Title: What Do You Enjoy Doing? | Psychology Today
Headings: What Do You Enjoy Doing?
Art Markman Ph.D.
What Do You Enjoy Doing?
A challenge can be an enjoyable thing.

Content: Most chess players play the game, because they enjoy it. The researchers tracked 87 male chess players using a chess website over a 2-week period. On average, players played about 16 games in that period. After each game, the players rated their enjoyment of the game. Two main factors influenced players' enjoyment of the games they played. Games that they felt were challenging were enjoyed more than games that were easy. Games in which a player felt he played well were enjoyed more than games in which a player felt he did not play well. This study suggests that people find activities particularly rewarding when they are challenged and engaged. Of course, this result might just reflect something about chess players. Perhaps the people who gravitate to chess are ones that enjoy a challenge.