Steven Malliet

University of Antwerp | UA · Department of Communication Studies

Characterization refers to the process of attributing character traits to narrative entities called 'characters'. While there is a long tradition of characterization theory in literary studies, the topic has not been examined extensively in game research. Based on insights from literary, film, and game studies, this article creates a theoretical mo...

Over the past decade, videogames have become increasingly gambling-like in their design. Scientific and regulatory attempts to unravel such design seem particularly oriented towards the effects and regulatory treatment of paid-for loot boxes, favoring either measurability or complexity. Departing from gamble-play theory, this paper, therefore, atte...

La présente communication rend compte d’un processus de recherche-design en didactique du jeu vidéo. Il s’agit de transformer DiGAP, un protocole d’analyse de jeu vidéo, en DidactiGAP, outil curriculaire et didactique d’analyse de jeu vidéo. Depuis Waern (2011), l’analyse de jeu vidéo est en effet considérée comme “signature pedagogy” des science...

This study investigates players’ perceived realism of historical video games. Perceived realism is understood as a multidimensional concept, going beyond the more traditional use of ‘realism’ in historical game studies, where it often refers to the plausibility or accuracy of historical reconstructions. The study further examines how perceived real...

As video games have evolved, video game characters have evolved as well. This extended abstract explores the way in which characterization theory might be beneficial for studying the history and evolution of video game characters (a field of study that is still in its infancy) by offering distinct categories through which a video game character can...

Analyzing digital games can inform scholars on a broad range of topics, however, no apparent consensus regarding how to report methodological choices and the specifics of playing sessions in a transparent way seems to exist. Hence, the purpose of this presentation is twofold. First, we will provide an overview of existing methodological work regard...

Research on historical video games has often used the term ‘realism’ to refer to the plausibility or accuracy of a game’s reconstruction of history, but previous research on games has understood realism as a multidimensional concept and connected it to players’ perception and experience during gameplay. The present study investigates players’ perce...

The analysis of digital games is a widely used method in the field of game studies and an important instrument to study games and game-related topics. However, existing methodological work showcases a divergency of perspectives on game analyses, hindering the development of clear guidelines on how to actually conduct them. This lack of methodologic...

Emerging research has suggested that digital games can generate entertainment experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment towards eudaimonic experiences: Being emotionally moved, stimulated to reflect on one’s self or a sense of elevation. Studies in this area have mainly focused on individual game characteristics that elicit singular and static eudaimoni...

The eudaimonic experience of elevation consists of heartwarming and uplifting feelings when witnessing acts of kindness, altruism, sacrifice, or other human virtues. While entertainment research primarily focuses on traditional media such as movies and general eudaimonic experiences, limited research has been conducted regarding digital games and e...

As video games set in classical antiquity continue to be popular, ludic interpretations of the Greek and Roman worlds increasingly gather academic attention. This study examines how the ancient mythological characters (gods and heroes) are implemented and characterized in video games, both on the level of representation as on the level of simulatio...

In the field of media studies, researchers can focus on a number of different aspects: motivations for media use, effects of media exposure, and the media content itself. Focusing on the latter, a content analysis can objectively, systematically, and quantitatively describe the manifest content of media messages (Berelson, 1952). However, another a...

Samenvatting Dit artikel presenteert de resultaten van een kwalitatieve framinganalyse van de berichtgeving over online privacyschending door Google door zowel een traditioneel journalistiek product, de krant NRC Handelsblad, als een alternatief, digitaal journalistiek platform, De Correspondent (N = 68). Hieruit komen twee duidelijk van elkaar te...

The enjoyment of violent digital games (e.g., shooting games) is paradoxical in the sense that players often enjoy shooting and killing people in the virtual world, even though they would reject this in the real world. Earlier studies indicated that perceived realism is an important concept to understand this paradox. However, no consensus exists o...

This paper describes the items, scale validity and scale reliability of a self-report questionnaire that measures bystander behavior in cyberbullying incidents among adolescents, and its behavioral determinants. Determinants included behavioral intention, behavioral attitudes, moral disengagement attitudes, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, subj...

Cyberbullying is a social phenomenon which can bring severe harm to victims. Bystanders can show positive bystander behavior (e.g. defending) and decrease cyberbullying and its harm, or negative behavior (e.g. passive bystanding, joining) and sustain cyberbullying and its negative effects. Few interventions have currently targeted bystanders and ev...

Perceived realism is a key concept in explaining the mental processing of media messages and the societal impact of media. Despite its importance, few studies have examined its conceptualization and dimensional structure from an empirical point of view, especially with regard to digital games. In this paper we present three studies aimed at 1) vali...

This paper argues that game mechanics are important tools to combine rehabilitation therapy concerns with immersive game play. Through the practical design of a game we describe how properties of game mechanics (actions, attributes, dynamics, rules, space, and skill/ chance) connect to elements of rehabilitation therapy (exercise motion, parameters...

This working example describes a research project on digital games which assist stroke survivors in learning once more the physical abilities they lost during a stroke (e.g. drinking from a glass). Specifically, we aim to create a more engaging learning experience adapted to the needs and disabilities of stroke patients. Our focus lies on the creat...

Introduction The Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP) was applied to the design of a serious game against cyberbullying among adolescents (12-14y). Method The IMP comprises 6 predefined steps. A systematic review assessed the cyberbullying problem and associated health risks (Step 1). Surveys and focus groups collected information on behavior and it...

The current study aims to integrate the findings of previous research on the use of video games by older adults by applying the Uses & Gratifications (U&GT) paradigm (Blumler & Katz, 1974). A qualitative study was performed with 35 participants aged between 50 and 74, who were selected from a larger sample of 213. Based upon their primary playing m...

This study explores the various ways in which male young adults engage with violence in videogames. Based on an ethnographic study (N=26) with triangulation of diary reports, focus group interviews and a video commentary model, three conceptual axes are distinguished along which players differ in their enactment of videogame violence: narration vs....

While the game industry regards realism as a key characteristic of AAA games, research suggests we may be wasting our money. Perceived realism is far more important, varying on dimensions of authenticity, freedom, presence, and social realism. With the high cost of game development, designers need to know what’s “real enough.” And with the advent o...

The relationship between playing shooting games and desensitization to violence A multi-factor approach The paper is written in English. However, I will present in Dutch. The mechanisms that explain the relationship between violent video game content (VVC) and aggression-related outcomes remain elusive. This study examined the role of two interveni...

Stereotypes, ideology and persuasion in America’s Army Stereotypes, ideology and persuasion in America’s Army This study investigates the influence of the shooting game America’s Army on players’ cognitions and attitudes towards Muslims and the army. In order to reconcile two contrasting views on game rhetoric (the framing and the critical reflecti...

Abstract This study addresses the female player of massively multiplayer online (role-playing) games and investigates how gender identity (GI), indicating a person's identification with characteristics that are traditionally defined as masculine or feminine, can be used to explain playing patterns within the female gender group. Results from an onl...

In the age of convergence, the American television industry is turning to the production of media content that can be accessed through a range of platforms. In this study, we research to which degree this is also true for the European case of Flanders, investigating the elements that are part of contemporary television texts on the one hand, and th...

In deze paper wordt nagegaan in welke mate de politieke boodschap van het oorlogsspel America’s Army een invloed heeft op politieke cognities en attitudes bij de spelers. We concluderen dat de ervaringen en percepties van de speler een grotere rol spelen in het proces van beïnvloeding dan louter de blootstelling aan America's Army.

STEVEN MALLIET & WANNES RIBBENS Stereotypes, ideology and persuasion in America's Army This study investigates the influence of the shooting game America's Army on players' cognitions and attitudes towards Muslims and the army. In order to reconcile two contrasting views on game rhetoric (the framing and the critical reflection perspective), the pe...

This study examines the role of perceived realism in the learning processes that have been associated with digital game play. A survey was conducted, using a random sample of 538 Flemish adolescents. Regression analysis indicates that observed realism is a better predictor than digital game exposure of real world cognitions and attitudes. We use th...

Hoewel de aantrekkingskracht van videogames reeds onderzocht werd in termen van gratificaties zoals stress reductie en gemoedsregulatie, is er weinig geweten over hoe deze concepten gerelateerd zijn aan het gebruik van games binnen specifieke populaties. In deze paper stellen we een kwalitatieve studie met 17 langgestrafte gedetineerden voor waarin...

A quantitative exploration is presented of the concept of perceived digital game realism, based upon the frameworks described by Malliet (2006), and Shapiro, Peòña-Herborn, and Hancock (2006). The concepts and categories outlined in both studies are complemented with an additional literature study and subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. Pr...

Little research has examined the underlying psychological mechanisms of persuasive play. The purpose of the current study is to examine the explanatory potential of information processing approaches in a game-based learning context. Starting from the elaboration likelihood model, the authors theoretically develop a three-step model to explain how i...

In this paper we attempt to come to grips with the concept of perceived digital game realism. In particular, our main goal is to provide a quantitative exploration of the concept by reassessing the framework of perceived video game realism described by Malliet (2006), evaluating the adequacy of the concepts and categories within this framework, and...

This article focuses on the methodology of qualitative video game content analysis, aiming to complement the insights provided by Konzack (2002) and Consalvo & Dutton (2006) from a media sociology perspective. A selection was made of 11 contemporary, mature-rated games, and a scheme for analysis was constructed, addressing the different shapes viol...

An attempt is made to translate the concept of perceived realism from the domain of general media studies to the domain of videogame studies. In order to make such a translation, a thorough knowledge and integration is required of the simulation aspects that distinguish videogames from older media such as film or television. The different meanings...

This study aims to expose the mechanisms of political rhetoric that are used in two contemporary digital games: the army simulator 'America's Army: Special Forces' and the urban crime game 'Grand Theft Auto IV'. A two-step method is applied, wherein, first, the programmed aspects of the selected games are investigated by means of traditional text a...

Het onderzoek naar de effecten van het spelen van video games heeft zich tot dusver voornamelijk toegespitst op onderwerpen zoals aggressie en gewelddadigheid. Dit heeft ongetwijfeld te maken met de talloze maatschappelijke en politieke debatten die recent werden gehouden rond de al dan niet schadelijke invloed van dit nieuwe medium. Vanuit een soc...