Second Hand Gaming: Influence of Interactive Media by Method of Consumption

From its inception as a media form, video games have operated from one central, implied concept: that they were meant to be played. Games have been designed to be experienced directly by a player manipulating the game directly, or first-hand. Within the last decade, however, gaming has expanded to encompass a more second-hand method of consumption. Major broadcast networks show video games being played competitively to a global audience of millions, while independent content producers utilize �Let�s Play� videos and streaming to generate millions of dollars in income, all in a manner not keeping with the intended first-person method of consumption games are traditionally designed for. Meanwhile, a majority of research in the field of gaming has focused on the effects the medium has had on children and youth, with a focus directed to societal concerns such as sex, violence, and drug use. This study engaged participants to interact with one game, "Stardew Valley," through both first-hand and second-hand methods. The participants then completed a survey questionnaire designed to gauge their experiences and opinions with the game, which were analyzed to see if the method of consumption by which the game was played had a significant effect. The study simultaneously analyzed the data to determine whether other factors, namely gender and skill level, had a significant effect on those results.Mass Communication

Eliciting Behavior From Interactive Narratives: Isolating the Role of Agency in Connecting With and Modeling Characters

A key component differentiating interactive storytelling from non-interactive media is agency, or control over character choices. A series of experiments show that providing agency over a character increased the user-character connection, which then increased engagement in a character-consistent charitable act. Findings were observed in technologically simple online narratives that controlled for navigation/controller differences, graphics, sounds, lengthy play, and avatar customization. Effects emerged even though users did not practice these acts by making their character behave charitably. Findings were robust across happy and unfortunate endings and across first-, second-, and third-person narrative perspectives. Findings suggest promise for developing inexpensive ‘‘storygames’’ to encourage supportive behaviors

Investigating the Effects of a Persuasive Digital Game on Immersion, Identification, and Willingness to Help

Recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the development and distribution of persuasive games: digital games that are used to influence players’ attitudes and/or behavior. Three studies (NStudy 1 = 134; NStudy 2 = 94; NStudy 3 = 161) tested the effects of a persuasive game on immersion, identification, and willingness to help. The results showed that playing the persuasive game did not result in substantially stronger willingness to help, relative to the control conditions. Video and printed text resulted in more immersion than the digital game, but playing the game resulted in substantially higher perceptions of embodied presence

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effect of Violent Video Game Play on Capability for Suicide

According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, for an individual to be capable of engaging in suicidal behavior they must be fearless about death and possess elevated physical pain tolerance. It is believed that such capability is developed through exposure to painful and/or provocative events, which serve to habituate the individual to fear and pain. The current study sought to expand on previous studies to examine the impact of video game play on capability for suicide. Participants (n = 63) were randomly assigned to a violent or non-violent video game condition and fearlessness about death and pain tolerance were assessed at baseline, following exposure to video game play, and at a one-week follow-up. Results revealed no significant between-group differences on changes in capability constructs across time points. Additionally, participants’ perceived immersion in game play did not moderate the relationship between game condition and capability. Similarly, player-perspective (i.e., first- versus third-person) did not influence this relationship. Overall, these results indicate that, contrary to previous findings, brief exposure to violent video game play does not have a robust impact on capability for suicide in the short-term, nor when examined longitudinally. Limitations to the current study’s design preclude definitive conclusions regarding the impact of violent video game play on capability for suicide. Exploratory results and future directions are discussed

Lights, camera, interaction! Interactive Film and its Transformative Potential.

This thesis concentrates on the emerging field of interactive film. Digital interactive and networked media offer so many possibilities to create stories that it is necessary to define what an interactive film is and whether there is any continuity with the linear film form. This thesis explores whether interactive narratives in the form of interactive film have the potential to offer a transformative learning experience regarding societal and political topics. Butterfly is an interactive short film that uses a second-screen technique to raise awareness of the dangers of cyberbullying. As a case study for a potential transformative experience, the film is described and evaluated by means of interactive screenings and a user experience study. Findings show there is definite potential for interactive films to create strong emotions in users and to possibly produce a transformative experience with educational implications. Keywords: Transformative design, Interactive Narrative Design, Interactive film, User Experience Evaluation

The Relationship Between Violent Media, Pornography, and Cyber Dating Abuse Among Adolescents

The current study examined the relationship between exposure to violent media and pornography, and the perpetration and experience of sexual cyber dating abuse among adolescents. The study also assessed the relationship between violence-tolerant attitudes with dating abuse outcomes, and examined the mediating role of attitudes in the relationship between violent media and pornography consumption and dating abuse perpetration and victimization. Participants were 113 adolescent boys and girls who reported currently being in a romantic relationship or having been in one during the past year. Participants completed an anonymous paper-pencil survey. Results highlighted pornography and gender as risk factors for the perpetration of sexual cyber dating abuse. Gender moderated the relationship between pornography and perpetration. Violence-tolerant attitudes predicted cyber dating abuse victimization. Contradictory findings were evident for violent media. Implications for school-based dating violence, parenting, and community-based interventions are discussed, as well as policy implications