Video game behavior: An investigation of the relationship between personality and mobile game play

What is it about?

This study (N = 1,995) investigated the Big Five Inventory personality types as predictors of mobile game play. Specifically, this investigation examined the traits—agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness—in explaining (among other items) frequency of play and number of hours spent playing, the purchase of mobile games, and recommending titles to others. Overall, the findings revealed that agreeableness was the most significant trait in predicting frequency and number of hours playing, while openness was the most consistent predictor of mobile gaming as a whole.

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Why is it important?

Given the potential benefits of video games, the need to explain why and how people are immersed in this game play has become an important topic. Specifically, factors that influence, predict, and help clarify video game play. In recent years, mobile games have seen tremendous growth, with games such as Angry Birds reaching pop culture status. Motivating researchers to examine how mobile games can be used to support intellectual activities, social skills, and learning. While video games are often viewed as a situational activity, it has been suggested that video game play is also impacted by consistent constructs, such as personality. With relationships possible between personality types and the willingness to embrace technology and mobile devices, to include certain mobile apps. That is, decisions about mobile games could be based on personality. Few studies, however, have focused on personality and video games, let alone games played on mobile devices.

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