigning a Strategic Analysis and Planning Skills Training Board Game Using Mobile Technology and a Dual-Scaffolding Mechanism
2024, Asia-Pacific Education ResearcherCan serious games measure your cognitive profile in adults? An innovative proposal to evaluate and stimulate cognitive skills
2024, Universal Access in the Information SocietyThe Impact of University Challenges on Students’ Attitudes and Career Paths in Industrial Engineering: A Comparative Study
2024, Sustainability (Switzerland)