This paper reviews the psychophysiological method in game research. The use of psychophysiological measurements provides an objective, continuous, real-time, non-invasive, precise, and sensitive way to assess the game experience, but for best results it requires carefully controlled experiments, large participant samples and specialized equipment. We briefly explain the theory behind the method and present the most useful measures. We review previous studies that have used psychophysiological measures in game research, and provide future directions.

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.

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This article examines how approach motivation as indexed by electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry over the prefrontal cortex predicts purchase decision when brand and price are varied. In a within-subjects design, the participants were presented purchase decision trials with 14 different grocery products (seven private label and seven national brand products) whose prices were increased and decreased while their EEG activity was recorded. The results showed that relatively greater left frontal activation (i.e., higher approach motivation) during the predecision period predicted an affirmative purchase decision. The relationship of frontal EEG asymmetry with purchase decision was stronger for national brand products compared with private label products and when the price of a product was below a normal price (i.e., implicit reference price) compared with when it was above a normal price. Higher perceived need for a product and higher perceived product quality were associated with greater relative left frontal activation.

Carlin tagging data for 1980–1991 were used to examine the influence of smolt size and feeding conditions on the post‐smolt survival of ranched River Neva salmon, (Salmo salar L.), in the the Gulf of Finland, which is the native feeding area of the stock, and in the Bothnian Sea, where the stock has been introduced. Because of better feeding conditions, the survival rates were higher and less variable in the Gulf of Finland than in the Bothnian Sea. In the Bothnian Sea, the annual variability in survival decreased and the mean value increased with increasing smolt size from the smallest (14–16 cm) to the largest (28–30 cm) size classes. The survival was positively correlated with growth rates, food resources and sea‐surface temperatures. This suggests that in the Bothnian Sea the annual variability in survival is mainly because variable marine conditions affect growth rates, and, thus, the vulnerability of the post‐smolts to size‐dependent predation. In the Gulf of Finland, the survival advantage of large initial size and rapid growth was counteracted by size‐selective post‐smolt mortality from fishing. The increase in the survival rate with increasing smolt size levelled off at 22 cm, and the correlations between survival, growth and the indices of feeding conditions were mostly insignificant. For large smolts, some negative correlations were recorded, suggesting that the relative significance of mortality from fishing may even exceed that of size‐dependent natural mortality. The implications of the results for management are discussed.