Presence: Predicting Sensory and Control Effects of Console Video Games in Young Adults

This project investigates motivations to expend energy during video game play for 18- to 35-year-olds. It compares physiological measures of energy expenditure while people play traditional video games (those that involve pushing buttons on a standard game controller or on a Wii motion-sensing controller) versus active video games (those that require physical movement using inputs such as a dance pad, balance board or guitar). It also explores players' sense of being present in the game and their intrinsic motivation to play, two factors that are known to increase the amount of time people will spend playing a game. As this is the first time research study on the impacts of these factors on players' energy expenditure, these findings could potentially lead to recommendations for making traditional games more active and active games more compelling.