Karolien Poels (1978) is an assistant professor of Strategic Communication at the University of Antwerp (Belgium), specializing in consumer psychology and digital gaming research. She has an MA in Communication Studies and a PhD in Social Sciences (both from Ghent University). She previously worked as a post doc researcher at the Human Technology Interaction Group of Eindhoven University of Technology (March 2007-September 2009) where she was involved in the FUGA-project (EU-FP6, NEST). Her current research focuses on the experience and consumption of digital media (e.g. digital games, virtual worlds) and strategic communication in digital worlds (e.g. in-game advertising).

Her work on Advertising and Emotions is published in international peer reviewed journals such as Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Advertising, and Journal of Business Research. This research was further presented at several international conferences within the field of Communication Studies (e.g. ICA, etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap) and Marketing/Advertising (e.g. EMAC, ICORIA). She presented her work on Digital Gaming Experience at several conferences within the field of Communication Studies (e.g. ICA, etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap) and the field of Human Computer Interaction and Game Studies (e.g. Chi, FuturePlay, DIGRA).

• Poels, K. & Malliet, S. (2011). Vice City Virtue. Moral Issues in Digital Game Play. Leuven: Acco Academic.
  

• Gabriels, K., Poels, K. & Braeckman, J. (in press). Morality and involvement in social virtual worlds: The intensity of moral emotions in response to virtual versus real life cheating. New Media & Society. 
• Poels, K., Janssens, W. & Herrewijn, L. (in press). Play Buddies or Space Invaders? Players' Attitudes towards In-Game Advertising. Journal of Advertising. 
• Herrewijn, L. & Poels, K. (in press). Putting Brands into Play: How Player Experiences Influence the Effectiveness of In-Game Advertising . International Journal of Advertising.
  
• Van den Hoogen, W., Poels, K., IJsselsteijn, W. & de Kort, Y. (in press). Between Challenge and Defeat: Repeated Player-Death and Game Enjoyment. Media Psychology.
• Poels, K. , de Kort, Y. & IJsselsteijn, W. (2012). Identification and Categorization of Digital Game Experiences: A Qualitative Study integrating Theoretical Insights and Player Perspectives . Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 9(1), 107-129.
• Poels, K., De Cock, N. & Malliet, S. (2012). ‘The Female Player’ does not exist. Gender identity relates to differences in player motivations and play styles. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15, 634-638. 
• Poels, K. Van den Hoogen, W.M., IJsselsteijn, W.A, de Kort, Y.A.W. (2012). Pleasure to play, arousal to stay. The effect of player emotions on  digital game preferences and playing time. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
• Poels, K. & Dewitte, S. (2008). Getting a line on print ads. Pleasure and arousal reactions reveal an implicit advertising mechanism. Journal of Advertising, 37(4), 63-74.
  
• Poels, K. & Dewitte, S. (2008). Hope and self-regulatory goals applied to a marketing context. Promotion prevention stimulates goal-directed behavior. Journal of Business Research, 61(10), 1030-1040.
  
• Poels, K. & Dewitte, S. (2006). How to capture the heart? Reviewing 20 years of emotion measurement in advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 46(1), 18-37.
  
• Poels, K. & Vyncke, P. (2005). Emotionele reacties op reclamestimuli: een evaluatie van verschillende meetmethoden. Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap, 33(2), 95-107.

• Herrewijn, L. & Poels, K. (in press). Rated A for Advertising: A Critical Reflection on In-Game Advertising. In Harry Agius & Marios C. Angelides (eds.) Handbook of Digital Games. New Jersey: Wiley-IEEE Press.
• Poels, K. & Malliet, S. (2011). Moral issues in digital game play: A multi-disciplinary view. In K. Poels & S. Malliet (eds.). Vice City Virtue. Moral Issues in Digital Game Play. Leuven: Acco Academic.
• Malliet, S., Thysen, T. & Poels K. (2011). Digital game rethoric and critical reasoning - the case of Grand Theft Auto IV and America's Army: Special Forces. In K. Poels & S. Malliet (eds.). Vice City Virtue. Moral Issues in Digital Game Play. Leuven: Acco Academic.
• Malliet, S., Thysen, T. & Poels, K. (2011). Digital game rethoric. Examining political message construction in America's Army and Grand Theft Auto IV. In E. Kirkland, M. Evans & A. Ruch (eds.). Critical Game Studies: Theory, Ideology, Methodology. Oxfor: Inter-Disciplinary Press. 
• Joye, J., Poels, K. & Willems, K. (2011). "Evolutionary Store Atmospherics" Designing with evolution in mind. In G. Saad (ed.). Evolutionary Psychology in the Business Sciences. Berlin: Springer, p. 289-317.
  
• Herrewijn, L. & Poels, K. (2010). A fun game brings more fame. How digital game experiences influence the effectiveness of in-game advertising. In C. Swertz & M. Wagner (Eds.), GAME\\PLAY\\SOCIETY. Contributions to Contemporary Computer Game Studies. München: Kopaed.
• Poels, K., IJsselsteijn, W.A., de Kort, Y.A.W., & Van Iersel, B. (2010). Digital Games, the Aftermath. Qualitative insights into Post Game Experiences. In R. Bernhaupt, R. (Ed.). Evaluating User Experiences in Games. Berlin: Springer, p.149-164.
• Berte, K., Hudders, L., & Poels, K. (2010). De internationale reclamesector. In: D. Biltereyst (Ed.). Macht en Media: Inleiding tot de Internationale Communicatie.Gent: Academia Press
  
• Pandelaere, M. & Poels, K. (2007). Dit moet je vermijden en dat moet je bereiken. Overheidscampagnes gericht op preventie en promotie. Management Jaarboek 2007.
• Dewitte, S. & Poels, K. (2005). Oh nee, diarree! Het verschil in gedragsintenties bij persuasieve communicatie gericht op vreugde versus opluchting. Management Jaarboek 2005, 165-169.
• Poels K. & Vyncke P. (2003). De cruciale rol van emoties bij reclamewerking. Management Jaarboek 2003, 148-153.
• Thienpont, K. & Poels, K. (2002). “Zeg mij wie uw vrienden zijn…” De Constructie van sociale identiteit multi-disciplinair bekeken.” In: A. Van den Brande (Ed.). Identiteiten: functies en dysfuncties. Gent: Academia Press.

• Malliet, S., Thysen, T. & K. Poels (2010) Digital Game Rhetoric: Examining Political Message Construction in America's Army and Grand Theft Auto IV. Online Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary Conference on 'Videogame Cultures and the Future of Interactive Entertainment', Oxford, July 7-9 2010. www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/mallietpaper.pdf
• Poels, K., IJsselsteijn, W.A., de Kort, Y.A.W., & B. Van Iersel (2009).  World of Warcraft, the Aftermath. How game elements transfer to real life perceptions and experiences. Proceedings of DiGRA 2009, Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory (London, 1-4 September 2009).
• Gajadhar, B.J., de Kort, Y.A.W.,  IJsselsteijn, W.A., & Poels, K. (2009). Where everybody knows your Game: the Appeal and Function of Game Cafes in Western Europe. Proceedings of the International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology 2009, accepted/ in press.
• van den Hoogen, W.M., IJsselsteijn, W.A., de Kort, Y.A.W., & Poels, K. (2008). Toward real-time behavioral indicators of player experiences: Pressure patterns and postural responses. In A.J. Spink, M.R. Ballintijn, N.D.Bogers, F.Grieco, L.W.S. Loijens, L.P.J.J. Noldus, G.Smit, & P.H. Zimmerman. Proceeding of Measuring Behaviour 2008 (pp100-101). Maastricht , Nederland.
• Poels, K., de Kort, Y.A.W., & IJsselsteijn, W.A. (2008). How does it feel to play games? Towards a comprehensive categorisation of digital game experience. Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2008 Proceedings [CD Rom], 7-8 February 2008, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• Poels, K., de Kort, Y.A.W., & IJsselsteijn, W.A. (2008). Identification and Validation of Post Game Experiences. In R. Bernhaupt, W. IJsselsteijn, F. Mueller, M. Tscheligi, D. Wixon (Organisers), Workshop "Evaluating User Experiences in Games" at ACM CHI 2008, April 5-10, Florence, Italy.
• Poels, K., de Kort, Y.A.W., & IJsselsteijn, W.A. (2008). Studying the Link between Game Experience and Eating Behavior. Meaningful Play 2008 Proceedings (East Lansing, Michigan, 9-11 October 2008).
• IJsselsteijn, W.A., Nap, H., de Kort, Y.A.W., and Poels, K. (2007). Digital Game Design for Elderly Users, Proceedings of Futureplay 2007 [CD Rom], Toronto, Canada, 17-22.
• Poels, K., de Kort, Y.A.W., & IJsselsteijn, W.A. (2007). "It is always a lot of fun!" Exploring Dimensions of Digital Game Experience using Focus Group Methodology, Proceedings of Futureplay 2007, Toronto [CD Rom], Canada, 83-89.
• de Kort, Y.A.W., IJsselsteijn, W.A., & Poels, K. (2007). Digital Games as Social Presence Technology: Development of the Social Presence in Gaming Questionnaire, PRESENCE 2007 Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 195-203.
• IJsselsteijn, W.A., de Kort, Y.A.W., Poels, K., Jurgelionis, A., &Belotti,F. (2007). Characterising and Measuring User Experiences, ACE 2007 International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, Workshop 'Methods for Evaluating Games - How to measure Usability and User Experience in Games', Salzburg, Austria [CD-rom].
• Poels, K. & Dewitte, S. (2007). Hope and self-regulatory goals applied to an advertising context. Promotion prevention stimulates goal-directed behavior. Proceedings of the La Londe Consumer Behavior Conference 2007, La Londe, France.
• Poels, K., Dewitte, S., & Vyncke, P. (2005). Changing roles, changing preferences? The dual impact of gender identity on sex-specific ad preferences. Proceedings of the 34th European Marketing Academy Conference, Milan, Italy.