Integral Eye Coaching

Integral Research

		Press Play to Grow! How Could Video Games be Designed to Facilitate Personal and Spiritual Growth? A Mixed Methods and Integral Study

Fifth Methodology:
Empirical Analysis Method and Research Data

Survey results

By the end of my one month distribution deadline, I got a total of 160 responses online, including the only 3 responses by paper which I manually inserted. From the 160 online participants, only 142 completed the full survey (88.8%) for reasons that I still don’t know. In the first days I marked some options as mandatory but had to change them later to “not required”, due to having some feedback about confusion and problems. It is possible that some of those incomplete surveys are resultant of that.

By reviewing this Empirical data and applying a more organic and general analysis, I found five main themes: (a) Profile participants; (b) Video games for growth; (c) Comparison participants; (d) Video Games: Present; (e) Video Games: Future; and (f) Comments and suggestions. Some comments and examples of these themes are described in the data below.

From the 160 online responses, 56 responses (36%) were from the first group (1) Personal and spiritual development. In addition, 58 (37%), came from the group (2) Video games and video game design, which was a big surprise for me in terms how it almost matched with the group (1). Finally, 44 (27%) came from participants from group (3), who identified themselves with both groups (1) and (2). That was somewhat expected due to the fact that the majority of people from group (2) were related to serious games discussion groups. Note: 3 people did not answer this question (See Chart #1).

In relation to the sources of distribution, 62 responses came from direct emails - mostly from mostly group (1); 66 from various discussion groups and websites – mostly group (2); 3 from “offline” paper survey GDC 2008; 11 from email referrals. Note: 18 people did not answer this question (See Chart #2).


Chart # 1 Number of participants & % (per group)	Chart # 2 Sources of distribution & number of responses

See below the list of survey questions and its main results.

Click here to see the analysis of the survey results.

Click here to see the open ended responses.


Mixed Methods and Integral Research - Empiric Survey

Inquiry into the potential use of video games for purposes beyond entertainment, especially related to personal and spiritual (or religious) growth

Introduction Name: (97%) Gender: (M: 79) (F: 58) (98.7%) Age: 18 to 69 years (98.7%) Profession(s): Various (98%) Legend General = All groups - G (1), (2) or (3) = Type of Groups % = % Responses - # = # Responses - Bold: higher scores

Group (1): people related to the subject of personal and spiritual growth

Group (2): people related to the subject of video games and video game design

Group (3): people related to the subjects of groups (1) and (2)

Never

Very rare

Some
times

Very often

Always

1. I have played video games…
GENERAL: very often (29.5%)
G (1): (54.9%) very rarely
G (2): (43.9%) very often
G (3): (45.9%) very often

If yes, how many days approx. have you
played in the past 12 months?

And/or in your whole life? (excluding last year)

( 36 )1-7 ( 19 )8-30 ( 23 )31-90 ( 32 )91-270
( 23 )271-365
GENERAL: 1-7 (27.1%)
G (1): (73%) 1-7
G (2): (31.6%) 91-270
G (3): (30.8%) 91-270

( 12 )1-7 ( 14 )8-30 ( 17 )31-90 ( 17 )91-270
( 8 )271-365 ( 74 )365+
GENERAL: 365+ (52.1%)
G (1): (26.1%) 365+
G (2): (67.9%) 365+
G (3): (61.5%) 365+

2. I experienced some growth while playing a video game.
GENERAL: sometimes (54.3%)
G (1): (52.9%) sometimes
G (2): (52.6%) sometimes
G (3): (56.4%) sometimes

If yes, which kind(s) of growth?
GENERAL: reflexes (72.1%)
G (1): (78.6%) reflexes
G (2): (79.6%) intellectual
G (3): (84.6%) intellectual

(91) Intellectual

(45)
Emotional

(96)
Coordination

(98)
Reflexes

(38)
Other
(see survey analysis)

Strongly
disagree

Tend
disagree

Maybe

Tend agree

Strongly
agree

3. Besides entertainment, some existent video games can be used (indirectly or directly) to improve other areas or fields.
GENERAL: tend to agree (37.2%)
G (1): (47.1%) maybe
G (2): (48.2%) strongly agree
G (3): (57.5%) strongly agree

If yes, which area(s) or field(s) can these existent video games improve? (mark more than one option if needed)
GENERAL: teaching (79%)
G (1): (73.9%) teaching
G (2): (88.5%) training
G (3): (82.1%) teaching

(109)

(45)

(107)

(40)

(70)

(63)

(66)

(64)

(50)

(44)

(25)

Teaching

Mentoring

Training

Life Coaching

Fitness

Health

Relationships

Professional

Self-Help

Spiritual

Religious

Strongly
disagree

Tend
disagree

Maybe

Tend agree

Strongly
agree

4. In the future, some video games are going to be purposefully designed to improve other areas or fields, moving beyond entertainment purposes.
GENERAL: strongly agree (58.8%)
G (1): (58.8%) tend to agree
G (2): (69.6%) strongly agree
G (3): (77.5%) strongly agree

If yes, when do you think this could happen?
GENERAL: is is already happening (70.7%)
G (1): (46%) # year(s)
G (2): (89.3%) it is already happening
G (3): (80%) it is already happening

( 104 ) it is already happening

(10) varied spectrum of month(s)

(33) varied spectrum of year(s)

(4 )
I can’t see it

Which area(s) or field(s) could those future video games improve? (mark more than one option if needed)
GENERAL: teaching (84.3%)
G (1): Match (86.8%) teaching (86.8%) training
G (2): (86.8%) training
G (3): (94.7%) relationships

(118)

(84)

(114)

(80)

(91)

(95)

(98)

(103)

(93)

(85)

(58)

Teaching

Mentoring

Training

Life Coaching

Fitness

Health

Relationships

Professional

Self-Help

Spiritual

Religious

Strongly
disagree

Tend
disagree

Maybe

Tend agree

Strongly
agree

5. From all the communication media existent today, video games have one of the greatest potentials to enhance the learning and absorption of various kinds of information, meanings and messages, both in intellectual and emotional ways.
GENERAL: strongly agree (37.4%)
G (1): (46%) tend to agree
G (2): (46.4%) strongly agree
G (3): (60%) strongly agree

Strongly
disagree

Tend
disagree

Maybe

Tend agree

Strongly
agree

6. From all the communication media existent today, video games have one of the greatest potentials to enhance the experiential (embodied) learning and absorption of various kinds of practical actions, skills and behaviors.
GENERAL: strongly agree (39.2%)
G (1): (37.3%) tend to agree
G (2): (50%) strongly agree
G (3): (55%) strongly agree

									Strongly disagree			Tend disagree			Maybe		Tend agree		Strongly agree
7. *Some existent* video games could be alternatively used to facilitate a gradual:**
a) *Personal growth* in individuals coming from different level of maturity and development. GENERAL: maybe (41.6%) G (1): (54.2%) maybe G (2): (42.3%) tend to agree G (3): (36.1%) tend to agree									4			13			57		49		14
If yes, which game(s)? 87 various answers (See open ended responses)

b) Spiritual (or religious) growth in individuals coming from different levels of maturity and development. *GENERAL: maybe (37%)* G (1): (47.9%) maybe G (2): (39.6%) tend to disagree G (3): (36.1%) tend to agree									12			41			51		26		8

If yes, which game(s)? 54 various answers (see open ended responses)
8. *In the future, some video games are going to be* purposefully designed to facilitate a gradual:
a) Personal growth in individuals coming from different levels of maturity and development. *GENERAL: TEND TO AGREE (44.2%)* G (1): (45.8%) tend to agree G (2): (47.2%) tend to agree G (3): (52.8%) strongly agree									1			5			26		61		45
If yes, when do you think this could happen? GENERAL: it is already happening (46.8%) G (1): (54.8%) # year(s) G (2): (61.7%) it is already happening G (3): (52.9%) it is already happening					( 58 ) it is already happening			(12) varied spectrum of month(s)					(52) varied spectrum of year(s)			(5) I can’t see it

What area(s) would still need to be improved to make this happen? (mark more than one option if needed) GENERAL: designer’s intentions (73.9%) G (1): (82.3%) designer’s intentions G (2): (69.8%) deeper storytelling G (3): (77.1%) designers intentions
(15)	(13)	(58)	(75)	(74)		(83)	(99)			(66)				(93)				(75)
Hardware power	Visual graphics	More body interactivity	Emotions Characters	Market’s Demand		Studios’ Intentions	Designers Intentions			Different themes				Deeper Storytelling				Higher morals and values
b) Spiritual (or religious) growth in individuals coming from different levels of maturity and development. *GENERAL: tend to agree (33.8%)* G (1): (42.6%) tend to agree G (2): (35.8%) maybe G (3): Match (34.3%) tend to agree – (34.3%) strongly agree									6			17			41		46		26
If yes, when do you think this could happen? GENERAL: # year(s) (50%) G (1): (61%) # year(s) G (2): (53.7%) # year(s) G (3): (48.5%) it is already happening					( 37 ) it is already happening			(10) varied spectrum of month(s)					(58) varied spectrum of year(s)			(11) I can’t see it

What area(s) would still need to be improved to make this happen? (mark more than one option if needed) *GENERAL: designer’s intentions (73.9%)* G (1): (85.7%) designer’s intentions G (2): (69.4%) designer’s intentions G (3): (78.8%) designer’s intentions
(13)	(12)	(43)	(64)	(71)		(88)		(97)			(74)			(85)				(78)
Hardware power	Visual graphics	More body interactivity	Emotions Characters	Market’s demand		Studios’ Intentions		Designers Intentions			Different themes			Deeper Storytelling				Higher morals and values

	Never	Very rare	Some times	Very often	Always
9. How often would you play a video game(s) purposefully designed to facilitate personal growth? *GENERAL: sometimes (43.4%)* G (1): (50%) sometimes G (2): (49.1%) sometimes G (3): (61.8%) very often	9	17	59	48	3

10. How often would you play a video game(s) purposefully designed to facilitate *spiritual (or religious) growth? GENERAL: sometimes (35.8%)* G (1): (39.6%) sometimes G (2): (34%) sometimes G (3): (37.1%) very often	20	33	49	31	4