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Updated: May 13, 2026
13:40
Combining Computer Game-Based Behavioural Experiments With High-Density EEG and Infrared Gaze Tracking
Published on: December 16, 2010
Child development and genre preference: research for educational game design.
John L Sherry1, Kristen Lucas, Bradley S Greenberg
1Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48840, USA. jsherry@msu.edu
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|March 21, 2013
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Educational technology
- Developmental psychology
- Media studies
Background:
- Growing interest in using video games for learning.
- Limited research on how formal game features (genre, mechanics) impact children's attention.
- Need to understand children's game preferences for educational applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify children's preferred video game genres.
- To explore the reasons behind these genre preferences.
- To link preferences to age and developmental context.
Main Methods:
- A video game uses and gratifications survey.
- Survey administered to 685 children of various ages.
- Analysis of game use patterns and genre preferences.
Main Results:
- Distinct patterns of video game use and genre preference observed.
- Preferences are tied to children's developmental ecology at different ages.
- Genre preference significantly varies by age and developmental context.
Conclusions:
- Children's video game genre preferences are age-dependent.
- Understanding these preferences is crucial for designing effective educational games.
- Findings inform future research in educational gaming and game design.
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