Table Of ContentInternational Series on Computer Entertainment
and Media Technology
Barbaros Bostan E ditor
Gamer
Psychology
and Behavior
International Series on Computer
Entertainment and Media Technology
Series Editor
Newton Lee
The International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology presents
forward-looking ideas, cutting-edge research, and in-depth case studies across a wide
spectrum of entertainment and media technology. The series covers a range of content
from professional to academic.Entertainment Technology includes computer games,
electronic toys, scenery fabrication, theatrical property, costume, lighting, sound,
video, music, show control, animation, animatronics, interactive environments,
computer simulation, visual effects, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Media
Technology includes art media, print media, digital media, electronic media, big data,
asset management, signal processing, data recording, data storage, data transmission,
media psychology, wearable devices, robotics, and physical computing.
More information about this series at h ttp://www.springer.com/series/13820
Barbaros Bostan
Editor
Gamer Psychology
and Behavior
Editor
Barbaros Bostan
Department of Information Systems & Technologies
Yeditepe University
Istanbul , Turkey
ISSN 2364-947X ISSN 2364-9488 (electronic)
International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology
ISBN 978-3-319-29903-7 ISBN 978-3-319-29904-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-29904-4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016938528
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
T his work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information
storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
T he use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
T he publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors
or omissions that may have been made.
Printed on acid-free paper
This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature
The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland
Contents
Part I Neuro-psychology and Gaming
1 Violent Video Games and Cognitive Processes:
A Neuropsychological Approach ............................................................. 3
Metehan Irak , Can Soylu , and Dicle Capan
2 Why Games Are Fun? The Reward System in the Human Brain ........ 21
Mustafa Balkaya and Guven Catak
Part II Player Behavior and Gameplay
3 Pleasure in Pain: How Accumulation in Gaming Systems
Can Lead to Grief ..................................................................................... 41
Selcen Ozturkcan and Sercan Sengun
4 Goal-Directed Player Behavior in Computer Games ............................ 57
Barbaros Bostan and Sercan Altun
5 Designing and Playing to Protest: Looking Back to Gezi Games ......... 73
Tonguc Ibrahim Sezen and Digdem Sezen
6 Psychological Player Profiling with Action Patterns ............................. 89
Barbaros Bostan and Gokhan Sahin
Part III Player Psychology and Motivations
7 Game Design and Gamer Psychology ..................................................... 105
Barbaros Bostan and Ozhan Tingoy
8 Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games ......................................... 123
Ahmet Uysal and Irem Gokce Yildirim
9 Explorations in Player Motivations: Gamer Profiles............................. 137
Barbaros Bostan and Guven Catak
v
About the Editor
Barbaros Bostan i s an Associate Professor in the
Information Systems Department at Yeditepe
University/Turkey. He has a Ph.D. in Information
Systems (2007) from Marmara University, an M.B.A.
(2003) from Yeditepe University, and a B.S. in
Electronics and Communication Engineering (2001)
from Istanbul Technical University. He worked as a
post-doc researcher at I DM Institute , G ames Lab of
the National University of Singapore, between 2008
and 2010. His research areas include computer games,
presence, interactivity, gamer psychology, gaming
motivations, and player profi ling. Bostan has teaching
experience in the areas of computer games, computer
networks, and interactive narrative. He is a member of the ACM, Computers in
Entertainment Editorial Board. He reviews journal articles and book chapters for
various journals and publishers, local and international (J ournal of Computer-
Mediated Communication , Versita Open Access Books , etc.).
vii
About the Contributors
Sercan Altun h as a B.S. in Industrial Engineering
from Bilkent University. He is a game developer expe-
rienced in a wide variety of gaming projects. He started
his career at a virtual world start-up as a game pro-
grammer. Later he cofounded a digital agency where
he developed a variety of advergames, kinect-powered
event games, social games, and mobile apps. He is cur-
rently studying M.A. in Game Design at Bahçeşehir
University.
Mustafa B alkaya graduated from Istanbul University,
Cerrahpasa Medical School. During his education, he
worked as an editor at the Turkish version of the world-
renowned gaming magazine “PC Gamer.” He later
moved to Berlin where he got his master’s and Ph.D.
degree on medical neurosciences in C harite Medical
School . For postdoctoral studies, he spent two and a
half years in H arvard Medical School , Massachusetts
General Hospital. His research interests include stroke
and poststroke emotional disturbances, depression,
anxiety, and stress.
Güven Çatak started to write in video games maga-
zines and also made short fi lms while studying archi-
tecture at Istanbul Technical University. His shorts
won several awards and were screened at various festi-
vals. Now he is an Assistant Professor of Game Design
at Bahçeşehir University, Communication Design
Department. He is giving classes on motion and game
design. He is also the founder director of Bahçeşehir
University Game Lab (BUG) and Game Design Master
ix
