Impact of Competitive Versus Cooperative Exergame Play on Releasing Anxiety Among Male University Students

摘要

Exergames appear to have great potential in releasing anxiety and two ubiquitous elements of exergames are competition and cooperation. However, less is known about effects of competition and cooperation in exergames on anxiety state. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine and compare possible anxiolytic impacts of the two game modes in male university students. Twenty-four healthy male students were recruited and randomly assigned to competitive exergame, cooperative exergame or control conditions. All participants' state anxiety, trait anxiety or skin conductance were accessed before and after the interventions. During the experiment, the competition and cooperation groups played the exergame in different modes respectively, while the control group was asked to do traditional exercises. Results showed that cooperative exergame significantly improved the state anxiety as well as the physiological behavior. No significant changes of self-report anxiety or physiological response occurred in the competition and control group. Exergames, especially played cooperatively, can be an effective tool for anxiety management.