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Physiological arousal deficits in addicted gamers differ based on preferred game genre
Olivia Metcalf1, Kristen Pammer
1Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia.
European Addiction Research
|August 8, 2013
Summary
Excessive gaming may involve physiological arousal deficits, with patterns varying by game genre. This study explored arousal in massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) and first-person shooter (FPS) gamers, finding differences in addicted players.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Excessive gaming's psychopathology is debated, with questions about its addictive nature.
- Understanding gamer arousal is crucial for identifying potential addiction markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate physiological and subjective arousal in gamers of different genres.
- To examine the relationship between sensation seeking and gaming addiction.
Main Methods:
- Recorded heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance in 60 male gamers (30 MMORPG, 30 FPS).
- Assessed gaming addiction using the Addiction-Engagement Questionnaire.
- Measured sensation seeking with the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking.
Main Results:
- Addicted MMORPG gamers showed decreased cardiovascular activity during gameplay.
- Addicted FPS gamers exhibited increased blood pressure during gameplay.
- No significant link was found between sensation seeking and gaming addiction.
Conclusions:
- Addicted gamers demonstrate physiological arousal deficits.
- Arousal patterns during gaming differ based on game genre (MMORPG vs. FPS).
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