Effects of digital games

Catalog description

The course explores the influences of digital games on players and society. It helps students make sense of the complex and conflicting evidence from social science research about both positive and negative outcomes from playing games. Topics include violent and stereotypical content, enjoyment and immersion, addiction, learning, and persuasive applications such as games for health. In particular, the class considers prominent debates about the effects of games and how to understand the actual evidence and methodological controversies behind these debates. A significant focus is on the logic of media effects research and the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. Students emerge with greater familiarity with media effects scholarship as a process as well as the specific ways it can help them media literate players of games as well as thinking about how games might be used to promote positive outcomes.