IADT Institute of Design

The Perfect Game: The Effect of Perfectionism and Performance on Game Experiences

Perfectionism functions as a domain-specific trait rather than a global psychological constant, particularly within the context of interactive entertainment.

• The study of 40 undergraduates found no significant relationship between perfectionism levels and overall game experience, suggesting that perfectionists do not necessarily experience higher distress over mistakes in gaming as they do in academic or workplace settings.
• There was no observed interaction effect between perfectionism and game performance on the game experience, indicating that high-perfectionism players do not report different satisfaction levels based on success or failure in a low-stakes environment.
• Participants with low perfectionism recorded a mean Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) score of 59.69, while high-perfectionism participants recorded a mean score of 56.00, a difference that was not statistically significant.