Pokémon GO not so social after all, research reveals

IT IS THE viral smartphone game that led hordes of computer gamers out into the real world with phones held aloft as they competed with each other.

But new research suggests Pokémon GO – which its designers created to make gaming more sociable – may actually be putting players at risk of “pavement rage” as they take part.

The study, which monitored the emotional responses of people as they took part in the augmented reality game, has revealed a surprisingly anti-social aspect of Pokémon GO.

Analysis showed players experience unconscious spikes in anger and frustration when they encounter other members of the public while hunting down the fictional characters in the game.

The research also revealed just how immersive the game could be – with one participant in the study almost walking into the path of an oncoming truck.

Biometric sensors showed the player was totally absorbed in the game until another member of the public who alerted them to the danger, which caused their heart rate to rise rapidly.

Adam Simpson, a neuroscience analyst at Sensum, the company that developed the emotion sensing technology, said their results suggested that Pokémon GO was not as social and interactive as it had been claimed to be. – Daily Mail