Gameplay : Map or Frame?

From the social sciences to biology and physics, gamified systems and games are increasingly being used as “petri dishes” for observing human behavior in presumably perfectly controlled (digital) environments. This practice rests on the assumption that in-game behavior maps onto out-of-game behavior. This paper argues that methodological research is needed to establish when and why game behavior maps (and when not), and that such research in addition provides insight into a crucial aspect of interacting with computers: the impact of usage frames and modes.