The Effect of Auditory Emotional Design in Digital Game-Based Learning

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 12:40 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Games for Cognition and Learning (Table 20)

Abstract

In order to enhance the auditory-emotional design in digital game-based learning, this study recruited 162 university students and randomly assigned them to three game-based leaning conditions: positive, neutral, and no background music. The results revealed that positive background music significantly improved learners’ positive mood, while both positive and neutral background music promoted learners’ engagement, flow, and learning retention scores. Further mediation effect analysis showed that engagement and flow acted as chain mediators between background music and learning retention scores. Behavioral log analysis also indicated that learners with positive background music exhibited more learning-related behaviors. The results for expression recognition also supported this perspective. Therefore, music that is appropriate for the content of the game can be facilitative.

Authors

• Jieni Zhan, Central China Normal University

• Zhikeng Wang

• Yang Gui

• Zhihui Cai, Central China Normal University