Playing with personality : how personality traits affect players' in-game actions

Abstract

When it comes to human personalities, the Five-Factor Model classifies people based on 5 different traits; openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Meanwhile, the Bartle taxonomy of player types classifies players based on their preferred actions in-game, such as exploring, achieving, killing or socialising with other players. This study sought to investigate the links between one’s personality and the way they play, using these two models. In order to investigate whether one’s personality correlates with what type of player they are, or if the nature of video games allows players to act differently than they do in real life, a survey was used to gather data from MMO and MOBA players. Results indicated that while personality does link to certain in-game behaviors, the anonymity and freedom from consequences allows players to act differently than they would in the real world. Statistically significant links were found between extraversion, killers and socialisers; agreeableness and achievers; and openness to experience with socialisers.