Abstract
This study examines the effects of different elements in video games on emotional experience and physiological response by using the Emotion and Arousal Questionnaire, salivary cortisol, and heart rate. Saliva samples and subjective data from the questionnaire were collected from 30 university students twice before and twice after playing a video game. They were randomly assigned to three groups: skill-learning, fighting and control with ten participants per group. The skill-learning group and the fighting group both played a fighting game. The skill-learning group played a training mode which requires players to learn the skill of the fighting game, while the fighting group played a match mode in which players fight computer-controlled characters. The control group played a game in which players leisurely enjoy village life. The results show that there were no significant differences in salivary cortisol or heart rate among three groups. However, there were significant differences in subjective indexes: tense and energetic arousal were evoked significantly in the skill-learning group and the fighting group.
