Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator

Computer-based wargames provide an experimental platform for studying cognitive antecedents and behavioral outcomes in dynamic scenarios. Our study examines how achievement motivation influence wargame players’ performance through the mechanism of creativity. In Study 1, we simplified the achievemen...

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Main Authors: Weiwei Xu, Sihui Ge, Dang Ding, Xiaopeng Ren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/557
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author Weiwei Xu
Sihui Ge
Dang Ding
Xiaopeng Ren
author_facet Weiwei Xu
Sihui Ge
Dang Ding
Xiaopeng Ren
author_sort Weiwei Xu
collection DOAJ
description Computer-based wargames provide an experimental platform for studying cognitive antecedents and behavioral outcomes in dynamic scenarios. Our study examines how achievement motivation influence wargame players’ performance through the mechanism of creativity. In Study 1, we simplified the achievement motivation scale and revised the creativity scale for wargame contexts in China. After collecting data from students and wargame players (N1 = 300, N2 = 347), we validate their reliability and validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Study 2 (N3 = 171) applied these validated scales to analyze the mechanism of creativity between achievement motivation and wargame performance. The results in Study 1 demonstrated that the refined two scales exhibited strong reliability and structural validity. The findings of Study 2 revealed that two types of motivation had different influences on wargame performance. The motivation of hope of success indirectly enhanced wargame performance through increased creativity. In contrast, the motivation of fear of failure reduced creativity and then negatively influenced overall results. Our study advances understanding of achievement motivation in dynamic gaming environments, suggesting that enhancing motivation of hope of success, decreasing motivation of fear of failure, and improving creativity may optimize performance to be more effective.
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spelling doaj-art-0131f72fcc794e8a8f645085ba753fb22025-08-20T02:28:40ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-04-0115455710.3390/bs15040557Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a MediatorWeiwei Xu0Sihui Ge1Dang Ding2Xiaopeng Ren3Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaInstitute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaInstitute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaInstitute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaComputer-based wargames provide an experimental platform for studying cognitive antecedents and behavioral outcomes in dynamic scenarios. Our study examines how achievement motivation influence wargame players’ performance through the mechanism of creativity. In Study 1, we simplified the achievement motivation scale and revised the creativity scale for wargame contexts in China. After collecting data from students and wargame players (N1 = 300, N2 = 347), we validate their reliability and validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Study 2 (N3 = 171) applied these validated scales to analyze the mechanism of creativity between achievement motivation and wargame performance. The results in Study 1 demonstrated that the refined two scales exhibited strong reliability and structural validity. The findings of Study 2 revealed that two types of motivation had different influences on wargame performance. The motivation of hope of success indirectly enhanced wargame performance through increased creativity. In contrast, the motivation of fear of failure reduced creativity and then negatively influenced overall results. Our study advances understanding of achievement motivation in dynamic gaming environments, suggesting that enhancing motivation of hope of success, decreasing motivation of fear of failure, and improving creativity may optimize performance to be more effective.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/557wargameachievement motivationcreativityperformance
spellingShingle Weiwei Xu
Sihui Ge
Dang Ding
Xiaopeng Ren
Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
Behavioral Sciences
wargame
achievement motivation
creativity
performance
title Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
title_full Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
title_fullStr Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
title_full_unstemmed Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
title_short Achievement Motivation and Performance in Wargames: Creativity as a Mediator
title_sort achievement motivation and performance in wargames creativity as a mediator
topic wargame
achievement motivation
creativity
performance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/557
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AT dangding achievementmotivationandperformanceinwargamescreativityasamediator
AT xiaopengren achievementmotivationandperformanceinwargamescreativityasamediator