Using startle reflex to compare playing and watching in a horror game

Human startle reflex has been identified as a valid physiological measure of valence and arousal, providing a useful mechanism for evaluating player engagement in video games. In this research, we use electromyography (EMG) recording of the startle reflex of participants to explore the impact of playing, versus watching a play through, of a game. Participants in the research played and watched Parsec Studio's Slender: The Eight Pages, a freely available video game within the horror genre. Experiments were conducted both with participants both playing and watching the game, with results showing a statistically significant difference in startle responses between the two conditions. The results suggest that the fear state of the game is enhanced through player interaction and increased attention.