What is behaviourism?
What is behaviourism?
In psychology, behaviourism is the theory that all behaviour is learned through conditioning. This means that behaviour is a result of environmental factors, rather than internal factors such as thoughts or emotions. In relation to video game design, understanding behaviourism can help developers create games that are more effective at influencing player behaviour.
The four main principals of behaviourism are:
The operant principle - states that behaviour is shaped by the consequences of our actions.
Learning theory - which suggests that humans learn by exploring their environment and adapting their behaviour in response to what they experience.
Conditioning theory - which suggests that rewards and punishments can influence how likely an individual is to behave in a particular way.
Social learning theory - which argues that individuals learn from others, and that social networks can play an important role in shaping behaviour.
One way that behaviourism can be used in game design is through the use of positive reinforcement. This involves rewarding players for desired behaviours in order to increase the likelihood of those behaviours being repeated. For example, a player who collects all of the coins in a level might be rewarded with an extra life. This type of reinforcement can be used to encourage players to exploration and risk-taking. On the other hand, behaviourism can be used as punishment for undesired behaviours for example permadeath in a roguelike, cooldowns machanics or for being safeguards against Toxic towards other players.
Case study: 'Super Mario 64'
The original 'Super Mario' is a classic example of behaviourism in video game design. The player is rewarded for completing tasks (e.g. jumping over a gap) with points, lives or other items. This encourages the player to repeat the behaviour in order to get the reward.
'Super Mario 64' introduced a more open-ended design, with a large number of possible behaviours the player could perform (e.g. exploring the world, collecting items). The game still rewarded the player for completing tasks, but there was no one specific behaviour that was required for success. This allowed players to approach the game in different ways and encouraged them to experiment with different behaviours.
The game uses a number of behavioural principles to motivate player progression, such as positive reinforcement (ie. players receive points and visual feedback for completing tasks), and extrinsic motivation (ie. players are able to see their score increase as they progress through the game).
Players are also rewarded with points for every enemy they defeat. This encourages the player to keep playing in order to increase their score. Similarly, in many puzzle games, the player is presented with a new challenge after completing the previous one. This encourages the player to keep playing in order to progress to new levels.
Forza Horizon 5 is a racing game that rewards you for everything from drag racing, drifting, jumps and stunts as well as even crashing into trees and bushes which it calls “Landscaping“. Turning an unintended car crash from frustration into a reinforcement to keep playing.
Candy Crush too is a game that uses a number of behavioural principles to keep players hooked, such as variable reinforcement (ie. players are randomly rewarded with points, new levels, etc.), and positive reinforcement (ie. players are given visual and auditory feedback when they make a move that results in progress).
By taking into account how players learn and what motivates them, game designers can create better experiences that will keep players engaged and coming back for more.
Conclusion
Behaviourism is a school of thought in psychology that emphasizes the role of environment and reinforcement in shaping behaviour. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in applying behaviourist principles to video game design. It is important to remember that every player is different and what works for one person may not work for another. Ultimately, the best way to design a successful game is to take a variety of factors into account, including player motivation, behavioural factors, and game mechanics. Thanks for reading.