A Parallel Universe: Psychological Science in the Language of Game Design

This chapter uses the evolving language of game design to demonstrate how psychological science provides a foundation for game-based learning. Section 1. Provides a brief review of the history of games in the psychological literature. Section 2. Describes how the scientific principles of behaviorism connect to the language of games and Section 3. Performs the same task with regard to cognitive psychology. Section 4. Warns the game community about psychological hazards that can create trouble for individuals and organizations trying to realize the promise of gamification. Section 5. Summarizes a research agenda for psychology.