In the context of scientific study, video game
research is a new subject of interest. And, like all new scientific inquiry,
researchers must determine a valid and reliable way of producing new knowledge
within the relevant subject. Many early video game studies vary on relevant
operational definitions and methodology, which has produced results that are
inconsistent. The creation of the Gamer Response and Decision (GRAD) Framework
is a response to the lack of consistent ways to study within the realm of video
games.
GRAD
Framework and Purpose
According to Gillern (2016), the purpose of the GRAD
framework is to understand the decision-making processes and interactive
experiences that individual gamers have. The successful use of the GRAD
framework in future research studies provides researchers with a tool that may
create a higher level of consistency and validity.
GRAD
Theoretical Foundations
Reader
Response Theory
Rosenblatt’s reader response theory posits that each
individual has a unique interaction with written text. This is because every
person draws from a specific set of experiences, beliefs, values, and
engagement that is their own. Gillern (2016) believes that this theory can be
translated to the world of video games as well as reading, meaning that gamers
have diverse experiences with game content.
Theory
of Affordances
Gibson created the theory of affordances to explain
the act of an individual seeking out things within their environment that may
be used for a certain purpose (which are called affordances), as well as the
decisions they make based on the observed affordances and their main goals and
abilities. Gillern (2016) uses the foundation of this theory to describe the
way gamers analyze the video game environment in an effort to determine the
best course of action to take to complete their goals.
GRAD
Framework
Decisions
A player’s decisions during gameplay are affected by
an individual’s “experiences, knowledge, skills, agency, self-efficacy, and
goals” (Gillern, 2016, p. 670). These aspects, and a person’s in-game
decisions, create a unique interactive experience, as well as the specific
meaning a gamer takes away from the game.
Gamer
Profile
The profile of a video game player is constructed
using their diverse “experiences, knowledge, skills, goals, agency, and
self-efficacy” (Gillern, 2016, p. 672). Because each gamer differs regarding
these elements, this affects the disadvantages and affordances they experience
when playing a game.
Game
Features and Design
Video game developers spend a large amount of time
trying to create a specific interactive experience for their audience. Game
features and design include “game rules, system, and mechanics; story and
dramatic elements; opportunities for personalization; and opportunities for
socialization” (Gillern, 2016, p. 674). Therefore, a game’s design and features
determine they ways in which players can interact with the games format.
Environmental
Context
Each individual is affected by the environment that
surrounds them, and that environment also affects the way they play a video
game. Environmental context may include elements such as social beliefs,
political ideas, cultural norms, etc., which differ for video game players
around the world.
Research
using GRAD Framework
Because the GRAD framework is a new theoretical
concept, there haven’t been many studies that use it to analyze those within
the gaming community. However, Manero, Torrente, Freire, and Fernandez-Manjon
(2016) took the opportunity to use this new framework to conduct a study that
strived to cluster video game players according to their personal game
preferences and habits. Researchers also sought to validate the use of the GRAD
framework within the arena of scientific study.
Study
Description
Manero et. al used the framework to assign gamers to
one of four categories:
- Well-rounded gamers (those who play a diverse number of games at a high frequency)
- Hardcore gamers (those who mostly play first-person shooters and sports games)
- Casual gamers (those who play social, musical, and thinking games in a moderate manner)
- Non-gamers (those that do not usually play games of any kind)
The study included a sample of 754 high school
students from eight different schools located in Spain. They were assessed
using a 7-point Likert scale questionnaire that was designed to measure both
gaming preferences and gaming frequency.
Study
Results
Results of the study showed that participants were
successfully clustered into the four categories described above. The
differentiation between four clusters provided more successful results than the
differentiation between three or five clusters. Well-rounded gamers accounted
for 172 participants, while there were 226 hardcore gamers, 199 casual gamers,
and 157 non-gamers. Gender distribution showed that female participants made up
the majority of the casual and non-gamer population and male participants made
up the majority of hardcore and well-rounded gamers.
Implications
Previous research studies suggest that an individual’s
video game preferences are influenced by personality traits. Therefore, future
research using the GRAD framework may provide insight into why gamers prefer
specific games and why they play as often as they do. This may further
psychological and medical research regarding video game addiction, and may
further affect the way game developers create gaming concepts and market them
to the public.
