The effects of intrinsic cognitive load and gameplay interest on flow experience reflecting performance progress in a Chinese remote association game

Remote association requires players to use their mental transformation to identify objects’ relationships by activating knowledge application. A Chinese Remote Association game was designed (example question: □樂□信□車, where the answer is快) to explore learners’ cognitive and affective effects, and then eighth grade students were invited to play using their smartphones. Data were collected for confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling. The results revealed that intrinsic cognitive load was negatively related to flow experience, while gameplay interest was positively related to flow experience, and flow experience was positively related to performance progress in Chinese association. The implication of this study is that using remote Chinese association as an application game can enhance players’ flow experience and performance.