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Positively playful: when videogames lead to player wellbeing

Published: 02 October 2013 Publication History

Abstract

Videogames are an increasingly popular entertainment choice, yet we have a limited understanding of their potential wellbeing benefits. The current research used an online survey (N = 429) to investigate how gameplay choices and the psychological experience of gameplay impact on player wellbeing. Specifically, a hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to determine if, controlling for age and gender, current gameplay choices (amount of play, game genre, mode of play) and play experience (flow, psychological need satisfaction) predicted current wellbeing. Results indicated that age, social play, relatedness during gameplay and flow were positively associated with player wellbeing. Implications for our understanding of player wellbeing, as well as directions for future research are discussed.

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  • (2024)Role-Playing with Robot Characters: Increasing User Engagement through Narrative and Gameplay AgencyProceedings of the 2024 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/3610977.3634941(522-532)Online publication date: 11-Mar-2024
  • (2024)The Basic Needs in Games Scale (BANGS)International Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103289188:COnline publication date: 1-Aug-2024
  • (2022)Creativity and Digital GamesResearch Anthology on Game Design, Development, Usage, and Social Impact10.4018/978-1-6684-7589-8.ch053(1121-1139)Online publication date: 7-Oct-2022
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Published In

cover image ACM Other conferences
Gamification '13: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Gameful Design, Research, and Applications
October 2013
148 pages
ISBN:9781450328159
DOI:10.1145/2583008
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

Sponsors

  • UWATERLOO: University of Waterloo
  • IMMERSe: IMMERSe Network
  • Waterloo Stratford Campus: University of Waterloo Stratford Campus
  • University of Ontario Institute of Technology

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 02 October 2013

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Author Tags

  1. computer-human interaction
  2. flow
  3. psychology
  4. self-determination theory
  5. videogames
  6. well-being

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  • Short-paper

Funding Sources

  • Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre

Conference

Gamification '13
Sponsor:
  • UWATERLOO
  • IMMERSe
  • Waterloo Stratford Campus
Gamification '13: Gameful Design, Research, and Applications
October 2 - 4, 2013
Ontario, Toronto, Canada

Acceptance Rates

Gamification '13 Paper Acceptance Rate 9 of 25 submissions, 36%;
Overall Acceptance Rate 9 of 25 submissions, 36%

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Cited By

View all
  • (2024)Role-Playing with Robot Characters: Increasing User Engagement through Narrative and Gameplay AgencyProceedings of the 2024 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/3610977.3634941(522-532)Online publication date: 11-Mar-2024
  • (2024)The Basic Needs in Games Scale (BANGS)International Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103289188:COnline publication date: 1-Aug-2024
  • (2022)Creativity and Digital GamesResearch Anthology on Game Design, Development, Usage, and Social Impact10.4018/978-1-6684-7589-8.ch053(1121-1139)Online publication date: 7-Oct-2022
  • (2022)Öz Belirleme Kuramı Temelinde Bir Müdahale Aracı Olarak Video OyunlarıVideo Games as a Part of Intervention Programs Based on Self-Determination TheoryPsikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar10.18863/pgy.97496814:2(207-220)Online publication date: 30-Jun-2022
  • (2022)Self-determination theory approach to understanding the impact of videogames on wellbeing during COVID-19 restrictionsBehaviour & Information Technology10.1080/0144929X.2022.209483242:11(1720-1739)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2022
  • (2022)Need satisfaction, passion and wellbeing effects of videogame play prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemicComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2022.107232131:COnline publication date: 1-Jun-2022
  • (2021)Respawn, Reload, RelateProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/34746905:CHI PLAY(1-31)Online publication date: 6-Oct-2021
  • (2021)Identifying Commercial Games with Therapeutic Potential through a Content Analysis of Steam ReviewsProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/34746825:CHI PLAY(1-21)Online publication date: 6-Oct-2021
  • (2021)Need frustration in online video gamesBehaviour & Information Technology10.1080/0144929X.2021.192875341:11(2415-2426)Online publication date: 20-May-2021
  • (2020)Creativity and Digital GamesInteractivity and the Future of the Human-Computer Interface10.4018/978-1-7998-2637-8.ch005(96-113)Online publication date: 2020
  • Show More Cited By

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