The Effect Of Goal Structure On Vo2 And Motivation In 6-10 Year Old Children During Exergame Play

Abstract

Previous research has examined contexts which may promote playing physically interactive video games (exergames) in place of traditional, sedentary video games in children. In one such study the presence of a friend did not increase children’s motivation to play an exergame versus a sedentary alternative. This lack of an effect may have been due to the competitive goal structure of the exergame studied. Children may prefer a cooperative game structure when playing with a friend. PURPOSE: To examine physiologic response and relative reinforcing value (RRV, i.e., motivation) for playing an exergame with a friend under two different goal structures: competitive and cooperative. METHODS: Participants (N = 7, 7.9 ± 1.5 years old) and a same-sex friend each completed three, 10-minute conditions: supine rest, competitive, and cooperative game play. During competitive game play, participants played Nintendo Wii Tennis against their friend. During the cooperative condition, subjects and their friend played together against a computer avatar. During each 10 minute session oxygen consumption (VO ml[BULLET OPERATOR]kg-1[BULLET OPERATOR]min-1) was recorded and children reported their liking, via visual analog scale, for that condition. After completing all three conditions, children completed an RRV computer task to assess their motivation to play the competitive versus cooperative goal structures. During the task children performed work (button presses) to gain access to competitive play, cooperative play or a combination of the two. The output maximum (Omax) or maximum amount of work (presses) for each goal structure was used as the measure of RRV. RESULTS: VO2 was significantly (p ≤ 0.009) greater for cooperative (8.88 ± 3.29 ml[BULLET OPERATOR]kg-1[BULLET OPERATOR]min-1) and competitive (10.24 ± 3.24 ml[BULLET OPERATOR]kg-1[BULLET OPERATOR]min-1) game play than the resting condition (5.75 ± 1.59ml[BULLET OPERATOR]kg-1[BULLET OPERATOR]min-1). Liking was also significantly (p ≤ 0.004) greater for cooperative (8.92 ± 2.03 cm) and competitive (8.59 ± 2.39 cm) game play than rest (3.07 ± 2.59 cm). There were no differences (p > 0.05) between cooperative and competitive game play for: VO2, liking, or Omax. CONCLUSION: In children, VO2 and liking were both greater during exergame play versus the resting condition. However, motivation to play the competitive and cooperative game structures was not significantly different.