Most people find time in their lives for games, whether it’s computer or video games, tabletop games, role-play games, outdoor games, sports, or something else. But in a world which often prioritises work and productivity, how do people find time, space, and most importantly the motivation for games? Outschool teacher Dr Steph Acaster explores the psychology of gaming.
Psychology’s Theories of Motivation
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that people are motivated to meet a certain sequence of needs, specifically: physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, and esteem needs, before reaching ‘self-actualisation’ (self-fulfilment).
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
(Source: Wikimedia Commons library)
Different games can fulfil different categories of needs but games are often particularly good at fostering belongingness needs by allowing players to interact and grow relationships with others through playing together or sharing their interest; and satisfying esteem needs by allowing players to access feelings of accomplishment when improving or succeeding within the context of the game.
Games almost always produce perceptible results and have clear, predictable achievement and reward systems, which can act as a path to fulfilment. The context of a game often provides a much more consistent system of reward, progression, and success, than many other contexts that people experience in their daily lives. This feature means that some people may be more motivated to succeed in the predictable context of a game compared to another context in their life, but also that a game can be intrinsically motivating.
While a reward or progression is almost always a motivating factor, motivation does not have to be external to the player. An internal feeling of “flow” can also be a rewarding experience which motivates the person to continue playing. A “flow” state happens when a person is fully engaged in a task which requires a skill, has clear goals and constant feedback, and where the person has control and concentration. It is important that the task is neither too easy nor too difficult in relation to the player’s skill level, as either extreme is a recipe for disrupted motivation to continue playing.
There are also more specific and personal motivations for playing games. Some people may be motivated by the chance to break away from social norms and their own identity and act as another character. Other people may be motivated to play a game that allows them to socialise with people who align with their personality and values. Other people may be motivated by the opportunity to practice and improve at a skill.
People may be drawn to games which allow them to use and showcase their specific skillset. A recent Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study found that those who reported playing more video games on a regular basis also performed better on cognitive skills tests that involved impulse control and working memory. This could be due to those gamers practicing relevant tasks while playing games… or the reverse could be true.
Perhaps people who are good at impulse control and working memory tasks enjoy them more, and therefore choose to play games that require those skills more often!
It is always an interesting exercise to reflect on game choices and the possible reasons why each
game is motivating.
Learning about Ourselves from Game Play and Game Design
Games can be useful as frameworks for reflection, where people can make observations about what motivates them and apply this knowledge to other contexts. One example is Bartle’s categories of play style, which include “Achiever” (completing quests, levelling up), “Explorer” (discovery, collecting things), “Socialiser” (interacting, working with others), and “Killer” (competing against others, becoming a dominant player).
Bartle's Taxonomy of Player Types
Although the same person may use different strategies in different games, their choice of play style can give an insight into what type of activities would motivate them elsewhere. Educational game platforms capitalise on some of these play styles. For example, Kahoot may suit a “Socialiser” or “Killer”, whereas Duolingo may be more motivating for an “Achiever” play style.
The features built into a game also apply to wider contexts. A long and boring tutorial before getting to try something (or the opposite, no tutorial or opportunity to build up skills at all!) can be demotivating. This teaches people about their own preferences around receiving instructions and learning new skills. A funny animation when a player fails or dies in a game motivates them to try again more than if there was no animation or consequence. This method of motivation can be used to encourage resilience in other settings too – a funny or positive consequence of trying and failing is generally more motivating than having no consequence.
Specific games can also reveal a lot about what motivates the people who like to play them. The art or graphics style, the music, the rules of the game, the consequences of different choices within the game, and the skills and attributes required to successfully play the game, are just some of the factors that make a game enjoyable.
Even the simplest games are often complex in terms of their motivating attributes, and in terms of the array of skills and knowledge they can draw upon – so there is always a lot to learn from a game!
Dr Steph Acaster is a Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience PHD graduate and Outschool teacher. She is also an Associate Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University. When she is not teaching, she can usually be found practicing the violin, playing in an orchestra, reading and learning new things. She enjoys exploring knowledge and finding new ways to combine topics or teach them in different ways.
Youe teen can take her class for 13-18 year olds Psychology of Gaming: Why Do People Play Games? on Outschool, which is part of her 'Psychology of' series of classes. She also teaches an array of science colouring classes.
