Game design tools to support the application of psychological models of motivation and behaviour change to adolescent diet and exercise

Poor diet and lack of exercise cost the NHS £7 billion a year. Habits formed as teenagers tend to last and physical & psychological changes during adolescence make it an important time to improve health behaviours. Making small sustained changes (e.g. eating more fruit or being more active) can reduce the risk of heart disease or diabetes in later life.

Videogames can engage and motivate people but very little is known about how to integrate the psychology of behaviour change and game design. This project will produce game design tools & a game that will help young people to make healthy changes.

The design tools will allow stakeholders in game design and behavioural psychology to communicate more effectively in order to realise a fit-for-purpose game-based intervention. The outcome will be an alternative method to visualise and map behavioural theories in the early-stage development of serious games. The game will be evaluated on its effectiveness at supporting behaviour change.

This PhD will focus on the development of game design tools that allow developers to map behaviour psychology models into game prototypes. The project will explore: the relationship between behavioural theory and game design principles; the development of tools that support game designers; generate evidence of the effectiveness of a tool in the game development process.