Professor Tammy Lin is awarded International Communication Association annual conference (2012) Game Interest Group Top Papers
Award: International Communication Association Annual Conference (2012) Game Interest Group Top papers
Paper 1
Topic : The moderating role of the media interactivity on the relationship between video game violence and aggression and the mediating role of self-concept.
Author : Lin, J-H. (林日璇)
Abstract : This study examined the moderating effect of media interactivity on the relationship between video game violence and short-term aggression and the mediating role of self-concept. A total of 169 male undergraduate students participated in the experiment, which had a 2 (media interactivity: play vs. watch) × 2 (violence: violent vs. non-violent) factorial design. The results showed that media interactivity and violence significantly affected participants’ short-term aggressive affect. Media interactivity also had a main effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A conditional moderating effect—in that participants who played the violent video game displayed greater aggressive affect and blood pressure than participants who watched the recorded violent game play—was also found. An interaction effect between media interactivity and violence was found for automatic self-concept. The current study extended existing literature and further demonstrated that media interactivity exhibited significant influence on media effects after controlling violent content.
Paper 2
Title : Need satisfaction supportive game features as motivational determinants: An experimental study of a self-determination theory guided exergame.
Author :Peng, W., Lin, J-H., Winn, B., & Pfeiffer, K.
Abstract : Empirical studies have validated that basic needs satisfaction supported by video game play predicts motivation and engagement outcomes. However, few studies specifically manipulated game features for each of the three basic needs specified in the self-determination theory (SDT) to examine how the game features impact players’ need satisfaction and game experience. The current study employed an in-house developed exergame and manipulated the game features in a 2 (autonomy supportive game features: on vs. off) x 2 (competence supportive game features: on vs. off) experiment to predict need satisfaction, game enjoyment, motivation for future play, effort for gameplay, self-efficacy for exercise using the game, likelihood of game recommendation, and game rating. The manipulated game features led to the corresponding need satisfaction. Manipulated autonomy supportive and competence supportive game features had main effects on most motivation and engagement outcomes. Need satisfaction of autonomy and need satisfaction of competence were both found to be mediators for the relationships between the game features and the motivation and engagement outcomes. The findings add evidence to support the underlying mechanism postulated by SDT for media enjoyment and motivation and as well as the emerging entertainment research conceptualizing enjoyment as need satisfaction. The findings also have practical implications for intervention effort that intends to capitalize on the motivational pull of video games.