Correlations Between Digital Gaming Habits and L2 Learner Vocabulary : Taking Frequency, Language Density, Engagement in the Gaming Community, and Gamer Identity into Consideration

This study explores different factors surrounding digital gaming habits and their correlations with L2 learners’ vocabulary. 174 participants studying in Swedish upper secondary school answered a questionnaire about their gaming habits and undertook a vocabulary size test. The questionnaire extracted how frequent the participants play commercial digital games in English, what genre of games they primarily play, to what extent they engage in communities surrounding games, and whether they identify as gamers. The game genres were divided into two groups based on the quality and quantity of language the player is exposed to through a typical session with the genre, referred to in the study as language density. Answers to the questionnaire were analyzed in relation to their scores on the test. Results showed a significant correlation between each respective factor and a broader vocabulary. In comparing the different genres players primarily play, significant correlations were found between playing language dense games and a broader vocabulary compared to players who play less language dense games. Overall, the findings offer a nuanced insight into what factors related to commercial digital gaming predict vocabulary test scores.