What’s Your Style? Preliminary Validation of the Gaming Styles Questionnaire

ABSTRACT

Within-group differences amongst gamers must be considered when studying the psychological correlates of gameplay. A conceptual framework, whereby gaming may be treated as a means to other ends—such as coping with boredom or bonding with friends—or as an end in itself, was the basis upon which the Gaming Styles Questionnaire was developed. Factor analysis and criterion-group validity, based on data obtained from a heterogeneous sample of gamers, offered support to a continuum of gamers, ranging from those for whom gaming is a means to other ends to those for whom gaming is an end in itself. Although age did not correlate with gaming style, men’s endorsement of gaming as an end in itself was stronger than women’s.

KEYWORDS:

• Creativity in counseling
• gamer preferences
• gaming style
• means vs. end
• types of gamers
• video games

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hemali Maher

Hemali Maher and Christine N. Winston are in the Department of Psychology at Women’s Christian College in Chennai, India.

Miriam Archana Simon

Miriam Archana Simon is now at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science of Oman Medical College, Sohar, Sultanate of Oman.