The Psychology of Engaging Games
Goal setting, feedback, social context, and growth mindset —if done right— improve engagement. I/O psychologist Jamie Madigan delves into the nuances that make these design elements tick.
Goal Setting
•Goal specificity/clarity, feedback on performance, time/financial investment, and complexity of task modify efficacy.
•Zeigarnik Effect: Incomplete goals create mental tension and are more memorable.
•Distance to goal completion inversely correlates with persistence.
•Endowed Progress Effect: Players gifted initial progress towards a goal are more likely to complete it.
Feedback
•Positive feedback reactions are increased effort and strategy development.
•Good feedback is specific, behavior focused, immediate and frequent, and informative of progress.
Social Info
•Social comparisons and the directions thereof motivate players to compete, as with leaderboards.
•Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect: Top ranked players of a low ranked league view their performance more positively than low ranked players of a top ranked league.
Growth Mindset
•Individuals with growth mindsets see ability as malleable, seek challenges, and learn from criticism.
•Designs requiring multiple attempts to overcome an obstacle can provoke this mentality.
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