ERIC Number: EJ892022
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Aug
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1046-8781
EISSN: N/A
Serious Video Games for Health: How Behavioral Science Guided the Development of a Serious Video Game
Thompson, Debbe; Baranowski, Tom; Buday, Richard; Baranowski, Janice; Thompson, Victoria; Jago, Russell; Griffith, Melissa Juliano
Simulation & Gaming, v41 n4 p587-606 Aug 2010
Serious video games for health are designed to entertain players while attempting to modify some aspect of their health behavior. Behavior is a complex process influenced by multiple factors, often making it difficult to change. Behavioral science provides insight into factors that influence specific actions that can be used to guide key game design decisions. This article reports how behavioral science guided the design of a serious video game to prevent Type 2 diabetes and obesity among youth, two health problems increasing in prevalence. It demonstrates how video game designers and behavioral scientists can combine their unique talents to create a highly focused serious video game that entertains while promoting behavior change. (Contains 10 figures and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Obesity, Health Behavior, Behavior Modification, Behavior Change, Behavioral Sciences, Feedback (Response), Video Games, Simulation, Educational Technology, Computer Uses in Education, Instructional Design, Computer Software, Educational Games, Behavior Theories, Psychoeducational Methods, Health Education, Health Promotion, Diabetes, Recreational Activities, Middle School Students, Student Attitudes, Focus Groups, Program Development
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A