title: Effects of racing games on risky driving behaviour, and the significance of personality and physiological data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racing games have emerged as top-selling products in the video and computer game industry. The effect of playing racing games on the inclination of gamers to take risks has been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, the impact of personality traits on the effects of playing racing games on risk-taking inclination was examined. The Vienna Test System, which includes the Eysenck Personality Profile Test and the Vienna Risk-Taking Test, was used to measure risk-taking inclination and risk-taking while driving. Experiment 2 was designed and conducted to analyse the effects of different intensity levels of car racing games on risk-taking inclination, and to study the relationship between physiological data and risk-taking inclination. Physiological data on skin conductance, heart rate and blood pressure were measured with the NeuroDyne System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants playing a racing game were more inclined to take risks in critical road traffic situations than those playing a neutral game. The adventurousness dimension of the Eysenck Personality Profile Test correlated significantly positively with risk-taking inclination. More importantly, the effect of the intensity level of a racing game on risk-taking inclination was significant. The higher the intensity level of the racing game, the higher the risk-taking inclination while driving. The effect of intensity level of the racing game on skin conductance was significantly positive. Skin conductance correlated significantly positively with risk-taking inclination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of playing racing games on risk-taking inclination is linked to personality and physiological data. Some recommendations are proposed as a result of this study for racing game management.
authors.affiliation: School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, KowloonTong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Alan H S
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Information, Xi'an University of Finance and Economics, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011998:Recreation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018910:Video Games; D055815:Young Adult