In control or in their shoes? How character attachment differentially influences video game enjoyment and appreciation

Emerging perspectives in media psychology have begun to focus on enjoyment and appreciation as unique reactions to entertaining media fare. Past work has found that game elements such as gameplay mechanics and game narrative are significantly associated with both feelings – with play mechanics more aligned with enjoyment and narrative more aligned with appreciation. The current study looks to extend this work by establishing associations between elements of character attachment (CA) and both entertainment outcomes. Data from an online survey of gamers randomly assigned to consider enjoyable or meaningful gaming experiences found that an increased recollection of control over one’s in-game avatar was positively associated with enjoyment (not appreciation), and that an increased identification with and sense of responsibility for one’s character were both independently and positively associated with appreciation (not enjoyment).