Death anxiety as a gaming motivation: An exploratory study

Chew, P. K. H.;Ayu, I. N.

Abstract

The gaming motivations literature is limited by a lack of consideration of the role of the unconscious on gaming behavior. Using terror management theory as a theoretical framework, the current study examined the effects of mortality salience on gaming activity. Participants were a convenience sample of 133 (59.4% females) gamers. A 2 (MS: mortality salience vs. dental pain) × 2 (Delay: delay vs. no delay) × 2 (Sex: males vs. females) between-subjects design was used with duration of gameplay and number of revivals as the dependent variables. The results showed that in the delay condition, participants in the mortality salience condition had a higher duration of gameplay than their counterparts in the dental pain condition. Also, in the mortality salience condition, male participants had a higher duration of gameplay than female participants. However, there were no significant effects of mortality salience on number of revivals. Limitations include the lack of sophistication of the game used in the current study. Implications include the importance of unconscious gaming motivations in providing a comprehensive understanding of gaming behavior and considering the role of death anxiety in the treat for internet gaming disorder (IGD).

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The Humanistic Psychologist

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1547-3333

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Publisher

American Psychological Association

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DOI

10.1037/hum0000305