Defining Media Enjoyment as the Satisfaction of Intrinsic Needs
2010/11/04 by Ron Tamborini, Nicholas David Bowman, Allison Eden +2 · 603 citations
Arts and Humanities · Computer Science · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Advertising #Business #Impact of Technology on Adolescents #Intrinsic motivation #Media Influence and Health #Psychology #Social psychology #Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01513.x
published in Journal of Communication 60(4), 758-777 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2010/11/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Abstract
This article presents a model of enjoyment rooted in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) that includes the satisfaction of three needs related to psychological well-being: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In an experiment designed to validate this conceptualization of enjoyment, we manipulate video game characteristics related to the satisfaction of these needs and examine their relative effects on enjoyment. The validated model explains 51% of the variance in enjoyment, even without including needs usually studied in relation to enjoyment such as pleasure seeking. Results indicate the utility of defining enjoyment as need satisfaction. These results are discussed in terms of a broader conceptualization of enjoyment represented as the satisfaction of a comprehensive set of functional needs.
Citations
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