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Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS)3

Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS) Test

Understand what truly drives someone to play in about 4 minutes. Get a clear motivation profile to inform design choices, coaching, or research with 18 focused items.

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Questions: 184 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

29,852 views

1,978 completions

1,672 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/5

Intrinsic Motivation (IM)

Measures the extent to which a person plays games for inherent enjoyment, exploration, learning, skill growth, and excitement.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.8: Low | 2.9 – 4.4: Moderate | 4.5 – 5: High

A score of 4 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting the player is often driven by enjoyment and personal growth, though not consistently at the strongest level.

example score

3/5

Amotivation (A)

Assesses the extent to which a person lacks a clear motivation to play and engages in gaming mainly by inertia or without purpose.

Low amotivation

Moderate amotivation

High amotivation

1 – 1.6: Low amotivation | 1.7 – 3.6: Moderate amotivation | 3.7 – 5: High amotivation

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of amotivation, suggesting gaming is sometimes done without a clear goal or strong engagement.

example score

3/5

Introjected Regulation (IR)

Measures the extent to which gaming is driven by internal pressure such as guilt, obligation, or anxiety rather than genuine enjoyment.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.7: Low | 2.8 – 3.6: Moderate | 3.7 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of introjected regulation, suggesting you sometimes play to relieve guilt or meet an internalized “should,” alongside other motives.

example score

3/5

Integrated Regulation (IR)

Measures how much gaming is integrated into a person’s identity and longer-term goals as a personally endorsed form of external motivation.

Low integration

Moderate integration

High integration

1 – 1.3: Low integration | 1.4 – 3.4: Moderate integration | 3.5 – 5: High integration

A score of 3 indicates moderate integrative regulation, suggesting gaming is somewhat aligned with personal goals or lifestyle but not a strongly defining part of them.

example score

3/5

Identified Regulation (IR)

Measures how much gaming is driven by personally valued goals and perceived meaning rather than pure enjoyment or external pressure.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 1.5: Low | 1.6 – 3.5: Moderate | 3.6 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of identified regulation, suggesting gaming is sometimes aligned with personal goals and values but not consistently the main driver.

example score

3/5

External Regulation (ER)

Measures the extent to which a person is motivated to play games by external rewards, prizes, or recognition.

Low external regulation

Moderate external regulation

High external regulation

1 – 1.7: Low external regulation | 1.7 – 3.8: Moderate external regulation | 3.8 – 5: High external regulation

A score of 3 indicates a moderate influence of external rewards or recognition on the person’s gaming motivation.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Game designers and producers

41%OF USERS

They use it to understand what drives different player types and how game features shift motivation over time.

Psychologists and counselors

33%OF USERS

They assess whether gaming is fueled by enjoyment, achievement, or pressure and how it relates to well-being and coping.

Curious gamers and teams

26%OF USERS

They take it to get a clear snapshot of their own motives for playing and compare patterns within a group.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Intrinsic motivation (Im)

Average

3.2

Normal range

2.5 — 4

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Amotivation (A)

Average

2.1

Normal range

1.6 — 2.6

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Introjected Regulation (IR)

Average

2.5

Normal range

1.9 — 3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Integrative Regulation (IR)

Average

3.4

Normal range

2.9 — 3.9

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Identified Regulation (IR)

Average

2.1

Normal range

1.5 — 2.6

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

External Regulation (ER)

Average

3.2

Normal range

2.6 — 3.9

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

You will be presented with various statements in response to the question, “Why do you play online games?” Indicate the extent to which you agree with each statement using the scale provided.

- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Disagree
- Disagree somewhat
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Agree somewhat
- Agree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Somewhat agree
- Agree

These are 3 of the 18 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

cyberpsychology

computer games

self-determination

This self-report measure is designed to assess motivational reasons for engaging in digital gaming. The Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS) focuses on patterns of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as they relate to gaming behavior. Respondents rate 18 items in about 4 minutes.

Scores are typically interpreted as indicators of the relative strength of different motivational orientations (e.g., enjoyment and interest in the activity versus externally driven or pressure-based reasons for play). The Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS) may be used in clinical, counseling, or research contexts to support case formulation and to examine associations between gaming motives and functional outcomes, with results considered alongside other assessment data.

Author: Edward L. Deci, Richard M. Ryan

Literature: Ryan, R. M., Rigby, C. S., & Przybylski, A. K. The motivational pull of video games: A self-determination theory approach. Motivation and Emotion. 2006.; Lafrenière, M.-A. K., Verner-Filion, J., & Vallerand, R. J. Development and validation of the Gaming Motivation Scale (GAMS). Personality and Individual Differences. 2012.