Session Information
| Title | Motivation and Rewards in Serious Games: Impacts on Player Engagement, Learning, and Behavior Change |
| Presenter(s) | Debra Lieberman, University of California, Santa Barbara and Health Games Research |
| Time | Friday, October 22, 1:00p-2:00p |
| Location | Lake Huron Room |
| Format | Speaker |
| Description | People are motivated by external rewards (extrinsic motivation) and by their own internally-driven needs (intrinsic motivation). This talk explores theories of motivation, examines how certain serious games have been designed to address extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, points to research findings about motivational processes in games, and concludes with principles of serious game design that take motivational factors and game rewards into account. Extrinsic motivation in games includes, for example, awarding points, items, level ups, hints, and clues, and putting players' names and scores on leader boards that publicize the top scorers. Intrinsic motivation involves satisfying personal interests and it can include, for example, curiosity about a topic, a desire to learn or develop skills, the pleasure of experiencing success (leading to improved self-concepts), arousal, relaxation, challenge, and opportunities for social interaction. |