Impasse-driven learning in the context of video games

This study was designed to elucidate the problem-solving skills used by frequent and infrequent video game players to negotiate impasses encountered while playing a novel video game. All participants were instructed to think aloud while playing a video game for 20 consecutive minutes. Comments made were then used to make inferences about the problem-solving skills that participants used to resolve impasses encountered during the game. Findings showed that frequent players made significantly greater reference to insight and game strategies than infrequent players. After reaching an impasse, all players also were most likely to comment on their game progress and potential game strategies to use. Over the course of game play, all participants showed increasing emphasis on their problem-solving skills as evidenced through their greater mention of insight, game strategies, and goal comments.