Processing priority for avatar reference in online games: Evidence from behavioral and ERPs studies

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2021.00639

Abstract

Abstract:

The R/K paradigm and the ERPs were used to investigate the processing advantage of avatar reference in online games. In Experiment 1, R/K paradigm was used to compare the memory performance of 40 players under different reference conditions. The results showed that the total recognition accuracy, R response recognition accuracy and discrimination of avatar reference were significantly better than those of other references. In Experiment 2, ERPs was used to investigate 20 players’ neural mechanism of avatar reference. The results showed that processing avatar names induced larger P2 (160~260 ms) and P3 (370~600 ms) amplitudes than familiar names, and shorter P3 latency than foreign familiar names. The results showed that players not only noticed avatar-related information more quickly than other information, but also processed avatar-related information more precisely and deeply. To sum up, whether it is memory results or processing time process, there are online game avatar reference processing advantage.

Key words: online games, avatar reference, processing priority, ERPs.

CAO Min, XIE Heping, SUN Lijun, ZHANG Dongjing, KONG Fanchang, ZHOU Zongkui. (2021). Processing priority for avatar reference in online games: Evidence from behavioral and ERPs studies. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 53(6), 639-650.

Figures/Tables 4

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Reference condition	Total recognition accuracy		Accuracy of R reaction judgment		Accuracy of K reaction judgment		Discrimination d’
Reference condition	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
Avatar-reference	0.56	0.03	0.40	0.19	0.15	0.13	0.83	0.54
Self-reference	0.65	0.03	0.46	0.19	0.19	0.12	1.17	0.84
Other-reference	0.49	0.02	0.33	0.16	0.16	0.13	0.65	0.41

Reference condition	Total recognition accuracy		Accuracy of R reaction judgment		Accuracy of K reaction judgment		Discrimination d’
Reference condition	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
Avatar-reference	0.56	0.03	0.40	0.19	0.15	0.13	0.83	0.54
Self-reference	0.65	0.03	0.46	0.19	0.19	0.12	1.17	0.84
Other-reference	0.49	0.02	0.33	0.16	0.16	0.13	0.65	0.41

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