Seduction of Video Games

Millions of people all over the world are enticed by video games. I was one of those people that felt video games were a waste of time. I never consider the psychology behind them. Video games are addictive, but maybe not so much in a bad way. So why are games so appealing?

According to the article, “The Seduction Secrets of Video Games,” Keith Stuart points out that there are several facets of video games that are compelling to us. We like things that give us a chance to experience failure without being judged. Raph Koster says, “An effective learning environment, and for that matter an effective creative environment, is one in which failure is OK – it's even welcomed.” This makes sense. Many times we won’t try something because of the fear of failure, we don’t want to look like a fool. Koster also verifies that, “People need to feel free to try things and to learn without being judged or penalised." With games we know we can try again and again and again without being judged. How many times have you not done something because you didn’t want to look like a fool? We’ve all hidden that side of ourselves.

Games are also rewarding. They appeal to our brain and produce similar endorphin rushes that success in real life cause. They are motivating. Ben Weedon feels that, “In a game, you're essentially pressing the same buttons and doing the same things over and over again, so you need those elements of the unexpected to stay compelled." He is relating this to the theory of the boss who buys his staff an iPod for meeting a certain goal. Motivating right?

Can we use games to our advantage in the classroom? Absolutely! "Games allow us to create these little systems where learning is controlled and taken advantage of really brilliantly," says Margaret Robertson. We just need to learn to apply the games in a meaningful and educational way. For me, this comes down to time. I am not afraid to try new things in my room, but I need to have the time to research how to apply this game or that game to my English Language Arts classroom. Games can be a powerful tool if applied correctly.

The Seduction Secrets of Video Game Designers