“How do natural childhood fears affect the overall experience of video gaming?”

The gaming industry, particularly the horror genre, has grown in popularity, especially among adult players. This study explores how horror game design draws from childhood fears, a gap in current research. It examines how childhood fears influence horror game experiences, players' relation to darkness, and parental influence on fear processing. Preliminary research identified effective game design techniques. Participants played an experimental horror game, "The Unmasked," followed by a questionnaire capturing their gaming experiences and childhood concerns, immediately after the game and a few days later, exploring its impact. The findings emphasize the alignment of the experimental game with established game design theories, such as monster theory and the uncanny valley, particularly regarding jump-scares. They reveal the lasting impact of concontextual storytelling elements on players' consciousness beyond gameplay. Music, especially audio cues from unknown sources, was noted as frightening, even when passive. Additionally, the study identifies nuances in monster depictions, especially when their hostility diminishes, and highlights the role of environmental factors, like weather, in evoking fear—a relatively underexplored aspect in horror games. The research suggests a synthesis between horror gaming and childhood fears, indicating that the supernatural elements and unconventional rules in horror games resonate with the innate curiosity and exploration found in childhood development. This work highlights the connection between gaming techniques and primal psychological instincts, offering insights into the dynamics behind horror gaming's allure and emphasizing the need for further research in childhood psychology to advance game design.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Bradford

Author dc:creator

• Kremer, Deline-Isabeau

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Not named

• Video gaming experience
• Gameplay
• Digital game design
• Horror video gaming
• Childhood experiences
• Fear
• Natural childhood fears

Statement dc:rights

• <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/20737

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/20737