Psychological and Physiological Responses to Stereoscopic 3D Presentation in Handheld Digital Gaming: Comparing the Experiences of Frequent and Infrequent Game Players

Recent advances in commercial gaming technology include stereoscopic 3D presentation. This experiment employed a mixed factorial design to explore the effects of game display format (2D; 3D), frequency of game play (weekly; non-weekly), and participant gender (male; female) on feelings of presence and arousal among participants playing a handheld racing video game. Responses to display format were moderated by frequency of game play, with stereoscopic 3D presentation eliciting reduced presence and increased arousal among weekly game players, but the reverse pattern among non-weekly game players. Theoretical and practical implications of the moderating role of game play frequency in effects of 3D presentation are discussed.