Chapter Two: The Feedback Loop: Learning from Videogame Experiences

The feedback loop framework hinges on experience-based decision making. Essentially, people make decisions daily by assessing the world around them and accounting for learned experiences. For instance, when it is raining outside, people might opt to wear a raincoat or, at the very least, open an umbrella; when the rain stops, they remove their coats or close the umbrella. If someone had selected a jean jacket instead of a raincoat, that person would quickly realize that there is little protection from getting wet. At that point, the person has the option to seek other types of cover (e.g., a different coat, an umbrella, the awning on a building) or to remain in the soaked denim. Although overly simplified, this example underscores how people learn from experiences and the feedback they get during that experience, ultimately prompting and affecting subsequent decisions: Should they continue or change their ways?