Meta‐analysis of digital game and study characteristics eliciting physiological stress responses

Abstract

Digital games have been used as stressors in a range of disciplines for decades. Nonetheless, the underlying characteristics of these stressors and the study in which the stressor was applied are generally not recognized for their moderating effect on the measured physiological stress responses. We have therefore conducted a meta-analysis that analyzes the effects of characteristics of digital game stressors and study design on heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, in studies carried out from 1976 to 2012. In order to assess the differing quality between study designs, a new scale is developed and presented, coined reliability of effect size. The results show specific and consistent moderating functions of both game and study characteristics, on average accounting for around 43%, and in certain cases up to 57% of the variance found in physiological stress responses. Possible cognitive and physiological processes underlying these moderating functions are discussed, and a new model integrating these processes with the moderating functions is presented. These findings indicate that a digital game stressor does not act as a stressor by virtue of being a game, but rather derives its stressor function from its characteristics and the methodology in which it is used. This finding, together with the size of the associated moderations, indicates the need for a standardization of digital game stressors.

GASICA: generic automated stress induction and control application design of an application for controlling the stress state

“…As the category of the utilized stressor and stress response are already determined, we will first determine the form and type of the utilized stressor and stress responses, using requirements formulated based on our aim to continuously measure and exert control over the stress state in various research and therapy paradigms. Subsequently we will determine the characteristics of the different components using a recent meta-analysis we conducted (van der Vijgh et al, 2015 ) as guideline. Finally we will determine the instantiations and/or implementations of the components, using sets of requirements and the meta-analysis as guidelines.…”

“…Another widely used type of acute psychological stressor not discussed in this analysis consists of a combination of the latter three stressor types, hereby alleviating the limitation of one-dimensionality pertaining to the individual stressor types: a digital stressor game , i.e., a digital game producing a stressor. In a recent meta-analysis 5448 articles were found when using search phrases to find studies utilizing this type of stressor 1 , indicating the widespread use of this type of stressor (van der Vijgh et al, 2015 ). We adhere to the definition of a game used in this analysis: a game is defined as a type of play activity conducted in the context of a pretended reality, in which the player(s) try to achieve at least one arbitrary, nontrivial goal by acting in accordance with rules (Adams, 2010 ).…”

“…In the same meta-analysis by van der Vijgh et al ( 2015 ), the relation between digital game characteristics and physiological stress responses is analyzed. Using meta-regression, this analysis identified four stressor game characteristics, presenting different stressor forms, that significantly moderated the physiological stress responses in a predictable and consistent manner.…”

“…The game is designed as a 3D puzzle game because the same meta-analysis (van der Vijgh et al, 2015 ) indicated that this game type elicited the highest stress response of the analyzed game types. The narrative provided is that an adolescent boy or girl (i.e., the avatar, the entity that is controlled by the subject, gender is not made explicit) has to find notes that are scattered across the house and garden of his or her uncle, an inventor and scientist, who needs these notes within a given amount of time in order to finish his work.…”

“…We compiled a list of all stress response types and corresponding measurements encountered in the meta-analysis on digital game characteristics utilized in the previous section (van der Vijgh et al, 2015 ), as this provides an exhaustive overview of the kind of measurements performed with stressor games in the past 36 years. We reviewed these types and measurements to match these against the above requirements.…”