Abstract
This thesis examines whether repeated associations between neutral environmental objects and emotionally charged events can condition player emotion and influence in-game decision-making. The researcher developed a custom Dying Light single-player level called, “Conditional Illusion,” in which players explore a mansion and uncover narrative context through notes. Within the level, initially neutral objects, specifically a printer and a radio, were repeatedly paired with safe and horror events respectively, establishing patterned emotional associations. To evaluate the conditioning effect, the researcher recorded players’ facial emotional responses and gameplay footage during playtests, supplemented by post-playtest questionnaires. Results indicated that players consistently rated horror-paired spaces as more tense than safe-paired spaces, and the horror-associated object retained a stronger residual emotional effect in neutral contexts.
Degree Date
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.I.T.
Department
Level Design
Advisor
Katie Wood Clark
Second Advisor
Karl Steiner
Third Advisor
Mike Porter
Acknowledgements
I would like to sincerely thank my primary thesis advisor, Professor Katie Wood Clark, for her consistent guidance, thoughtful feedback, and support throughout this research. I am also deeply grateful to Professor Mike Porter for his insight and encouragement during the development of this project. Special thanks to Dr. Karl Steiner for his guidance on the use of facial emotion recognition software and for his valuable advice on data analysis. I would also like to thank my peers at SMU Guildhall for their support and discussion, as well as all playtest participants whose time and feedback made this research possible.
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Wang, Yongchen, "Repeated Environmental Object Association and Its Influence on Player Emotion and Decision-Making" (2026). Level Design Theses and Dissertations. 31.
https://scholar.smu.edu/guildhall_leveldesign_etds/31
