Solitary Vs Video Game Play

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Pacman as an Pacman as an Advergame: Design Advergame: Design Principles that Work Principles that Work Sandra L. Calvert Sandra L. Calvert Professor of Psychology Professor of Psychology Director, Children’s Digital Media Center Director, Children’s Digital Media Center Georgetown University Georgetown University http://cdmc.georgetown.edu http://cdmc.georgetown.edu

Transcript of Solitary Vs Video Game Play

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Pacman as an Pacman as an Advergame: Design Advergame: Design

Principles that WorkPrinciples that Work

Sandra L. CalvertSandra L. Calvert

Professor of PsychologyProfessor of Psychology

Director, Children’s Digital Media Director, Children’s Digital Media CenterCenter

Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University

http://cdmc.georgetown.eduhttp://cdmc.georgetown.edu

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““No compulsory learning can No compulsory learning can remain in the soul… In remain in the soul… In

teaching children, train them teaching children, train them by a kind of game, and you by a kind of game, and you will be able to see more will be able to see more

clearly the natural bent of clearly the natural bent of each.”each.”

Plato, the Republic, Book VII; Plato, the Republic, Book VII; quoted by Malone, 1981quoted by Malone, 1981

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Design PrinciplesDesign Principles

Intrinsically Interesting Learning Intrinsically Interesting Learning Environments (Malone, 1981)Environments (Malone, 1981) Challenge (Goal; Uncertain Outcomes; Challenge (Goal; Uncertain Outcomes; Multiple levels)Multiple levels)

Fantasy (Intrinsic/Extrinsic; Cognitive; Fantasy (Intrinsic/Extrinsic; Cognitive; Emotional)Emotional)

CuriosityCuriosity Berlyne (1960): novelty, complexity, surprise, Berlyne (1960): novelty, complexity, surprise, incongruityincongruity

Optimal level of informational complexityOptimal level of informational complexity Sensory Curiosity (Good form: complete, consistent, Sensory Curiosity (Good form: complete, consistent, parsimoniousparsimonious

Informative Feedback (surprise, constructive)Informative Feedback (surprise, constructive)

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Design PrinciplesDesign Principles

Curiosity (Malone, 1981)Curiosity (Malone, 1981) Berlyne (1960): novelty, complexity, surprise, Berlyne (1960): novelty, complexity, surprise, incongruityincongruity

Same principles that we used to create the Same principles that we used to create the structure used to score formal features (Huston structure used to score formal features (Huston & Wright, 1983)& Wright, 1983)

Formal featuresFormal features Audiovisual production features that structure, Audiovisual production features that structure, mark, and represent contentmark, and represent content

Amount of action, pacing, audio and visual Amount of action, pacing, audio and visual special effects, music, dialoguespecial effects, music, dialogue

Perceptually salient: rapid action, special Perceptually salient: rapid action, special effects, loud musiceffects, loud music

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Why Pacman?Why Pacman?

Simple but elegant design principlesSimple but elegant design principles Formal features: moderate to rapid Formal features: moderate to rapid

action, visual & special effects, musicaction, visual & special effects, music Optimal level of informational Optimal level of informational

complexitycomplexity Sensory Curiosity (Good form: complete, Sensory Curiosity (Good form: complete, consistent, parsimoniousconsistent, parsimonious

Informative Feedback (surprise, Informative Feedback (surprise, constructive)constructive)

Applied pacman to eating healthy snacksApplied pacman to eating healthy snacks

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U.S. Childhood Obesity U.S. Childhood Obesity EpidemicEpidemic

Childhood obesity more than tripled in Childhood obesity more than tripled in the past three decades in the U.S.the past three decades in the U.S. (Strauss (Strauss & Pollack, 2001)& Pollack, 2001)

Source: Ogden et al., Source: Ogden et al., 20062006

Obesity increased over 120% for African Obesity increased over 120% for African Americans over past 20 years vs. 50% Americans over past 20 years vs. 50% for Caucasian Americansfor Caucasian Americans (Strauss & Pollack, 2001)(Strauss & Pollack, 2001)

70% of obese adolescents grow up to be 70% of obese adolescents grow up to be obese adultsobese adults (Parsons et al., 1999)(Parsons et al., 1999)

Males Females Total

U.S. Children 34.8% 32.4% 33.6%

U.S. African American Children

30.4% 40.0% 35.1%

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Food Marketing to Food Marketing to ChildrenChildren

(Pempek & Calvert, 2009)(Pempek & Calvert, 2009) Media exposure is linked to obesityMedia exposure is linked to obesity TV advertisements market high caloric TV advertisements market high caloric foods and beverages with little foods and beverages with little nutritious valuenutritious value

Internet offers U.S. marketers a low-Internet offers U.S. marketers a low-cost, low-regulation market to advertisecost, low-regulation market to advertise Marketers use “advergames,” online computer Marketers use “advergames,” online computer games promoting a specific brand, to sell games promoting a specific brand, to sell productsproducts

Using advergames as a social marketing Using advergames as a social marketing approach could tip scales in favor of approach could tip scales in favor of healthy behaviorshealthy behaviors

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Negative effects of advertising on Negative effects of advertising on children’s health:children’s health: TV ads influence 2- to 11-year-old TV ads influence 2- to 11-year-old children’s food preferences and purchase children’s food preferences and purchase requests for high-calorie, low-nutrient requests for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods foods (McGinnis, Gootman, & Kraak, 2006)(McGinnis, Gootman, & Kraak, 2006)

Playing Froot Loops cereal advergame Playing Froot Loops cereal advergame increased preference among 5- to 8-increased preference among 5- to 8-year-olds year-olds (Mallinckrodt & Mizerski, 2007) (Mallinckrodt & Mizerski, 2007)

Did not increase requests for productDid not increase requests for product Did not increase belief that Froot Loops Did not increase belief that Froot Loops was healthywas healthy

Food Marketing Food Marketing EffectsEffects

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Research QuestionsResearch Questions

Does playing an advergame that Does playing an advergame that promotes less healthy foods promotes less healthy foods affect children’s behavior?affect children’s behavior?

Does playing an advergame Does playing an advergame promote healthier food promote healthier food choices?choices?

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ParticipantsParticipants

30 low-income African American 30 low-income African American 33rdrd and 4 and 4thth grade students grade students MM = 9 years, 6 months = 9 years, 6 months Half male and half femaleHalf male and half female From 5 metropolitan elementary From 5 metropolitan elementary schools in D.C.schools in D.C.

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MethodologyMethodology Computer advergame modeled after Pac-Man Computer advergame modeled after Pac-Man arcade gamearcade game

Conditions: Conditions: ““Healthier food” condition: Healthier food” condition:

Add 10 points for nutritious snackAdd 10 points for nutritious snack Subtract 10 points for less nutritious snackSubtract 10 points for less nutritious snack

““Less healthy food” condition:Less healthy food” condition: Add 10 points for less nutritious snackAdd 10 points for less nutritious snack Subtract 10 points for more nutritious snackSubtract 10 points for more nutritious snack

Control:Control: Selected snack first, then played gameSelected snack first, then played game

Level More nutritious Less nutritious

1 Orange juice, banana Soda, potato chips

2 Orange juice, banana, apple, carrots

Soda, potato chips, cookie, candy bar

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MethodologyMethodology

One 25 minute session with One 25 minute session with investigatorinvestigator Played game twicePlayed game twice Answered questions about enjoyment Answered questions about enjoyment of game and about media useof game and about media use

Chose snack Chose snack banana or chipsbanana or chips orange juice or sodaorange juice or soda

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Results

Advergame condition affected food selections 3 (condition) x 2 (gender) ANOVA with summary score of healthier food and beverage as dependent variable

F(2,24) = 6.23, p = 0.007 Children in healthier game condition selected greater number of healthier snacks than those in less healthy game condition

Healthier game: M = 1.40, SE = 0.24 Control: M = 0.90, SE = 0.24 Less Healthy game: M = 0.20, SE = 0.24

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Results

Perceived difficulty of advergame 65.52% said game was “just right” 17.24% said game was “easy” 17.24% said game was “hard” Chi square analyses yielded no difference in perceived difficulty among three conditions

Enjoyment of playing advergame 93.10% “really liked it” 6.90% “liked it”

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Results

Advergames affect children’s Advergames affect children’s behaviorbehavior

An advergame promoting less An advergame promoting less healthy foods causes children to healthy foods causes children to select less healthy snacksselect less healthy snacks

An advergame promoting healthier An advergame promoting healthier foods causes children to select foods causes children to select healthier snackshealthier snacks

Advergames are an enjoyable activity for children

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ImplicationsImplications

Games can be simple, yet persuasive Games can be simple, yet persuasive Use formal features & game principles Use formal features & game principles in ways that motivate childrenin ways that motivate children Keeps them coming back by choice for more Keeps them coming back by choice for more exposureexposure

With more exposure, more learning & With more exposure, more learning & interest in material occursinterest in material occurs

Pair games that have intrinsically Pair games that have intrinsically interesting formal features with interesting formal features with content, such as healthy food, to content, such as healthy food, to address topics, such as obesityaddress topics, such as obesity

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GratitudeGratitude

Georgetown Georgetown University President’s Office’s initiative for Reflective Engagement in the Public Interest

Research Assistants from the Childrens’ Digital Media Center

Children and schools who participated in this research

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Works CitedWorks CitedMaddison, R., Mhurchu, C.N., Jull, A., Jiang, Y., Prapavessis, H., & Rodgers, A. Maddison, R., Mhurchu, C.N., Jull, A., Jiang, Y., Prapavessis, H., & Rodgers, A.

(2007). Energy expended playing video console games: An opportunity to (2007). Energy expended playing video console games: An opportunity to increase children’s activity? increase children’s activity? Pediatric Exercise Science, 19(3), Pediatric Exercise Science, 19(3), 334-343.334-343.

Mallinckrodt, V., & Mizerski, D. (2007). The effects of playing an advergame on Mallinckrodt, V., & Mizerski, D. (2007). The effects of playing an advergame on young children’s perceptions, preferences, and requests. young children’s perceptions, preferences, and requests. Journal of Journal of Advertising, 36(27), Advertising, 36(27), 87-100.87-100.

McGinnis, J. M., Gootman, J. A., & Kraak, V. I. (Eds.) and the Committee on Food McGinnis, J. M., Gootman, J. A., & Kraak, V. I. (Eds.) and the Committee on Food Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth, Food and Nutrition Board, Board Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth, Food and Nutrition Board, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Institute of Medicine of the National on Children, Youth, and Families, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. (2006). Academies. (2006). Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity? Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity? Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Ogden, CL, Carroll, M.D., Curtin, L.R., McDowell, M.A., Tabak, C.J., & Flegal, Ogden, CL, Carroll, M.D., Curtin, L.R., McDowell, M.A., Tabak, C.J., & Flegal, K.F. (2006). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-K.F. (2006). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. 2004. JAMA, 295, JAMA, 295, 1549-1555.1549-1555.

Parsons TJ, Power C, Logan S, Summerbell CD. (1999). Childhood predictors of Parsons TJ, Power C, Logan S, Summerbell CD. (1999). Childhood predictors of adult obesity: a systematic review. adult obesity: a systematic review. International Journal of ObesityInternational Journal of Obesity , 23, , 23, S1-S1-S107S107

Pempek. T. & Calvert, S.L. (2009). Use of advergames to promote consumption of Pempek. T. & Calvert, S.L. (2009). Use of advergames to promote consumption of nutritious foods and beverrages by low-income African American children. nutritious foods and beverrages by low-income African American children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent MedicineArchives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, , 163(7)163(7), 633-637., 633-637.

Strauss & Pollack (2001). Epidemic increase in childhood overweight, 1986-1998. Strauss & Pollack (2001). Epidemic increase in childhood overweight, 1986-1998. Journal of the American Medical Association, 286 (22), Journal of the American Medical Association, 286 (22), 2845-2848.2845-2848.

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Thank youThank you