Heightening fear response to horror video scenes by applying vibratory stimuli to upper bodies of viewers

Abstract

We investigated the possibility of heightening the fear response to horror video scenes by applying vibratory stimuli to the upper bodies of the viewers. In earlier studies, such vibratory stimuli were demonstrated to increase basic emotions, including arousal and valence; however, their effects on the viewers’ response to scary experiences have yet to be studied. The participants of our study watched two types of horror video scenes with and without 1-s vibratory stimuli. The combinations of movies and vibratory conditions were randomized. After accounting for the effects of the videos, we observed that the subjective level of fear and skin conductance significantly increased when the participants experienced upperbody vibration when viewing horror scenes. The findings of the study can be exploited in developing emotionally appealing audiovisual contents.