Research into the Relationship between Personality and Behavior in Video Games, Based on Mining Association Rules

Abstract

Nowadays, people have started to spend more and more time using the Internet, which has a crucial impact on people’s lives. Individual personality type is often the main factor dictating the various behaviors that people carry out, and it dominates their activities when socializing, communicating, and making choices in the virtual world. This study is dedicated to uncovering how the six dimensions of personality traits relate to players’ in-game behavior. This research is divided into two studies. Study 1 uses the K-means method to classify players in “Clash of Kings”, an online strategy video game, according to their activities. Using apriori algorithm, this research analyzes the correlation between in-game behavior and personality. In Study 2, the correlations are validated. In conclusion, not all personality traits are related to in-game behaviors. Players with high extraversion demonstrate more killings and attacks in games. Conscientiousness is negatively related to deaths. Emotionality shows strong extremes. The highest or lowest emotionality scores are associated with killings and attacks, while players with moderate emotionality will behave irregularly. Honesty/humility, agreeableness, and openness to experience are not predictive of in-game behaviors. For game manufacturers, players’ personality traits can be inferred through their corresponding in-game behaviors, to use in order to carry out targeted promotions.