Story Immersion of Videogames for Youth Health Promotion: A Review of Literature

Abstract

This article reviews research in the fields of psychology, literature, communication, human–computer interaction, public health, and consumer behavior on narrative and its potential relationships with videogames and story immersion. It also reviews a narrative’s role in complementing behavioral change theories and the potential of story immersion for health promotion through videogames. Videogames have potential for health promotion and may be especially promising when attempting to reach youth. An understudied characteristic of videogames is that many contain a narrative, or story. Story immersion (transportation) is a mechanism through which a narrative influences players’ cognition, affect, and, potentially, health behavior. Immersion promotes the suspension of disbelief and the reduction of counterarguments, enables the story experience as a personal experience, and creates the player’s deep affection for narrative protagonists. Story immersion complements behavioral change theories, including the Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, and Self-Determination Theory. Systematic investigations are needed to realize the powerful potential of interactive narratives within theory-driven research.

Development and validation of an instrument for evaluating the ludicity of games in health education

“…The exploratory study in the first phase is relevant to defining the possible items on the playfulness of games in health education contexts, given the lack of this kind of instruments in the literature (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . The establishment of an open questionnaire in order to define items from the answers is recommended in order to build phrases closer to the spontaneity of statements of the determined target audience, providing greater identity between the items and the statements (17)(18)(19) .…”

“…In the critical review, the item "1-Rules were reinvented during the game" and its opposite, "2-We followed the rules of the game completely," remained on the instrument, despite having reached an agreement below the adopted cutoff point. This decision is justified on the theoretical concepts that are the basis of ludic activities, in which the inventive, creative and indeterminate character of the game is widely recognized (1,7,(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(25)(26) . That is, the reinvention of the rules by the participants during a match is inherent to the ludic activity, since it is from this ambivalence between normativity and subversion that is needed for the game (12)(13)(14) .…”

“…A literature review on this subject highlights the importance of games for clinical, investigative or educational activities (1)(2)(3)(4) . International studies show different approaches for games in health (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) : a-ludic activies promoting healthy lifestyles; b-risks of suffocation and similar games; c-damage caused by video game addiction; d-the importance of games for scientific thinking; e-games in the training of health professionals; f-exergames (physical exercises motivated by computer games) for health promotion; among others. Specialized journals have multiplied, developing a corpus of its own knowledge known as Serious Games, which synthesize the understanding of entertaining characteristics into the production of edutainment (5)(6)(7)(8) .…”

“…In other words, the more the game/activity and its playfulness remain, the more we move toward the dimension of training, the center of critical education (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) . Thus, it is necessary to examine the issues occasioned by games in healthcare from a different angle, as it is still poorly discussed in scientific publications on the subject (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . Instead of investigating whether playing contributes to the purposes of education and health, it must be asked what happens to the inventive character of the game when they are set in different contexts of spontaneity, imagination and rebelliousness that characterize them.…”

“…By reversing the question, we seek to identify the exercise of creativity and autonomy for subjects of knowledge in the restlessness of the game (13)(14) . There are few instruments which evaluate the playfulness of games in educational settings, given the multitude of studies that are directed to behavioral or clinical purposes (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . In general, the methodologies used for game development are based in interaction design and computer science (15)(16) .…”