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Influence of Experience Level on Physical Activity During Interactive Video Gaming
Justin A Kraft1, William D Russell, Nathan Clark
1Dept of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO.
Journal of Physical Activity & Health
|August 27, 2014
Summary
Interactive video games (IVGs) offer a customizable physical activity, but experience can increase efficiency, potentially reducing exercise outcomes. Enjoyment remains high across different experience levels in martial arts IVGs.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Sports Science
Background:
- Interactive video games (IVGs) offer adaptable physical demands, impacting their use for physical activity.
- Investigating the effect of user experience on physiological and affective responses to IVGs is crucial for understanding their efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how experience level influences activity levels and affect during martial arts IVG play.
- To compare physiological and affective responses between walking and IVG conditions.
Main Methods:
- Twenty participants underwent three 15-minute trials: walking, IVG with no prior experience (INEXP), and IVG after 2 hours of practice (EXP).
- Measurements included heart rate (HR), step counts, metabolic equivalents (METs), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and affect (enjoyment, positive/negative affect).
Main Results:
- Mean heart rate (HR) was lower during walking than during both INEXP and EXP IVG conditions.
- Peak HR and session RPE were lower for walking compared to INEXP and EXP, but higher for INEXP than EXP.
- While walking improved negative affect more, IVG conditions were rated as more enjoyable.
Conclusions:
- The martial arts IVG provided a greater exercise stimulus than walking.
- Increased user experience with IVGs may lead to more efficient movements, potentially diminishing exercise outcomes.
- Despite potential decreases in exercise stimulus with experience, IVGs remain highly enjoyable.
