The Dual-Process Mechanism of Game Player Recharge Behavior: Cognitive Biases, Emotional Drives and Ethical Interventions

The global in-game purchase market reached $160 billion in 2023, yet 45% of players exhibit irrational spending behaviors. Grounded in Kahnemans dual-process theory, this study deconstructs the multidimensional drivers of recharge decisions through a tripartite methodological approach. Combining large-scale questionnaires (n=500), high-precision eye-tracking (n=30), and fMRI neuroimaging (n=20), this study addresses two core research questions: (1) How do achievement, social, and emotional motivations hierarchically stratify decisions across player typologies (whales vs. non-payers)? (2) To what neurocognitive extent do scarcity-based designs inhibit prefrontal regulation mechanisms? Key findings reveal that "virtual self-consistency" as the core psychological driver (=0.420.61), explains 21.3% additional variance beyond established scales like PENS. Neuroimaging confirms a 29% suppression of prefrontal cortex (BA10) activation during scarcity exposure, validating impaired cognitive control. Crucially, achievement motivation dominated whale spending (M=4.32 vs. 1.35 on Likert-5 scales), while emotional compensation correlated with amygdala hyperactivity (t(19)=3.42, p=0.003). The studys theoretical significance lies in extending dual-process frameworks to digital contexts by: quantifying cross-motivational modulation (socialachievement =0.51); establishing BA10 hypoactivation as a neural biomarker for impulsivity, and developing the Virtual Self-Consistency Scale (=0.91) as a novel metric. Practically, this paper proposes an ethical intervention framework where 15-second cooling popups reduce impulsive recharges by 23% with minimal revenue impact (3.2%), while bank-API-integrated budget locks curtail excessive spending by 61.3% in high-risk users. These findings offer empirically validated tools for policymakers balancing consumer protection and sustainable industry growth, addressing urgent societal challenges evidenced by 37% annual growth in minor-related reimbursement complaints.