Playing for the thrill and skill. Quiz games as means for mood and competence repair

Recent studies have found that digital games can be used to improve the players’ mood, especially after emotionally unpleasant experiences. We introduce competence repair as an extension of previous work on mood repair. To investigate the effects of digital games on both mood and competence repair, we conducted 3 studies using quiz games. In the quasi-experimental Study 1 (N = 143), we manipulated the necessity for repair via a false feedback task (positive vs. negative), and looked at the impact of in-game success (victory vs. defeat). In the experimental Studies 2 (N = 91) and 3 (N = 109), we aimed at conceptually replicating and extending the findings on the impact of in-game success by varying participants’ success over a series of 4 matches (Study 2: close game outcomes, Study 3: clear victory/defeat). The results of these studies indicate that the efficacy of digital games for mood repair, as well as competence repair, depends on the necessity for repair, as well as success in the game. However, competence repair occurred even after participants were defeated repeatedly in a series of close matches. These results are discussed in light of the potential of digital games for fulfilling (previously thwarted) psychological needs.

已有研究表明，电子游戏（digital games）可用于改善玩家情绪，尤其在玩家经历负面情绪体验后。我们将能力修复（competence repair）定义为既往情绪修复研究的延伸方向。为探究电子游戏对情绪修复与能力修复的双重影响，我们依托问答类游戏开展了三项研究。在准实验研究1（样本量N=143）中，我们通过虚假反馈任务（正向反馈vs负向反馈）操控修复需求，并考察了游戏内胜负（胜利vs失败）的影响效应。在实验研究2（N=91）与研究3（N=109）中，我们通过调整参与者在连续4轮对局中的胜负表现，旨在对游戏内胜负的影响效应进行概念性重复验证与拓展：其中研究2聚焦胶着对局结果，研究3聚焦明确的胜负结果。上述三项研究的结果表明，电子游戏用于情绪修复与能力修复的有效性，同时取决于修复需求与游戏内表现。不过，即便参与者在连续多轮胶着对局中屡次失败，仍可产生能力修复效应。我们将结合电子游戏满足（此前未被满足的）心理需求的潜在价值，对本研究结果展开讨论。