Facilitating Apophenia to Augment the Experience of Pervasive Games Neil Dansey School of Creative Technologies University of Portsmouth, UK

What is apophenia? The “unmotivated seeing of connections ” accompanied by a “specific experience of an abnormal meaningfulness” (Conrad 1958, cited in Brugger, 2001) “ Mistaken ascription of meaningful connections to coincident occurrences that are unrelated or merely accidental ” (Mishlove & Engen, 2007) Type 1 error / “Order in chaos”

The “unmotivated seeing of connections ” accompanied by a “specific experience of an abnormal meaningfulness” (Conrad 1958, cited in Brugger, 2001)

“ Mistaken ascription of meaningful connections to coincident occurrences that are unrelated or merely accidental ” (Mishlove & Engen, 2007)

Type 1 error / “Order in chaos”

Examples of apophenia

What is NOT apophenia? Interpretation is prompted / expected Demand characteristics Extrinsic motivation Rorschach Test

Interpretation is prompted / expected

Demand characteristics

Extrinsic motivation

Table of unprompted interpretations Non-game event Not game-related No Game content experienced Game-related Yes Result Interpretation Game event?

Table of unprompted interpretations Non-game event Not game-related No Apophenia experienced Game-related No Game content disregarded Not game-related Yes Game content experienced Game-related Yes Result Interpretation Game event?

Applications for games We want abnormal meaningfulness Cannot prompt / guide interpretation >> No game-critical content How to create ambiguity?

We want abnormal meaningfulness

Cannot prompt / guide interpretation

>> No game-critical content

How to create ambiguity?

Archetypes By nature general / ambiguous Hero’s Journey was observed and has been implemented as narrative template Specific instance of archetype is usually created Provide the archetype only?

By nature general / ambiguous

Hero’s Journey was observed and has been implemented as narrative template

Specific instance of archetype is usually created

Provide the archetype only?

Discussion Apophenia / interpretation in games Ambiguity / archetypes in game design ?

Apophenia / interpretation in games

Ambiguity / archetypes in game design

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