Psychological research identifies Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (SPS) as a stable personality trait characterized by deeper cognitive and emotional processing of sensory and social stimuli (Aron & Aron, 1997). Individuals with high levels of SPS, often referred to as Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs), tend to exhibit heightened emotional reactivity, strong empathy, and increased awareness of environmental details. Importantly, SPS is not considered a disorder, but rather a neurobiological variation in how individuals perceive and process information.
Neuroscientific studies further support this distinction. Functional MRI research indicates that highly sensitive individuals show increased activation in brain regions associated with emotional evaluation, empathy, and meaning-making when exposed to both social and environmental stimuli (Acevedo et al., 2014). This suggests that emotional cues, atmosphere, and contextual details are processed more deeply and carry greater experiential weight for this player group.
From a player experience perspective, high sensitivity is closely associated with susceptibility to overstimulation. Due to deeper information processing, prolonged exposure to high-intensity stimuli—such as rapid pacing, dense audiovisual feedback, or sustained pressure—can lead to emotional fatigue rather than increased engagement (Aron, 2013). As a result, engagement for highly sensitive players is less dependent on stimulus intensity and more strongly influenced by pacing, emotional coherence, and perceived meaning.
Game studies research on player engagement aligns with these findings, identifying a subset of players who prioritize emotional resonance, narrative depth, and relational understanding over challenge mastery or competitive success (Bopp et al., 2016). Highly sensitive players are therefore more likely to engage deeply with games that emphasize atmosphere, subtle storytelling, and reflective experiences, rather than constant action-driven interaction.
Based on these findings, this project adopts a design philosophy that values emotional pacing, narrative subtlety, and experiential depth. By grounding the player experience in psychological and neuroscientific research on sensory and emotional processing, the game aims to support sustained engagement through meaning-making and emotional immersion, rather than reliance on high-intensity stimulation alone.
References
Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory-processing sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Acevedo, B. P., Aron, E. N., Aron, A., & Sangster, M. D. (2014). The highly sensitive brain. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
Aron, E. N. (2013). The Highly Sensitive Person. Broadway Books.
Bopp, J. A., Mekler, E. D., & Opwis, K. (2016). An experience-driven model of player engagement. Proceedings of CHI.
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