There has been a debate about whether entertainment videogames should incorporate story or narrative. A concern has been whether story cut scenes break game immersion, and thereby minimize the fun of gameplay. Alternatively, games for health (G4H) have an agenda that goes beyond just having fun. The possible role of story in G4H has not been thoroughly addressed. We have assembled a group of experts who have worked with stories in G4H, and asked some pointed questions.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CosmidesL, ToobyJ. Evolutionary psychology and the emotions. LewisM, Haviland-JonesJM. Handbook of Emotions, 2nd. New York: The Guilford Press, 2000; 91–115.
2.
PinkerS. How the Mind Works. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997.
3.
LaurillardD. Multimedia and the learner's experience of narrative. Comput Educ, 1998; 31:229–242.
4.
PlowmanL. An ethnographic approach to analysing navigation and task structure in interactive multimedia: Some design issues for group use. MonkA, DiaperD, HarrisonMD. 7th Conference of the British Computer Society Human Computer Interaction Specialist Group—People and Computers VII. York, United Kingdom: British Computer Society, 1992; 271–287.
5.
MandlerJM, DeForestM. Is there more than one way to recall a story?Child Dev, 1979; 50:886–889.
6.
McLellanH. Hypertextual tales: Story models for hypertext design. J Educ Multimedia Hypermedia, 1993; 2:239–260.
7.
ForresterMA. Can narratology facilitate successful communication in hypermedia environments?Intell Tutoring Media, 1996; 7:11–20.
8.
SlaterMD. Entertainment education and the persuasive impact of narratives. GreenMC, StrangeJJ, BrockTC. Narrative Impact: Social and Cognitive Foundations. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002; 157–182.
9.
PillayH. An investigation of cognitive processes engaged in by recreational computer game players: Implications for skills of the future. J Res Technol Educ, 2002; 34:336–350.
10.
LonialSC, Van AukenS. Wishful identification with fictional characters: An assessment of the implications of gender message dissemination to children. J Advertising, 1986; 15:4–42.
11.
HoffnerC. Children's wishful identification and parasocial interaction with favorite television characters. J Broadcast Electron, 1996; 40:389–402.
12.
HefnerD, KlimmtC, VordererP. Identification with the player character as determinant of video game enjoyment. ICEC 6th International Conference. Berlin: Springer, 2007; 39–48.
13.
BielenbergDR, Carpenter-SmithT. Efficacy of story in multimedia training. J Netw Comput Appl, 1997; 20:151–1519.
14.
BioccaF. The evolution of interactive media: Toward ‘being there’ in nonlinear narrative worlds. GreenMC, StrangeJJ, BrockTC. Narrative Impact: Social and Cognitive Foundations. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002; 97–130.
15.
DeciEL, RyanRM. The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychol Inq, 2000; 11:227–268.
16.
RyanRM, DeciEL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol, 2000; 55:68–78.
17.
TeixeiraPJ, CarracaEV, MarklandDet al.Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: A systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 2012; 9:78.
18.
SchneiderEF, LangAG, ShinMet al.Death with a story: How story impacts emotional, motivational, and physiological responses to first-person shooter video games. Hum Commun Res, 2004; 30:361–375.
19.
DeciEL, RyanRM. Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. New York: Plenum Press, 1985.
20.
WilsonPM, RodgersWM, LoitzCCet al.“It's who I am…really!” The importance of integrated regulation in exercise contexts. J Appl Biobehav Res, 2006; 11:79–104.
21.
KaufmanGF, LibbyLK. Changing beliefs and behavior through experience-taking. J Pers Soc Psychol, 2012; 103:1–19.
22.
VlachopoulosSP, KaperoniM, MoustakaFC. The relationship of self-determination theory variables to exercise identity. Psychol Sport Exerc, 2011; 12:265–272.
23.
de BruijnGJ, van den PutteB. Exercise promotion: An integration of exercise self-identity, beliefs, intention, and behaviour. Eur J Sport Sci, 2012; 12:354–366.
24.
PrzybylskiAK, WeinsteinN, MurayamaKet al.The ideal self at play: The appeal of video games that let you be all you can be. Psychol Sci, 2012; 23:69–76.
25.
KlimmtC, HefnerD, VordererPet al.Identification with video game characters as automatic shift of self-perceptions. Media Psychol, 2010; 13:323–338.
26.
KlimmtC, HefnerD, VordererP. The video game experience as ‘‘true’’ identification: A theory of enjoyable alterations of players' self-perception. Commun Theory, 2009; 19:351–373.
27.
SestirM, GreenMC. You are who you watch: Identification and transportation effects on temporary self-concept. Soc Influence, 2010; 5:272–288.
28.
MurruEC, Martin GinisKA. Imagining the possibilities: The effects of a possible selves intervention on self-regulatory efficacy and exercise behavior. J Sport Exerc Psychol, 2010; 32:537–554.
29.
PengW. The mediational role of identification in the relationship between experience mode and self-efficacy: Enactive role-playing versus passive observation. Cyberpsychol Behav, 2008; 11:649–652.
30.
de GraafA, HoekenH, SandersJet al.Identification as a mechanism of narrative persuasion. Commun Res, 2012; 39:802–823.
31.
MurphyST, FrankLB, ChatterjeeJSet al.Narrative versus nonnarrative: The role of identification, transportation, and emotion in reducing health disparities. J Commun, 2013; 63:116–137.
32.
BollingerS, KreuterMW. Real-time moment-to-moment emotional responses to narrative and informational breast cancer videos in African American women. Health Educ Res, 2012; 27:537–543.
33.
Moyer-GuséE, NabiRL. Explaining the effects of narrative in an entertainment television program: Overcoming resistance to persuasion. Hum Commun Res, 2010; 36:26–52.
34.
McQueenA, KreuterMW, KalesanBet al.Understanding narrative effects: The impact of breast cancer survivor stories on message processing, attitudes, and beliefs among African American women. Health Psychol, 2011; 30:674–682.
35.
IgartuaJJ. Identification with characters and narrative persuasion through fictional feature films. Communications, 2010; 35:347–373.
36.
GabrielS, YoungAF. Becoming a vampire without being bitten: The narrative collective-assimilation hypothesis. Psychol Sci, 2011; 22:990–994.
37.
SchiappaE, GreggPB, HewesDE. Can one TV show make a difference? Will & Grace and the parasocial contact hypothesis. J Homosex, 2006; 51:15–37.
38.
RussonielloCV. The effectiveness of prescribed recreation in reducing biochemical stress and improving mood in alcoholic patients. Am J Recreation Ther, 2008; 7:23–33.
RussonielloCV, O'BrienK, ParksJM. The effectiveness of casual video games in improving mood and decreasing stress. J Cyberther Rehabil, 2009; 2:53–66.
45.
RussonielloCV, O'BrienK, ParksJM. EEG, HRV and psychological correlates while playing Bejeweled II: A randomized controlled study. Stud Health Technol Inform, 2009; 144:189–192.
46.
KlimmtC, RizzoA, VordererPet al.Experimental evidence for suspense as determinant of video game enjoyment. Cyberpsychol Behav, 2009; 12:29–31.
47.
RussonielloCV, ZhirnovYN, PougatchevVIet al.Heart rate variability and biological age: Implications for health and gaming. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw, 2013; 16:302–308.
48.
RussonielloCV, PougatchevV, ZirnovEet al.A measurement of electrocardiography and photoplethesmography in obese children. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 2010; 35:257–259.
