Partial Reinforcement in Game Biofeedback for Relaxation Training

This paper investigates the effect of reinforcement schedules on biofeedback games for stress self-regulation. In particular, it examines whether partial reinforcement can improve resistance to extinction of relaxation behaviors, i.e., once biofeedback is removed. Namely, we compare two types of rei...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on affective computing 2021-01, Vol.12 (1), p.141-153
Main Authors: Parnandi, Avinash, Gutierrez-Osuna, Ricardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automatic control
Biofeedback
Biofeedback games
Biological control systems
Correlation analysis
deep breathing
Games
games for health
Heart rate
partial reinforcement
Regression analysis
Reinforcement
Resistance
resistance to extinction
Schedules
skill transfer
Stress
Task analysis
Training
video games
wearable sensors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This paper investigates the effect of reinforcement schedules on biofeedback games for stress self-regulation. In particular, it examines whether partial reinforcement can improve resistance to extinction of relaxation behaviors, i.e., once biofeedback is removed. Namely, we compare two types of reinforcement schedules (partial and continuous) in a mobile biofeedback game that encourages players to slow their breathing during gameplay. The game uses a negative-reinforcement instrumental conditioning paradigm, removing an aversive stimulus (random actions in the game) if players slows down their breathing. We conducted an experimental trial with 24 participants to compare the two reinforcement schedules against a control condition. Our results indicate that partial reinforcement improves resistance to extinction, as measured by breathing rate and skin conductance post-treatment. In addition, based on linear regression and correlation analysis we found that participants in the partial reinforcement learned to slow their breathing at the same pace as those under continuous reinforcement. The article discusses the implications of these results and directions for future work.
ISSN:1949-3045
1949-3045
DOI:10.1109/TAFFC.2018.2842727