The Psychological Mechanisms Behind Serious Gaming and Effective Learning

‘Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Let me experience it and I will make it my own.’
Confucius (551– 479 v. Chr.)

We already know that serious games are powerful tools for accelerated and more efficient learning. But do you know why this is the case? What is it about gaming that supercharges the learning process? And why do the lessons you learn through play stick with you longer?

In this article, we will dive into the scientific models and psychological mechanisms that explain the magic of serious gaming. Get ready to have your mind blown – because the benefits of learning through play are far more profound than you might think.

Kolb’s learning cycle

Embrace the diversity of learning styles! Each individual has their own unique way of developing and absorbing knowledge. Nevertheless, there are general psychological mechanisms behind serious gaming. According to Kolb’s learning cycle, effective learning follows a certain cycle which is divided into four captivating phases: experiencing, reflecting, analyzing, and experimenting.

In a company, this looks as follows: In phase one, gaining actual experience is central. In phase two, it is important to reflect on the behaviour exhibited and its effect. In the third phase, an explanation of the effect is given. In the final phase, experiments are carried out to see if the findings gained earlier work in new situations and if it is more widely applicable. This in turn creates new experiences and so the whole cycle is completed again.

Kolb’s learning theory identifies four distinct learning styles: the dreamer, the thinker, the decision-maker, and the doer. Each individual has a preferred learning approach, which can impact how they engage with the learning process.

For instance, the doer may want to dive right in and start experimenting, only later reflecting on the underlying logic. In contrast, the thinker may prefer to research and develop a theoretical framework before actively participating.

Kolb emphasises the importance of cycling through all stages of the learning cycle and incorporating diverse learning activities. This holistic approach is crucial for truly effective learning. And this is where serious games come into play – they offer a dynamic, engaging way to facilitate this multifaceted learning experience.

The game cycle

In a game, the learning cycle is explicitly addressed and repeated multiple times in quick succession. Serious games uniquely intertwine thinking and doing, as explained by the Serious Game Lemniscate Model.

The Serious Game Lemniscate Model is similar to Kolb’s learning cycle, but with an added game cycle. The game cycle is an intuitive process where the player enters a “flow state” – a heightened state of focus and immersion, temporarily forgetting about time and self-awareness. The player reacts intuitively to what happens, then assesses the results. This game cycle is an extended “doing” phase, in contrast to the learning cycle’s extended “thinking” phase.

]This cycle will be recognisable to many people. Following the previous phase, the player has gained an experience, but it has yet to be processed into knowledge. To do this, it is necessary to switch from the game cycle to the learning cycle. Once an observation has been made, it is reflected upon and then the switch to the learning cycle is made. One becomes cognitively aware of what they have learned and how it can be placed in a scientific context. When you have made that switch, only then have you applied the “serious” part of the serious game. The other way around is also possible. As an experiential step in the learning cycle, it can also include a game cycle to gain experience in using a certain concept in the virtual (and safe) environment. In this way, the game cycle and the learning cycle are linked to each other.

The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve

Not only is learning effective during a serious game, but the new information is also remembered for longer.

Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus has researched how long information is remembered and how much is forgotten. He found that after only 20 minutes, we have forgotten more than 50% of relatively meaningless data, and that later on, the rate at which knowledge is lost decreases steadily.

Meaningful information that matters is less likely to be forgotten than the meaningless information. 90% of knowledge is learned informally in the workplace through experiences, knowledge and skills needed to do the job. These are relevant. During a serious game, you learn to develop these skills in a safe way. The game adds something and therefore it is better remembered.

The way information is presented plays a big role in how the brain processes information. Everyone has their own learning preference, as discussed earlier, and therefore it is better remembered. The advantage of serious gaming is that it incorporates every learning preference. Also, a serious game often tells a story. A story has a beginning, a middle, an end and a problem that is eventually solved. This way, people can attach meaning to the information and a story is also more fun to follow.

It is important to repeat the information shortly after the first moment when information is processed, and to keep repeating it at different times thereafter. By sharing experience, knowledge and skills gained in the game with others, a professional can take what they have learned into subsequent experiences.

Why do you learn faster and more effectively when you play a game?

Serious gaming is thus an effective and fast way of learning, because it links two learning cycles: the game cycle and the learning cycle. You go through the serious game cycle: experiencing, observing, reflecting, concept formation, intentions and taking action. In a game, each learning style is explicitly addressed and the stages are gone through several times. What can take years in the workplace can be achieved in a mimicked simulation in a short time. The information gained is also remembered for longer. By experiencing it yourself in a fictional setting and then reflecting on this, the knowledge is internalised so that it can be applied in the real world.

Of course, several factors also come into play when it comes to learning than just the aforementioned psychological mechanisms behind serious gaming. For instance, having fun and motivation is also very important for learning and remembering new knowledge.