Behavioral Psychology:
Operant Conditioning and Player Engagement:
Operant conditioning is a process and method of behavior change that is influenced by stimuli. It is also known as instrumental conditioning or instrumental learning. Unlike classical conditioning, where behaviors are involuntarily elicited, operant conditioning involves voluntary behaviors that are controlled by the consequences of those behaviors, such as rewards or punishments.
In game design, designers utilize various aspects of operant conditioning to enhance player engagement. From positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement and even punishment, these elements are incorporated into the core gameplay mechanics, making the gaming experience meaningful and immersive. By carefully implementing operant conditioning principles, game designers can create a game experience that aligns with the desired player experience, while keeping the player's engagement within a controllable range.
Positive Reinforcement:
Positive reinforcement is a term described in B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning theory. In positive reinforcement, behavior is strengthened through rewards, promoting the repetition of desired behaviors. The reward itself serves as a reinforcing stimulus. Primary reinforcement refers to naturally reinforcing stimuli as they are not acquired through learning and directly satisfy psychological needs, such as food or water. Secondary reinforcement refers to stimuli that are reinforced through their association with primary reinforcing stimuli, such as money or academic grades. They may not directly satisfy innate needs but can serve as means to fulfill those needs. Therefore, secondary reinforcing stimuli can have strong motivational effects similar to primary reinforcing stimuli. For example, obtaining more money that can be used to purchase more food. For instance, the daily login rewards in many games are an example of positive reinforcement, reinforcing the behavior of players logging into the game.
Negative Reinforcement:
Negative reinforcement is a method of reinforcing a behavior by removing a negative stimulus, thereby strengthening the occurrence of that behavior. Unlike punishment, negative reinforcement does not involve administering a punishing stimulus but rather eliminating an existing negative stimulus to reinforce a behavior. For example, in games like League of Legends, the "/mute all" or chat-blocking feature serves as a negative reinforcement design.
Punishment:
Punishment, in contrast to reinforcement, aims to weaken or eliminate a response behavior rather than increase it. Unpleasant events decrease the likelihood of subsequent behavior. Similar to reinforcement, punishment can be administered by directly applying aversive stimuli, such as an electric shock after a response, or by removing potential rewarding stimuli, such as deducting someone's allowance to punish undesirable behavior. Reinforcement tells you what you should do, while punishment only tells you what you should not do. Therefore, punishment can only reduce the occurrence of undesirable behavior but cannot guide people on how to engage in correct behavior. In comparison, reinforcement can guide individuals towards desired behavior and make it more likely to be repeated. For example, when you engage in toxic behavior in League of Legends, the system may issue account suspensions as a form of punishment.
Learned Helplessness:
Learned helplessness refers to the belief and cognition that individuals develop when they experience a series of uncontrollable negative events, leading to a state of indifference or passive behavior. After repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events, individuals gradually develop the belief and cognition that they cannot change their current situation. Even when presented with opportunities to control or alter the circumstances, they perceive themselves as incapable or lacking control, resulting in a display of passive and helpless attitudes and behaviors. This state often leads to feelings of depression, diminished self-esteem, and reduced willpower and decision-making abilities. This is a problem that game designers should actively avoid. Setting the game difficulty excessively high can lead to learned helplessness, causing players to give up on the game.
Techniques of Compliance: How to Encourage Others to Make In-Game Purchases
Techniques of compliance refer to a range of psychological and sociological methods aimed at gaining others' compliance with our requests or demands (in this case, in-game purchase requests).
Foot-in-the-Door Technique:
This persuasion strategy involves first making a small request or demand, which is likely to be accepted by the person. Then, a larger request or demand is presented, which is the actual goal. The principle behind this technique is consistency, as people are more likely to agree to a larger request to maintain consistency after already agreeing to a smaller request. For example, in many games, the first recharge package for $6 offers rewards that far exceed the value of $6. This utilizes the foot-in-the-door technique, as players who are willing to make the initial payment are more likely to make subsequent purchases.
Door-in-the-Face Technique:
This is a psychological strategy aimed at getting a person to initially reject a large request, followed by a smaller request. This strategy is based on a psychological phenomenon called "the level of adaptation theory," which suggests that a person's response to a stimulus decreases over time. Therefore, by first presenting a large and rejected request, the "level of adaptation" decreases, increasing the likelihood of the person accepting the smaller request. For example, in games like Clash of Kings, the system often presents players with high-value packages worth $100. Most players refuse to make the purchase due to the high cost. However, after the refusal, the system presents smaller packages equivalent to $0.1, $1, or $2, which increases the players' willingness to make a purchase.
Low-Ball Technique:
The low-ball technique is a psychological strategy aimed at getting individuals to commit or make a decision and then gradually increasing the difficulty or cost of the task. This strategy is based on a psychological phenomenon called "cognitive dissonance," where individuals feel uncomfortable when their actions are inconsistent with their beliefs or values and try to reduce this discomfort. For example, some single-player games have low prices for the base game, but the actual game content is limited. To access the full content, players need to purchase various DLCs, which gradually increase the overall cost.
These techniques are used in game design to encourage players to make in-game purchases by leveraging psychological principles and strategies. It's important to note that ethical considerations should be taken into account when implementing these techniques, ensuring transparency and providing value to the players.
Why do games become addictive? Neurotransmitters and behavior
According to psychological definitions, what is addiction?
Addiction is typically described as a repeated and uncontrollable craving for substances or behaviors, even if this craving may lead to negative physiological and social consequences. Addiction can involve dependencies on substances such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine, gambling, food, or excessive engagement in any behavior. In other words, any behavior has the potential to become addictive.
The relationship between addiction, dopamine, and operant conditioning
Addiction is closely related to dopamine and operant conditioning. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in regulating reward, learning, and motivation behaviors. Many addictive substances or behaviors can trigger a release of dopamine, creating feelings of pleasure and reward. This rewarding experience reinforces the preference for and seeking of the substance or behavior through positive reinforcement. Operant conditioning is a learning mechanism in which the consequences of a response determine its likelihood of being repeated. Addictive behaviors are often learned and formed within an environment where positive feedback and rewards increase the preference for and seeking of the behavior, while negative feedback and punishment decrease the preference for and seeking of the behavior. For example, the pleasurable rewards obtained through repeated smoking can strengthen the preference for and seeking of smoking behavior. Therefore, addiction can be seen as an interaction between the dopamine system and operant conditioning, resulting in a strong preference for and seeking of substances or behaviors.
Dopamine and probability (why gacha and gambling are so addictive)
The release of dopamine is closely related to the probability of rewards. When we anticipate a reward, dopamine neurons in the brain start releasing dopamine, leading to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. This process of dopamine release is referred to as the "activation of the dopamine neurotransmitter system." When we experience a pleasurable reward, dopamine neurons in the brain are activated and start releasing dopamine. As dopamine levels increase, we feel pleasure and excitement, which also strengthens our memory and behaviors associated with the reward. If a behavior or substance repeatedly triggers dopamine release, it can become addictive.
Abuse of the dopamine mechanism
What behaviors can trigger enough dopamine release in players to cause addiction? One of the most obvious examples is gacha and various forms of gambling games, which utilize probability to induce dopamine secretion. The secretion of dopamine acts as positive reinforcement, reinforcing the behavior of engaging in gacha, thereby allowing game developers to generate more profits.
Flow
"Flow" refers to a state experienced by players during gameplay, also known as "flow." This state refers to a highly immersive and focused state of engagement between the player and the game, resulting in a great sense of satisfaction and enjoyment. In this state, players feel that time passes quickly, fully immersing themselves in the game and forgetting about the outside world and worries. The generation and maintenance of this state require careful planning and design by game developers.
In game design, achieving "flow" requires considering the following factors:
Balance of game difficulty: If the game is too easy, players may find it boring; if it is too difficult, players may feel frustrated and discouraged. Game designers need to consider the players' skill levels and appropriately increase the game's difficulty to provide a sense of achievement within challenges.
Clarity of game rules: Game rules need to be simple and easy to understand. If the rules are overly complex or unclear, players may feel confused and frustrated, making it difficult to enter the state of flow. (This refers to conveying clarity in the conceptual model.)
Variety of gameplay: The game should provide multiple and diverse gameplay options, allowing players to have more choices and challenges to avoid monotony.
Timeliness and effectiveness of game feedback: The game needs to provide timely feedback to players, letting them know whether their actions are correct or how well they are doing. Feedback should be timely and effective, and can be expressed through sound effects, visual effects, and other forms.
Clarity of game goals: The game should provide clear objectives and tasks to players, letting them know what they need to do. This helps players enter the state of flow more effectively.
Reference List
"Operant Conditioning" - Retrieved from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
"Techniques of Compliance" - Retrieved from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/compliance.html
Comments