Fear Play: Probing the Emotional and Behavioral Effects of Horror Games

• In Event: Extended Session: Beyond Good and Evil: Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Effects of Digital Games

Abstract

Similar to their movie counterparts, the success of horror video games largely depends on their ability to evoke strong emotional reactions in their users. The emotion that this genre typically wants to evoke is also one of the most intense: Fear. As a robust body of psychological research has shown that experiencing fear can strongly affect interpersonal behavior and risk judgments, we were interested in the effects of fear instilled by horror video games. In an experimental study (N = 67) we compared the effects of a horror game (Outlast) and a similar non-horror game (Miasmata) on need for physical proximity to others, risk-taking and “scary word” beliefs. Although self-reported arousal was higher and dominance and valence were lower in the horror game condition, we found no differences in the outcome variables. Despite the null results, we believe that studying media-induced fear is an understudied topic that requires further research.

Authors

• Johannes Breuer, University of Cologne

• Malte Elson, Ruhr University Bochum