The Psychology of Video Game Design

The author most likely wrote this selection to...

• Explain how to excel at playing video games.

• Explain the process of video game development.

• Explain why video games are so popular.

• Explain challenges people face when playing video games.

The author includes the section title "Challenge" to show...

• Why video games require skill in order to be finished.

• Why video games increase in difficulty as players become more skilled.

• Why people purchase so many different types of video games.

• Why people try to quickly complete the challenges in video games.

What tone does the author create by comparing our brains to backpacks in paragraph 6?

• Humorous

• Skeptical

• Conversational

• Hopeful

The author includes the detail about micro-rewards in paragraph 13 to explain...

• How focus helps to create flow for games.

• How rewards from small tasks lead to accomplishing big goals.

• How gamers like to focus on the ultimate goal at all times.

• How the brain produces the chemical dopamine.

In paragraph 3, the author introduces the idea of "flow" in order to...

• Encourage readers to try different kinds of video games.

• Show how creators of video games work together.

• Explain why some video games are better than others.

• Describe a strategy used to be successful players of video games.

Re-read the opening paragraph of "Get in the Zone: The Psychology of Video Game design". What is the point of view of this paragraph?

• First Person

• Second Person

• Third Person

Re-read the opening paragraph of "Get in the Zone: The Psychology of Video Game design". What is the author's purpose for writing in this point of view for the opening paragraph?

• The author is trying to describe what it would be like to fight a dragon in real life.

• The author is trying to encourage the reader to try fantasy themed video games.

• The author is trying to persuade the reader that the best video games are fantasy themed.

• The author is trying to engage the reader with the topic by describing what it's like to play an intense video game.

Read the excerpt below.

That's because rewards release a chemical called dopamine in our brain, which feels good. When you get an A+ on your test, that warm feeling center is the reward center of your brain having a party. (paragraph 12)

What point of view is this paragraph written in?

• The author is using a subjective point of view which includes personal opinions.

• The author is using an objective point of view which includes personal opinions.

• The author is using a subjective point of view which includes only fact-based information.

• The author is using an objective point of view which includes only fact-based information.

What is the author's purpose for writing "Get in the Zone: The Psychology of Video Games"?

• The author is trying to entertain the reader with the variety of adventures you can go on in video games.

• The author is trying to inform the reader about the different elements required to make a video game successful.

• The author is trying to persuade the reader to stop playing video games because they can be violent.

• The author is trying to describe to the reader why video games are important to our society.

Select a sentence below that should not be included in a summary about the article.

• To keep video game player's in the zone, the game must have challenges, keep the player's focus, and provide them with rewards.

• In the article, the author describes how video games with dragons are often difficult to beat.

• One way video game players become immersed in a game is with challenges that are not too easy or too difficult.

• When a player is in a state of flow, they don't have to think about what they're doing because it becomes automatic.