Masterclass: Rethinking Self-Determination Theory in Player-Computer Interaction

Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a major psychological theory of human motivation, figures prominently in works presented at CHI PLAY. Concepts such as intrinsic motivation and need satisfaction inform discussion around topics including the nature of good player-computer interaction, the intersection of play and wellbeing, and designing interactive gamified systems that motivate sustained engagement. SDT-based measures index elements of player experience, facilitating evaluations of games and game-adjacent systems. Despite the widespread application of SDT at CHI PLAY, some central concepts and mini-theories receive only cursory attention; as such, a substantial degree of untapped potential remains within SDT for advancing player-computer interaction. This masterclass presents a primer on three under-examined areas of SDT with applications to common topics in HCI games scholarship.