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Playing video games can satisfy deep psychological needs and, at least in the short term, improve well-being, research shows.
The more a game fulfils players' sense of independence, achievement and connectedness to others, the more likely they are to keep playing, say Dr Scott Rigby of Immersyve, a Florida virtual environment think tank, and colleagues from the University of Rochester in New York.
And the more fully players' needs are satisfied, the better they feel afterwards.
"We think this is really one of the first validated models of what is going on psychologically when people are playing video games," Dr Rigby said.
To date, he noted, research on video games had focused on their potentially harmful effects, such as promoting social isolation, addiction, and violence.
While the findings did not prove that "video games are always good for you", he said, they did help to provide a more balanced understanding of people's motivations for playing them.
In four studies reported in the journal Motivation and Emotion, Dr Rigby and his colleagues sought to understand people's motivation for playing the games and the games' immediate effect on well-being.
Players' enjoyment of games depended on whether the games made them feel competent and independent, and, in the case of multiplayer games, connected to other players.
Players who enjoyed their experience showed increases in well-being, self-esteem and vitality after playing, while those whose needs were not satisfied reported lowered vitality and mood.
- REUTERS
