The document discusses Douglas Gentile's dimensional approach to understanding the effects of video games. It outlines five dimensions - amount, content, structure, context and mechanics - that can influence the effects games have on players. Gentile provides several examples of studies that show effects related to specific dimensions, such as improved attention and cognition from games with certain structural elements. The approach aims to move beyond simplistic views of games as entirely good or bad and provide a framework for understanding different levels of effects.

1. Dimensional Approach to Understanding Video Game Effects Douglas A. Gentile, Ph.D. Director, Media Research Lab, Iowa State University Associate Director, Center for the Study of Violence Research Fellow, Institute on Science and Society © Douglas Gentile 2010

2. My approach today As mentioned yesterday, individual differences matter in how games may have effects on players Furthermore, gamers’ motivations matter And of course, many other moderating influences matter (e.g., parents) My focus today, however, is on the features of interactions with games that can be influenced by game design, and how these features can change the effects games have

3. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001)

4. What Makes a Great Teacher? (Gentile & Gentile, 2008) Have clear objectives, often set at multiple difficulty levels to adapt to the prior knowledge and skills of each learner The pace of the activities can be adjusted for faster or slower learners, novices or experts, to deliver differentiated instruction.

5. Halo 2: Controller Adaptation

6. What Makes a Great Teacher? (Gentile & Gentile, 2008) Have clear objectives, often set at multiple difficulty levels to adapt to the prior knowledge and skills of each learner The pace of the activities can be adjusted for faster or slower learners, novices or experts, to deliver differentiated instruction. Well-sequenced in levels of increasing difficulty, pace, or complexity, with success at later levels contingent on competencies at prior levels

7. Learning is active with practice, feedback, and more practice to the point of mastery Once mastered, the knowledge and skills are practiced further to the point of automaticity Mastery of an objective is reinforced both extrinsically (e.g., with points, weapons, levels, etc.) and intrinsically (higher levels of competence and resulting self-esteem) What Makes a Great Teacher? (Gentile & Gentile, 2008)

8. Encourage a close-to-optimal combination of massed and distributed practice Knowledge/skills learned and practiced in multiple ways in a variety of contexts Important if transfer is desired Great teachers get students excited and “hooked” on topics What Makes a Great Teacher? (Gentile & Gentile, 2008)

9. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001) Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Video game effects on Visual attention skills (e.g., Green & Bavelier, 2003) Aggression (e.g., Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007)

10. Violent Game Exposure (VGE) & Aggressive Fantasies (AF), predicting W3 Aggressive Behavior I VGE S VGE I AF S AF .44 c -.09 + .13 c .04 ns .56 c .45 c Agg Beh W3 -.28 b -.38 c X 2 = 53.8, p < .001 CFI = .99 RMSEA = .04 SRMR = .02 .29 b

11. Violent Game Exposure (VGE) & Normative Beliefs about Aggression (NB), predicting W3 Aggressive Behavior I VGE S VGE I NB S NB .35 c .07 ns .11 c .35 b .37 c .40 c Agg Beh W3 -.32 b -.33 c X 2 = 55.3, p < .001 CFI = .98 RMSEA = .04 SRMR = .02 .19 b

12. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001) Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Video game effects on Visual attention skills (e.g., Green & Bavelier, 2003) Aggression (e.g., Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007) Prosocial behaviors (e.g., Gentile et al., 2009)

13. Prosocial Game Effects (Gentile et al., 2009) In three new studies, we tested prosocial game effects Study 1 : 727 Singaporean 7 th -8 th graders Correlational : Playing prosocial games predicted helping behavior, empathy, cooperation, and lower hostile attribution bias and attitudes Study 2 : 1,830 Japanese 3 rd -5 th graders Longitudinal : Playing prosocial games predicted later prosocial behavior Study 3 : 161 US college students Experimental : Played game, then had the opportunity to help or hurt another student

14. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001) Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Video game effects on Visual attention skills (e.g., Green & Bavelier, 2003) Aggression (e.g., Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007) Prosocial behaviors (e.g., Gentile et al., 2009) Obesity (e.g., Vandewater, Shim, & Caplovitz, 2004) School performance (e.g., Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh, 2004) Attention problems (e.g., Swing, Gentile, & Anderson, 2010) Physical health: e.g., Seizures & repetitive stress disorders (e.g., Ricci & Vigevano, 1999) Advanced laparoscopic surgical skills (e.g., Rosser, Lynch, Haskamp, Yalif, Gentile, & Giammaria, 2004)

15. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001) Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Video game effects on Visual attention skills (e.g., Green & Bavelier, 2003) Aggression (e.g., Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007) Prosocial behaviors (e.g., Gentile et al., 2009) Obesity (e.g., Vandewater, Shim, & Caplovitz, 2004) School performance (e.g., Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh, 2004) Attention problems (e.g., Swing, Gentile, & Anderson, 2010) Physical health: e.g., Seizures & repetitive stress disorders (e.g., Ricci & Vigevano, 1999) Advanced laparoscopic surgical skills (e.g., Rosser, Lynch, Haskamp, Yalif, Gentile, & Giammaria, 2004) Video game “addiction” (e.g., Gentile, 2009)

16. Research on Both Intended and Unintended Effects Educational video game effects (e.g., Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak, & Whaley, 2001) Health video game effects (e.g., Lieberman, 1997) Video game effects on Visual attention skills (e.g., Green & Bavelier, 2003) Aggression (e.g., Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007) Prosocial behaviors (e.g., Gentile et al., 2009) Obesity (e.g., Vandewater, Shim, & Caplovitz, 2004) School performance (e.g., Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh, 2004) Attention problems (e.g., Swing, Gentile, & Anderson, 2010) Physical health: e.g., Seizures & repetitive stress disorders (e.g., Ricci & Vigevano, 1999) Advanced laparoscopic surgical skills (e.g., Rosser, Lynch, Haskamp, Yalif, Gentile, & Giammaria, 2004) Video game “addiction” (e.g., Gentile, 2009) And these are just some of the empirically identified effects!

17. How can we make sense of it all?

18. There are Multiple Dimensions on Which Video Games can have an Effect Amount Content Structure Context Mechanics

19. Effects of Amount Overall amount seems to be most related to school performance Greater amount of entertainment games -> Poorer performance Greater amount -> Increased attention problems Overall amount may be related to health outcomes e.g., Obesity, repetitive-stress disorders Overall amount isn’t the whole story, however Distributed vs. Massed practice

20. Effects of Content Specific to the content of the game (i.e., the “script” elements or themes) Reading games -> Increased reading skills Math games -> Increased math skills Health games -> Increased health knowledge and health compliance behaviors Violent games -> Increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

21. Effects of Structure Specific to the formal features of the game Game requires constant scanning of the screen -> Improved visual attention skills

22. Halo: Constant scanning

23. Unreal Tournament: Constant Scanning

24. Effects of Structure Specific to the formal features of the game Game requires constant scanning of the screen -> Improved visual attention skills Game requires use of 2-D representations to provide 3-D information and navigation -> Improved ability to use 2D for 3D

25. Halo: 2D info -> 3D navigation

26. Effects of Structure Specific to the formal features of the game Game requires constant scanning of the screen -> Improved visual attention skills Game requires use of 2-D representations to provide 3-D information and navigation -> Improved ability to use 2D for 3D Game requires constant scanning and maintaining orientation in spherical 3D space with only 2D information

27. Star Wars Rogue Leader: 2D info to maintain Spherical 3D orientation Try to remember where the yellow-outlined ship is

28. Effects of Structure Specific to the formal features of the game Game requires constant scanning of the screen -> Improved visual attention skills Game requires use of 2-D representations to provide 3-D information and navigation -> Improved ability to use 2D for 3D Game requires constant scanning and maintaining orientation in spherical 3D space with only 2D information To the extent the representation is more realistic (perceptual fidelity), learning and transfer should be faster

29. Effects of Context If the game is structured to require cooperation and teamwork, that could moderate the effects Violent MMOs – team aspect moderates violent effect? (social context) Halo – slayer vs. capture the flag (in-game context) Problem-based (situated) learning Complex scientific problem-solving sometimes required Context not entirely independent of content (game decisions can change content)

30. Effects of Mechanics Will learn to use the mechanical devices E.g., can be used to improve balance or for physical therapy (e.g., Betker, Szturm, Moussavi, & Nett, 2006) The closer the similarity to “reality,” the greater the transfer should be e.g., Playing driving game with a wheel and pedals rather than with mouse and keyboard Mechanics are not entirely separate from Structure Movements are guided by visual information gathered from the screen

31. Halo: Scope changes the use of input devices – small moves cause bigger changes

32. Four Benefits of This Approach Gets beyond dichotomous thinking of games as “good” or “bad” Allows us to understand multiple levels of effects

33. Smart Cycle Study N = 46 3 & 4-year-olds 3 Conditions: SC, TriC, Game only 3 weeks of home use Letter recognition and whole word recognition better in SC condition than other 2 Number identification better in SC and TriC conditions than Game Only Better improved cycling skills in SC condition, then TriC, then Game Only Condition Better improved joystick skills in SC condition, then Game Only condition, then TriC

34. What are these effects? Effects on letter, word, and number skills are content effects Effects on cycling and joystick ability are a combination of structure and mechanics effects Could test to see how structure and mechanics interact, which is more important for which skill (e.g., pedaling, steering, navigating menus, etc.) Each may be moderated by amount

35. Four Benefits of This Approach Gets beyond dichotomous thinking of games as “good” or “bad” Allows us to understand multiple levels of effects Provides testable hypotheses Allows for greater impact when attempting to have intended effects

36. To have the greatest impact, video game designers should consider all five dimensions of effect Example: Laparoscopic surgical simulators Amount: Require certain amount, distributed practice Content: Variations, complications, errors, etc. Structure: As realistic as possible, as many variations as possible, 3D-2D Context: Sense of urgency similar to surgical context Mechanics: Input devices similar to surgical tools, formal reactivity as similar as possible Goal: Under pressure, you see something wrong and instinctively react quickly, proportionally, and correctly

37. Media Research Lab www.DouglasGentile.com www.psychology.iastate.edu/~dgentile