Spatial Presence and Emotions during Video Game Playing: Does It Matter with Whom You Play?

• Published in: Presence : teleoperators and virtual environment Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 381 - 392
• Main Authors: Ravaja, Niklas, Saari, Timo, Turpeinen, Marko, Laarni, Jari, Salminen, Mikko, Kivikangas, Matias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: One Rogers Street, Cambridge, MA 02142-1209, USA MIT Press 01.08.2006
• Subjects: attention; cardiovascular reactivity; dimensions; presence questionnaire; responses; screen; social support; stress; threat; virtual environments
• ISSN: 1054-7460; 1531-3263; 1531-3263
• DOI: 10.1162/pres.15.4.381

The authors examined whether the nature of the opponent (computer, friend, or stranger) influences spatial presence, emotional responses, and threat and challenge appraisals when playing video games. In a within-subjects design, participants played two different video games against a computer, a friend, and a stranger. In addition to self-report ratings, cardiac interbeat intervals (IBIs) and facial electromyography (EMG) were measured to index physiological arousal and emotional valence. When compared to playing against a computer, playing against another human elicited higher spatial presence, engagement, anticipated threat, post-game challenge appraisals, and physiological arousal, as well as more positively valenced emotional responses. In addition, playing against a friend elicited greater spatial presence, engagement, and self-reported and physiological arousal, as well as more positively valenced facial EMG responses, compared to playing against a stranger. The nature of the opponent influences spatial presence when playing video games, possibly through the mediating influence on arousal and attentional processes.