Does the Frequency of Game Rewards Affect How People Think and Play?

Overview

This project studies how reward frequency affects performance, enjoyment, and engagement in a digital game. I created a web-based game called Catch the Coins, where players collect coins during a 45 second round. Each player was randomly assigned to one of three reward frequency conditions: high, low, or random. After playing, participants rated their enjoyment and indicated whether they wanted to play again. Data from 77 trials showed that high frequency rewards led to the highest average scores (about 49 coins), while low frequency rewards resulted in lower performance (about 42 coins). However, the low frequency reward group reported the highest enjoyment (about 8.3 out of 10) and had a 100% replay rate. The random reward group performed similarly to the high reward group but did not achieve the highest enjoyment. These results suggest that while higher frequency rewards improve performance, lower frequency rewards may create a more enjoyable and engaging experience. This project shows that reward systems need to be balanced to optimize both performance and user satisfaction.

Does the Frequency of Game Rewards Affect How People Think and Play?

Overview

Competition history

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