How to design and measure a serious game aiming at emotional engagement of social anxiety

Abstract

This experimental study outlines how a serious game can be designed with the aim of simulating an emotional sense of what it is like to have social anxiety disorder. Novel within the study is the use of psychophysiological measures (galvanic skin response and heart rate) as ways to organize specific game events for later interview sessions. Card sorting was used as a projective technique in the interviews as a way to have participants talk about their emotional states. The psychophysiological data, measured by Mionix Naos QG mouse, was used to support self-reported methods consisting of a questionnaire and interviews. The study is based on 28 university students, and tested in a lab environment to minimize external distractions. The game was designed with three different scenarios, and it was concluded that one scenario in particular successfully simulated an emotional sense of what is like to have social anxiety disorder. There is still much future work to do on how to use and interpret psychophysiological measurement within game research. There is also potential for increased validity and reliability using methods other than self-reports, especially with emotional engagement as a research focus.