Measuring Video Game Engagement Through the Cognitive and Affective Dimensions

David Sharek and Eric Wiebe

Simulation & Gaming, 2014, vol. 45, issue 4-5, 569-592

Abstract: Aim . This study investigates a novel technique for measuring video game engagement by capturing behavioral data with little task interference. Background . Flow Theory and Cognitive Load Theory provide insight into understanding engagement by analyzing the interactions between skill and task challenge . The development of this real-time measurement of engagement provides a more precise diagnostic method for designing challenging, yet cognitively engaging, tasks. Method . Flow Theory guided the design of three conditions ( Boredom , Flow , and Frustration ) for a video game played by 156 participants. The authors tested a potential measure of engagement based on the number of times a participant clicked a game-clock during gameplay and during intermissions, along with performance and workload data. We differentiated the three conditions by synthesizing game-clock clicks during gameplay, during intermission, and overall cognitive load. Results . Boredom showed lower cognitive load than Flow and Frustration . Frustration had significantly lower game-clock clicks during gameplay and significantly higher clicks during intermission than Flow or Boredom. Conclusion . This study’s measurement approach could potentially be used to measure cognitive and affective elements of engagement , helping to identify where in a task a person may reach a point of disengagement , and where they may choose to reengage .

Keywords: behavioral data; Boredom; Cognitive Load Theory; disengagement; education; engagement; Flow; Flow Theory; Frustration; game-clock clicks; games; interactions; mental workload; reengagement; skill; task challenge; training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:simgam:v:45:y:2014:i:4-5:p:569-592

DOI: 10.1177/1046878114554176

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