Can video games be an innovative tool to assess personality traits of the Millennial generation? An exploratory research

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the possible relationship between video games’ use on mobile devices and personality traits. Play’s developmental impact on learning has been long established, but little has been said about the possible different utilization of games, e.g. as a tool for skills, performance and personality traits assessment in HR and recruitment context. The research questions aimed to verify existing connections between one of the most well−known personality theory (Big Five model), video game utilization (gamers vs. non−gamers), gaming frequency (casual vs. hardcore gamers) and reported preferences to different video games categories and mechanics. Data from 981 subjects was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t−test, Effect Size and correlation analysis. Results showed that gamers differ from non−gamers on Neuroticism and its relative sub−dimension, Impulse and Emotion control; casual gamers (who play monthly or weekly) tend to prefer routine tasks, while hardcore gamers (who play every day or more than once in a day) tend to like unusual ideas, adventure and creative tasks. Players of Role Playing games seems to be more scrupulous and more open, in particular to experience, than those who do not play with games of this category. Players of Puzzle category seem to be more cooperative, friendly, scrupulous and perseverant than those who do not play to this game category, as well as logical, rational, and capable of impulse control. Simulation and strategy category share significant results in Openness to culture dimension. No statistically significant results were found for Action and Adventure categories. Correlations found between BFA dimensions and game mechanics could allow to imagine a new video games’ taxonomy that transcend both academic and industrial definitions toward a nomenclature substantiated on psychological basis. This kind of redefinition could help to lay the groundwork to use video games as an assessment tool in personnel selection and evaluation.