# Functions and video games



## silikone (Sep 19, 2016)

Is there a correlation between the stack of cognitive functions and the preference or interest in video games? Do different functions prioritize different elements, like graphics, story, difficulty, et cetera?


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## Ksara (Feb 13, 2014)

I believe there would be a correlation as there have been extensive data collection to show how certain MBTI types prefer certain types of jobs.

I don't know what this correlation would be for this specific question and can only speculate.


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## silikone (Sep 19, 2016)

Ksara said:


> I believe there would be a correlation as there have been extensive data collection to show how certain MBTI types prefer certain types of jobs.
> 
> I don't know what this correlation would be for this specific question and can only speculate.


If I'd have to make a guess, it would be that Pe types are in for the adventure while Pi types prioritize the destination.
For example, games that are criticized for being repetitive and grindy might be more suitable for Pi types, especially Si, which fits together with the ISTJ routine-addicted stereotype. I have no idea of what kind of difference sensing VS intuition makes in this department.


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## mp2 (Dec 18, 2016)

Good question, I've only thought about any correlation between genres and types/functions but not with different elements. I think it would make sense that there might be some sort of correlation, and I think a correlation between functions and elements makes more sense than a correlation between genre and functions, but I have no idea, really.

What elements do you like/find important? How do you think this relates to the functions you use?


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## Candy Apple (Sep 10, 2015)

In post #55 you can start reading from the quote at the bottom (TrailMix).



silikone said:


> Is there a correlation between the stack of cognitive functions and the preference or interest in video games? Do different functions prioritize different elements, like graphics, story, difficulty, et cetera?


FPS - While I like graphics I don't want it to get in the way with the task. I don't want it to look so pretty and complicated that I can't see clearly and need to spend so much time looking at things to decipher what's going on. I much prefer games that have their graphics set up in such a way that I can react quickly. I don't care for backstories or highly strategic games. I liked CS 1.3-1.5 because I can just aim and shoot. I didn't like CS 1.6 and versions after that because it looked like they were getting too caught up in graphics and it made it harder to see where things were. I also preferred to play deathmatch rounds instead of team vs. team because I like quick pace and less strategising. I personally chalk that down to Si-Te.

In MMORPGs I care about graphics a lot. I don't care about backstory or PVP and am indifferent to difficulty but don't care for strategy.



> If I'd have to make a guess, it would be that Pe types are in for the adventure while Pi types prioritize the destination.
> For example, games that are criticized for being repetitive and grindy might be more suitable for Pi types, especially Si, which fits together with the ISTJ routine-addicted stereotype.


I don't care for the grind but will do it to reach my goal. I'm pretty sure my type can stand it more than other types but I don't enjoy it. I can personally say I prioritise the destination.

The kind of community in the game is important to me - I don't like to play games 'by myself'.

You won't see me playing those games anymore but if I still played, it would be an FPS.


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## mp2 (Dec 18, 2016)

Now that's interesting. I thought the first quote about engaging the inferior function was interesting too. I think I defiantly use video games in an Se way a lot. I find myself paying more attention to graphics and I don't really place much importance on story or characters(for many games I just already expect these to be cheesy, but that's part of their charm) even though I do this a lot with movies, tv shows, and novels. The most important thing in a game for me really is just that it's fun. I know that's a very simple way of looking at it, but really I can't think of anything that I care about more. 

I love strategy games though, I've read that this is attributed to Ni(I do have an INTJ friend who refuses to play many video games because they "don't involve any strategy" and he beats me at chess more than I beat him, so maybe Te is involved here but I don't know) but I would think this could easily be tied to other functions as well.

Also, I think it's from Fe that I enjoy games the most with local multiplayer. Party games like Mario Kart or Smash Bros or often single player games with a pass the controller setting. It's just a great way to bond with people and playing with people online just isn't the same though I still do enjoy it. I miss the days when arcades were more prevalent and I could test my skills against or corporate with random people in person for hours at a time. 

Off topic: when I came to this thread to check the reply I guess I had just reached the magical 15 posts to see signatures and post links and everything. So when I saw this:



Candy Apple said:


> In post #55 you can start reading from the quote at the bottom (TrailMix).
> 
> plus the spoiler button at the bottom, I clicked it thinking it was the link referenced in this quote. I was VERY confused at first trying to connect the snowman from Frozen doing snow angles to the topic and wondering what I was missing until I realized that signatures were visible now. :1892:


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## Shiver (Nov 10, 2016)

Possibly relevant: https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/lab/gamerprofile/

INTJ:


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## Afterburner (Jan 8, 2013)

silikone said:


> Is there a correlation between the stack of cognitive functions and the preference or interest in video games?


 Don't know. Haven't heard of anything on it, though I could see it being true to some extent. Maybe more so in the way they approach games. But I'm not really sure how to read my cognitive functions into my own video game interests, so *shrug*



> Do different functions prioritize different elements, like graphics, story, difficulty, et cetera?


Probably not. I don't think function/type differences get expressed behaviorally that specifically. People often say type describes the _why_, not the _what_ of behaviors, and that seems applicable here. There aren't 1:1 relationships between interests and functions that make it easy to see why people like what they do. Way more complicated. 

Like a superficial thing someone might say about e.g. NTs is that they might be more interested in strategy or open-world games than, say, first-person shooters. But I'm an INTP and have in the past few years mostly been playing FPS games. Partly because they were the games I was exposed most to in adolescence through family and friends playing them, partly because I just enjoy them (the gaming itself and the socializing in online playing), and partly because I am also very narrow about exploring new things in certain domains, so I have never had much of an interest in exploring genres and games I'm unfamiliar with.

I'm always hesitant and a little anxious in exploring new things, like trying new foods or games or listening to new music (e.g. assuming I won't like it, assuming I'll be bad with it, etc.) So I typically avoid exploring and mostly stick to what I'm comfortable with or explore very selectively. Mostly with food, music, movies and shows, games, and maybe some other things. (I have seen behavior this related to Si in INTPs, though, so it is not unusual in this context. But I don't know the truth of it.) I did start playing _Civilization V_ recently and I really enjoy it, but I still haven't played it as much as the things I normally play, e.g. the _Battlefield _and _Batman: Arkham_ games. 

So maybe I would be more interested in strategy and open-world games if I immersed myself in it more. Or if I had more people around me playing them rather than FPS games. Don't know. The point is that there are a lot of variables unrelated to type that constrain these things, so it would be extremely difficult to make mass generalizations on this. Someone just observing my video game interests and preferences might not be able to get my type from them (though I suspect they might if they looked into why I like _Batman: Arkham_). That's part of why the _what_ of behavior is not always especially revealing in the context of the functions. People can behave similarly for different reasons. And this isn't even factoring in other complications like the prevalence of mistypes and the ambiguity and variety of interpretations of the cognitive functions. These would make collecting and interpreting both anecdotal and statistical evidence very difficult and in some cases simply unreliable.

As far as my own interests go, I've mostly enjoyed FPS games (_Medal of Honor_, _Call of Duty_ (_Modern Warfare _through _Black Ops_), _Homefront_, _Ghost Recon_, and above all, _Battlefield_) and also a few open-world games, namely the _Batman: __Arkham _games and _Red Dead Redemption_. Don't particularly care about graphics. Don't care about stories in FPS games since I mostly play online, though a good story is always a plus. In fiction in general, I think I tend to be more interested in worlds than characters, but I am not sure how well this trend applies to games. I don't care about the worlds and characters of the FPS games I've played much at all. Mostly play them for the gaming itself, since I enjoy the challenges in the tactical thinking, reflexes, mastering weapons and vehicles, and teamwork they require, as well as the social aspect to playing online.

I love some of the Batman universes, though. I get so much out of the psychological and political currents that run through the universes and the _Arkham_ games in the world and the characters. I haven't played _Red Dead_ in a while so my interests there aren't matured, but I did find the protagonist interesting.

Some other games I like are _Super Smash Bros. Brawl_, which I loved, some of the _Need for Speed_ games, and _War Thunder_.


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## Candy Apple (Sep 10, 2015)

mp2 said:


> I love strategy games though, I've read that this is attributed to Ni(I do have an INTJ friend who refuses to play many video games because they "don't involve any strategy" and he beats me at chess more than I beat him, so maybe Te is involved here but I don't know) but I would think this could easily be tied to other functions as well.


I've never played one proper game of chess - hate it too much. xD I'm sure there are plenty of Si doms in the world that love that game though. 



> Also, I think it's from Fe that I enjoy games the most with local multiplayer. Party games like Mario Kart or Smash Bros or often single player games with a pass the controller setting. It's just a great way to bond with people and playing with people online just isn't the same though I still do enjoy it. I miss the days when arcades were more prevalent and I could test my skills against or corporate with random people in person for hours at a time.


I love Super Smash Bros but I hate playing it with a controller, I prefer playing it on the computer.

I enjoyed games like Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo and didn't mind the controller but I never enjoyed the controllers and games for the Playstation. Depending on the game the movements on the screen looked very fluid (better graphics), as if to translate into real life experience but the controller didn't provide enough 'tactile' feel/movement to translate the controls to the screen. It didn't feel 'exact' enough for me. It just doesn't do it for my senses - all the other things like Nintendo Wii are like :bored:. Let's just say if you want to immerse me in a game, don't do it with a controller and don't try to make it realistic for that purpose because it pales in comparison to how I usually experience my senses.

Hmm, as for 'local multiplayer' I become bored.  I'd rather chit-chat. Out of a console setting I liked lan. I don't like playing games at arcades.



> I was VERY confused at first trying to connect the snowman from Frozen doing snow angles to the topic and wondering what I was missing until I realized that signatures were visible now. :1892:


hahaha I thought my reference would be confusing but not for that reason!


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## mp2 (Dec 18, 2016)

Afterburner said:


> Partly because they were the games I was exposed most to in adolescence through family and friends playing them,


This makes the most sense and seems like it would be a bigger aspect in interest in video games really. Arkham games are also some of the games I've gotten the most into recently. I don't normally like open-world games (and the ones I do play I often ignore their open-worlded-ness). I like more linear games with a single, clear objective (or open world games with a clear goal instead of a series of unrelated tasks) to work towards I guess. 
@Candy Apple
Nobody likes playing games in arcades anymore. :sad:

It's interesting to think how functions might relate to chess especially the way it's played, my INFP brother is very good at it (and he plays in a _very_ interesting way) and I would imagine any type could be great, but maybe the methods would vary.

Hm, it's pretty interesting to think how Fe might be related to games like MMORPGs. I've never been able to get into these and if I'm not playing local multiplayer I just like to play by myself. I think just the way I see video games as a way to relax and unwind and the fact I'm already often worrying about different groups I interact with and group dynamics and how I fit into these as it is is maybe the reason I can't get into them. 

So just throwing myself into a new social atmosphere to worry about the same things and have to learn all the new formalities and etiquette just isn't a good a way to unwind and would probably just stress me out even more(at least initially). Video games are supposed to be a nice little escape from this sort of thing. I don't know if this is Fe related though or just some other weird thing.


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## pwowq (Aug 7, 2016)

Shiver said:


> Possibly relevant: https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/lab/gamerprofile/
> 
> INTJ:
> View attachment 624466


ISTP, been playing a game for money. Still love that game. Not surprising the profile shows I'm a competitive, social gamer.


Your Gaming Style : 
Aggressive, Persistent, Relaxed, Social, Grounded, and Practical

The Action Components (50%)
The Social Components (99%)
The Mastery Components (94%)
The Achievement Components (33%)
The Creativity Components (2%)
The Immersion Components (0%)


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## Shiver (Nov 10, 2016)

I don't care about competition so much as perfection. But I figure if I have to go against other players, win at _any_ cost, just to keep someone else from their perceived dominance.


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## mp2 (Dec 18, 2016)

(I took this before and completely forgot to include it in my last post)

Your Gaming Style :
Action-Oriented, Analytical, Relaxed, Social, and Practical

The Action Components (68%)
The Social Components (70%)
The Mastery Components (71%)
The Achievement Components (3%)
The Creativity Components (15%)
The Immersion Components (64%)

I've never been into achievements or completion. I rarely even finish longer single player games.


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## Azazel (May 27, 2016)

*Analytical, Driven, Social, Deeply Immersed, and Creative*









Comments: I would actually switch the completion and the power percentages.

With this I think you can actually guess how much time of my life I spent on minecraft and roblox.


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## Falling Foxes (Oct 19, 2016)

ENFP










Can't say I can put functions to each thing though. You could argue that Ne/Fi is fed by immersion, Ne loves creativity and design to test the limits of the game.

As for social... I saw others suggest that that's Fe but Fe can't be the only function that enjoys working with other people/local multiplayer/online. It's just satisfying working together and succeeding. I guess that's Fi talking, enjoying finding my own purpose in the team. I always play support characters if there's a choice.


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## Afterburner (Jan 8, 2013)

This was interesting. Fits with what I've been thinking about, especially how I mostly play fast-paced online FPS games because that's what I was exposed to most in adolescence, even though I also thoroughly enjoy open-world games with elaborate stories and worlds as well as strategy.

The high scores in everything but creativity, with low and average scores in those components also fits. I have noticed that I'm not very interested in playing creatively in games in the common sense of the word. (I am creative in other ways, though, e.g. in FPS games which require tactical thinking.) Unsure what that says of me. Curious.

This would be interesting to look at through the functions, if anyone is able to read them into it. I don't see any immediate theoretical connections. Would have to see if there are any clear enough differences and correlations in gaming by type/functions.


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## Falling Foxes (Oct 19, 2016)

NTs so far seem to like to be completionists... Mm not enough to work out a correlation. I would have thought Te would fuel this. 

I think being a Ne dom makes completing games a tedious part of games for me. Once I've made the initial discovery or worked out a technique to the game it quickly becomes boring. There are a thousand other games I still need to play that I just don't have time to complete even good games. There are very few games that I finish.


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## Chiaro (Dec 30, 2016)

I'm still unsure on my type but since I rarely game I thought I'd actually try this, since the games I do end up playing are pretty well-chosen. Seems I am more inclined to worlds rather than the procedural. I see games as works of visual art. Perhaps coming from programming and designing for online VR/worlds (MMOs) and subcultural apps/sites, which are mission-less but "achievable", I tend to only play scenic games that I see as inspirations towards the evolution of virtual reality. In that sense I play games only occasionally to keep "updated" on graphics, picking games with scenes I see as good at showing me the graphics of engines that I regard as usable. Normally I wouldn't be interested in an RPG for its game play but I would enjoy them as showcases which I play out of "mild immersive interest". Vantage point is particularly also a concern, though I am less concerned for first-person angles in terms of using games as a kind of showcase, it's actually third-person games that help me get a more general sense of the game. A range of terrain is also necessary, this helps show to me the capabilities of dynamic range, normal maps and specularity. I value puzzles over FPS, also, since this demonstrates the logical capabilities of an engine quite a bit better and the effects usable that reflects the logic. When playing, or rather, using the gameplay as a vehicle through the game, I focus upon completion and am disinterested in bonus challenges. However, if the assets are interesting, out of photographic and design level of interest, I will appreciate "hidden" places. I do experience some inclination of the mystical, things that are secret, trigger my imagination which is a positive emotion in me, and inspires me to be creative, myself. I see "the unknown" as a window of further exploration on a creative level, this interest then gives me a fresh project to invent and work towards, and hopefully make into a production. I mean this in terms of assets, functionality, story, scenic value and logic.

So overall, games I can take something from and "create" something new from, out of inspiration, is what is of key interest to me.
Don't know how my result versus my reasoning goes about my personality type. Since my inclination actually makes me evade games, which usually feel like a waste of time or energy for my other projects and my other skills to nurture, least outside of being able to apply others' art, games, applications, music to my own. I'm more likely to tear something apart and make my own thing from it (if I see any use immediately) and put my own long-term invested ideas to it than just play any random game, video game or not.

I can't link to my results so I have regex'd it to forum format below:

*The Action Components (36%)*
_Destruction (48%)_: Gamers who score high on this component are agents of chaos and destruction. They love having many tools at their disposal to blow things up and cause relentless mayhem. They enjoy games with lots of guns and explosives. They gravitate towards titles like Call of Duty and Battlefield. And if they accidentally find themselves in games like The Sims, they are the ones who figure out innovative ways to get their Sims killed.

_Excitement (29%)_: Gamers who score high on this component enjoy games that are fast-paced, intense, and provide a constant adrenaline rush. They want to be surprised. They want gameplay that is full of action and thrills, and rewards them for rapid reaction times. While this style of gameplay can be found in first-person shooters like Halo, it can also be found in games like Street Fighter and Injustice, as well as energetic platformers like BIT.TRIP RUNNER.

*The Social Components (55%)*
_Competition (65%)_: Gamers who score high on this component enjoy competing with other players, often in duels, matches, or team-vs-team scenarios. Competitive gameplay can be found in titles like Starcraft, League of Legends, or the PvP Battlegrounds in World of Warcraft. But competition isn’t always overtly combative; competitive players may care about being acknowledged as the best healer in a guild, or having a high ranking/level on a Facebook farming game relative to their friends.

_Community (43%)_: Gamers who score high on Community enjoy socializing and collaborating with other people while gaming. They like chatting and grouping up with other players. This might be playing Portal 2 with a friend, playing Mario Kart at a party, or being part of a large guild/clan in an online game. They enjoy being part of a team working towards a common goal. For them, games are an integral part of maintaining their social network.

*The Mastery Components (29%)*
_Challenge (31%)_: Gamers who score high on Challenge enjoy playing games that rely heavily on skill and ability. They are persistent and take the time to practice and hone their gameplay so they can take on the most difficult missions and bosses that the game can offer. These gamers play at the highest difficulty settings and don’t mind failing missions repeatedly in games like Dark Souls because they know it’s the only way they’ll master the game. They want gameplay that constantly challenges them.

_Strategy (32%)_: Gamers who score high on this component enjoy games that require careful decision-making and planning. They like to think through their options and likely outcomes. These may be decisions related to balancing resources and competing goals, managing foreign diplomacy, or finding optimal long-term strategies. They tend to enjoy both the tactical combat in games like XCOM or Fire Emblem, as well as seeing their carefully-devised plans come to fruition in games like Civilization, Cities: Skylines, or Europa Universalis.

*The Achievement Components (38%)*
_Completion (42%)_: Gamers with high Completion scores want to finish everything the game has to offer. They try to complete every mission, find every collectible, and discover every hidden location. For some players, this may mean completing every listed achievement or unlocking every possible character/move in a game. For gamers who score high on Design, this may mean collecting costumes and mounts in games like World of Warcraft.

_Power (39%)_: Gamers who score high on this component strive for power in the context of the game world. They want to become as powerful as possible, seeking out the tools and equipment needed to make this happen. In RPGs and action games, this may mean maxing stats or acquiring the most powerful weapons or artifacts. Power and Completion often go hand in hand, but some players enjoy collecting cosmetic items without caring about power, and some players prefer attaining power through strategic optimization rather than grinding.

*The Creativity Components (21%)*
_Discovery (25%)_: Gamers who score high on Discovery are constantly asking “What if?” For them, game worlds are fascinating contraptions to open up and tinker with. In an MMO, they might swim out to the edge of the ocean to see what happens. In MineCraft, they might experiment with whether crafting outcomes differ by the time of day or proximity to zombies. They “play” games in the broadest sense of the word, often in ways not intended or imagined by the game’s developers.

_Design (27%)_: Gamers who score high on this component want to actively express their individuality in the game worlds they find themselves in. In games like Mass Effect, they put a lot of time and effort in the character creation process. In city-building games or space strategy games, they take the time to design and customize exactly how their city or spaceships look. To this end, they prefer games that provide the tools and assets necessary to make this possible and easy to do.

*The Immersion Components (33%)*
_Fantasy (54%)_: Gamers who score high on Fantasy want their gaming experiences to allow them to become someone else, somewhere else. They enjoy the sense of being immersed in an alter ego in a believable alternate world, and enjoy exploring a game world just for the sake of exploring it. These gamers enjoy games like Skyrim, Fallout, and Mass Effect for their fully imagined alternate settings.

_Story (21%)_: Gamers who score high on Story want games with elaborate campaign storylines and a cast of multidimensional characters with interesting back-stories and personalities. They take the time to delve into the back-stories of characters in games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, and enjoy the elaborate and thoughtful narratives in games like The Last of Us and BioShock. Gamers who score low on Story tend to find dialogue and quest descriptions to be distracting and skip through them if possible.

(For my future reference my profile hash was a80eb581fb4b4c55a5a46c969e688c76)


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## Azazel (May 27, 2016)

Falling Foxes said:


> NTs so far seem to like to be completionists... Mm not enough to work out a correlation. I would have thought Te would fuel this.
> 
> I think being a Ne dom makes completing games a tedious part of games for me. Once I've made the initial discovery or worked out a technique to the game it quickly becomes boring. There are a thousand other games I still need to play that I just don't have time to complete even good games. There are very few games that I finish.


Actually, in myself is more to avoid frustration. I'm and incredibly competitive person myself, the fact is that I do not enjoy that facet in videogames because it makes me enjoy much less the game as I don't do it when I don't dominate other players but at the same time I need to compete with something myself, so I rather dominate the own game as it is much more calm.

I don't actually know how did completion turned that high, I'm a very completist person but I'm not a completion freak as the results say it turned out and at its first I usually prefer to enjoy the game the way it is, it is later when I start to challenge myself. Of course, cleaning my image a little by telling that I actually do enjoy te games


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## Asura (Apr 2, 2016)

I read somewhere once that certain types are more likely to have different habits when it comes to gaming.
Example- xNTJ-plays to crush their opponent, win or create mastery of the game.
XNTP-Plays to explore, learn all aspects of the game, mix of competitive and fun.
xNFP-plays to explore, enjoy all aspects of game. Usually centered around enjoyment.

I wish I could remember the others but it's been a long while since I read that. For the most part though if you look at dominant cognitive functions you can generally see how someone might approach a game haha.


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## JoetheBull (Apr 29, 2010)

https://goo.gl/GzyB7O

my results. I am most likely ISFP, but not 100% sure


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