EXPLORING ONLINE GAME PLAYERS’ FLOW EXPERIENCES AND POSITIVE AFFECT

The authors conducted two studies to explore online game players’ flow experiences and positive affect. Our
findings indicated that online game are capable of evoking flow experiences and positive affect, and games of
violent or nonviolent type may not arouse players’ aggression. The players could be placed into four flow
conditions: flow, boredom, anxiety, and apathy, as determined by level of perceived challenges and skills. The
majority of players entered the flow condition when playing violent or non-violent online game. The path
analysis results suggested that violent online games may have a significant but indirect effect on positive affect
via flow experience mediation.