Learning Racing Emotions: Empowerment of risk perception while playing racing videogames

The present study explores how drivers and non-drivers interact with racing videogames. Subjects were asked to play two type of racing videogames while their driving behavior, arousal activation and facial expressions were recorded. Representations about driving, risk perception, and user evaluation of videogames were also collected. Results showed significant differences between drivers and non-drivers in: heart rate activation and negative emotions for the two different types of racing videogames. In particular the drivers seemed to be more aware of the risky driving situations they were facing in the game, while non-drivers didn’t seem to have the same emotional activations towards risk. It should be questioned how and at what condition a ludic driving simulation could interact in a constructive way with young non-drivers that haven’t yet developed a complex hazard system to explore the road.

[1]  Chengqiu Xie.  Traffic and Transport Psychology , 2002 .

[2]  G. Underwood,et al.  Anger while driving , 1999 .

[3]  D. Roth,et al.  Relation of Useful Field of View and other Screening Tests to on-Road Driving Performance , 2000, Perceptual and motor skills.

[4]  E. Salas,et al.  Introduction: The Study of Stress and Human Performance , 1996 .

[5]  M. Guarnieri,et al.  Accidents and acts of God: a history of the terms. , 1996, American Journal of Public Health.

[6]  I A McCormick,et al.  Comparative perceptions of driver ability--a confirmation and expansion. , 1986, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[7]  Margaret M. Peden,et al.  World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention , 2004 .

[8]  Peter Chapman,et al.  VISUAL SEARCH PATTERNS IN TRAINED AND UNTRAINED NOVICE DRIVERS , 2002 .

[9]  P Delhomme,et al.  Comparing one's driving with others': assessment of abilities and frequency of offences. Evidence for a superior conformity of self-bias? , 1991, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[10]  Mica R. Endsley,et al.  Measurement of Situation Awareness in Dynamic Systems , 1995, Hum. Factors.

[11]  Young Drivers.  Young drivers. , 1992, North Carolina medical journal.

[12]  M Goszczyńska,et al.  Self-evaluation of drivers' skill: a cross-cultural comparison. , 1989, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[13]  R Banuls Eseda,et al.  DIFFERENT EMOTIONAL RESPONSES IN NOVICE AND PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS , 1997 .

[14]  A J McKnight,et al.  Multivariate analysis of age-related driver ability and performance deficits. , 1999, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[15]  Thomas A. Dingus,et al.  The Impact of Driver Inattention on Near-Crash/Crash Risk: An Analysis Using the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study Data , 2006 .

[16]  Truls Vaa,et al.  COGNITION AND EMOTION IN DRIVER BEHAVIOUR MODELS : SOME CRITICAL VIEWPOINTS , 2005 .

[17]  David D Clarke,et al.  Voluntary risk taking and skill deficits in young driver accidents in the UK. , 2005, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[18]  A. Damasio,et al.  Deciding Advantageously Before Knowing the Advantageous Strategy , 1997, Science.

[19]  M. Shipp.  Understanding Driving: Applying Cognitive Psychology to a Complex Everyday Task , 2001 .

[20]  G. Underwood,et al.  Forgetting near-accidents: the roles of severity, culpability and experience in the poor recall of dangerous driving situations , 2000 .