Who's Gotta Catch 'Em All?: Individual differences in Pokèmon Go gameplay behaviors

Pokémon Go (PG), an augmented reality game integrating virtual and physical environments, presents a unique opportunity for examining individual characteristics that influence behavior in the digital context. Participants were 101 PG players from a university subject pool. They completed questionnaires on their personality, social competence, and social anxiety. PG gameplay behaviors were then observed in a 20-minute gameplay session. After statistical control of gender and baseline level in-game, participants with greater social competence, agreeableness and extraversion as well as lower social anxiety were observed to catch more Pokémon and gain more experience points during gameplay. Participants with greater social competence and conscientiousness were observed to visit more Pokéstops and cover greater physical distances. Personality and adjustment factors may influence behaviors in video games, much in the same way they do in face-to-face contexts.