Exploring mood management via exposure to a massively multi-player online game.

by Mark Mulligan

This research explored video games in the context of mood management. Specifically, the goal was to determine if playing a massively multi-player online game (MMOG) would allow respondents in varied mood states to achieve or perpetuate an optimal level of arousal during game play. The MMOG chosen was World of Warcraft. A total of 63 males and 18 females participated in the research. The study involved a short-term field experiment in which the respondents' moods were manipulated prior to game exposure. Three groups comprised the research (boredom induced group, stress induced group, and a control group). An experimental mood scale based on absolute values (2 = bored, 1 = sort of bored, 0 = feel good, 1 = sort of stressed, 2 = stressed) collected data on self-reported mood states during game-play as a method to determine levels of arousal. The means of the mood scale were compared to the optimal arousal zone (OAZ) in which a mean score of .50 or less was considered within the zone. A WrisTech monitor collected cardiovascular measurements as an additional method to determine arousal levels. The mood and cardiovascular measurements were collected in 5-minute intervals across 30-minutes of game-play. The calculations of a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ORM-ANOVA) found significant results to support the main hypothesis and answering the primary research question stating that mood state would improve as a result of being exposed to game-play for a 10-minute and 30-minute time frame. Additionally, a favorable outcome was found for the hypotheses and research questions that involved a reduction in stress based on a decrease in cardiovascular reactivity during game play.;Key Terms: mood management theory, massively multi-player online games (MMOG), World of Warcraft, optimal arousal zone (OAZ), mood scale, WrisTech monitor.

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