LIST OF TABLES

S.NO LIST OF TABLES PAGE.NO

1. Frequency test - Age of the student

2. Frequency test - Pocket money received

3. Frequency test - Number of TV sets

4. Frequency test - Number of hours playing

video games in week days

5. Frequency test - Place for playing video games

6. Frequency test - Type of video games

7. Frequency test - Feeling after playing video games.

8. Frequency test - Don’t like to talk while playing video games

9. Cross tab - Gender * Playing games during week days

10. Cross tab - Gender * Type of video games

11. Cross tab - Gender * Distraction of their studies

12. Cross tab - Type of game * Late sleep

13. Mean of Male and Female students

14. One way analysis of variance.

15. Result of post-hoc Tukey Tests

1

Introduction:

Video games are electronic games played on a video screen. There are many types

or genres, of these games: shooters, first-person shooters, sports, strategy, adventure are

just a few. Video games usually come on CDs or DVDs now, but many games used to

come on cartridges. Some games can also be downloaded from the internet. The device

used to play a video game at home is called a console. There have been many types of

consoles and home computers used to play video games. Some of the first were the Atari

2600, the Sega Master System and Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1980s. Newer

video game consoles are the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3.The best selling video game

console of all time is the PlayStation 2, made by Sony. People can also use PCs to play

games, which are sometimes called computer games or PC games. The older consoles do

not have new games developed for them often, although console games are emulated for

PCs. This means that new computers can play many old console games along with games

made just for new computers. Older games are often more popular emulated than when

they were first on sale. People can play portable video games anywhere. One of the most

popular portable video game consoles is the Nintendo Game Boy. Today, there are the

Nintendo DS and the PlayStation Portable. People can even watch movies on the

PlayStation Portable. Competitions of video game players are held. They are called

electronic sports.

The first video game ever is often said to be a computer game called Spacewar!.

In fact, some ideas of video games can be found before people made Spacewar. In the

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50s, when the first computers began to be made, three people had some ideas to create the

basis of actual video games.

In 1951, Ralph Baer, an American engineer of Loral Electronics, tried to create

"the best television", proposing to add a gaming module, but his employer didn't like his

idea. Even if his idea was never realized, he is the first man to have thought of the idea of

video games.

Later, in 1952, A.S Douglas, of the Cambridge University in the UK, made a

video game on a computer in order to illustrate one of his speeches. The game, called

OXO, was a tic-tac-toe game and one of the players was the computer.

In 1953, Willy Higginbotham made a game called Tennis For Two to entertain the

visitors of the National Laboratory of Brookhaven. One of the most famous video games

ever is called Space Invaders. Space Invaders was one of the very earliest video games.

Space Invaders was made in 1978 as a coin operated machine but a version has been

made for almost every different game console and home computer ever available.

There have been some arguments over the violence and sex in video games.

Video games that have lots of violence or sex have not been sold in certain countries.

Some games such as these can be sold to people but only to adults.

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Definition

Video games:

An electronic or computerized game played by manipulating images on a video

display or television screen.

College students:

One who is enrolled or attends classes at a college, or university.

Research question:

1. Is the impact of playing video games is different for boys and girls?

2. What are the effects of playing video games among college students?

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Introduction:

The literature review provide to any research. The majority of these areas have

been selected in line with the Effect of video games. Other areas were also selected for

discussion because of need to highlight their importance and identify areas that require

particular attention for video games to cater to the needs of particular players.

Video game:

Video game is an electronic game, nowadays Video games are multimillion dollar

businesses and it covers world wide audience. It is having both positive and negative

effects on the audience. The players of video games are not only children but also youth.

Today almost all have electronic devices at home. Parents usually buy computers for their

children’s educational purpose, but teenagers use computer also to play games, chat with

their friends. Computer can cause teenagers to be physically and mentally ill, and the

more the child spends time on the computer, the more he or she loses time to focus on

their studies, and to talk to their family. Common belief is that video games are for

children, but with the evolution of computer graphics and the recent success of violent

games, such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Halo, and Resident Evil 4, many are

wondering how suitable these games are for adolescents.

In modern society, playing computer game is very common. Even though

computer games are common in our life, they have not only good effects, but also bad

effects, especially on teenagers. Moreover, even though parents know that teenagers play

computer games too much, they do not know why teenagers are widely excited at

computer games, and what the bad effects of computer games are on them.

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There are two main reasons for teenagers to play computer games too much. The

first reason why teenagers play computer games too much is very simple. It is because

computer games are full of fun. Computer games aim to relieve stress. Therefore,

computer games very splendid violent content. The content may teach violent behavior.

Barrie Gunter (2000) argues that playing computer or video games with violent themes is

a danger in the real world. The power of vide or computer games may also derive from

the feeling of control which they stimulate in young players. Thus, computer games drive

teenagers to be more violent. Besides, teenagers misunderstand that they become

characters in the computer games.

Video and computer games have become a basic part of their lives: nearly all are

playing electronic games at least occasionally. Many parents feel they don’t know

enough about the games their children are playing, and worry about their children's lives.

Fortunately, there are steps parents which they can take to make sure that video games

are a healthy part of their lives and a fun part of family life as well.

Computers video games and the internet have become important features of daily

lives. Computer is now a major source of fun and entertainment for many people. For

most people, computer usage and video game playing are integrated into their lives in a

balanced healthy manner. For many others time spent on the computer or video game is

out of proposition, and has displaced work, school, friends, and even family.

Since the recent part youth are increasingly using electronic media. School

assignments include web-based research for homework, e-mail has replaced letter

writing, and the instant messaging is starting to replace the telephone. Youth are more

media literate than their parents, yet the outcomes of this transition are not always

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positive. Youth recreation has merged with media to include video games, music

downloading, and interactive websites, replacing youth activities, such as basketball,

swimming, and other outdoor activities.

In the past 30 years, video games had a major impact on people’s leisure time.

The first generation of video games were more than simple geometric shapes, one or

more of which could be controlled by the game player. With the release of the Nintendo

Entertainment System in the 1980s and Sony's Play station in the 1990s came new

generations of games with better graphics.

The video game industry grew enormously by 1970s. One of the industry giants,

Nintendo, sold an average of three games every second from 1983 to 1995 i.e. over one

billion games. That is equal to one game for every teenager on earth, ("Nintendo sells one

billionth game," 1995). Struggle between video game industries has begun to see who can

build the newest, fastest and most popular game.

Electronic interactive games have emerged as one of the most popular forms of

entertainment, particularly among adolescents. In 1998, revenues totaled $6.3 billion in

the United States. Ninety percent (90%) of U.S. households with children have owned a

video or computer game, and young people spend an average of 20 minutes per day

playing video games. Video games are the second most popular form of entertainment

after television.

Video Games, Motivation, and Addiction

Gentile (1993) suggested that Video games are natural teachers. It is accelerates

thinking process, decision making skill, concentration, problem solving, when introduced

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to information technology. If the children perceive it an negative, they get aggressive

behavior, lack in their academic and have sleeping problem. If the players perceive it in

positive way the video games will be a teacher.

On the other hand Portal (1989) stated that compulsive gaming is a physical

disorder. Now a day’s many youngsters are suffering by addiction to video games.

Virtual games bring a sense of fun thrill and excitement when they play, these feelings

make them addictive. Seriousness of this addiction is unnoticed. It will change good

things into bad due to the bad usage.

Kranz (2003) stated that root of this addiction is from harmless source. But no one

will escape from this addiction. No one will prevent them from this addiction. He says

also that this disorder is hard to manage. Parents do not have awareness about the video

game addiction. Of playing computer games harms a child’s or adult’s family and social

relationships, or disrupts school or work, that person may be caught in a circle of

addiction. Like other addiction, the computer or video game has replaced friends and

family as a source of person’s emotional life. The addicted person spends more time

playing video games or searching the internet.

Konami (2007) suggested that, games with positive content show positive effects.

For example, playing a dancing video game can help children lose weight.

Skinner (1988) discovered the principles of a powerful learning paradigm called

Operant Conditioning. Operant conditioning explains the use of consequences that

modify the occurrence and formation of behavior. Dill (1988), predicted that effort and

energy mobilization are to be the greatest for a difficult and possible task where success

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is rewarded. Videogames are an excellent example of what this theory of motivation

predicts to be the most highly motivating task.

Gentile (1984) called video game as “exemplary teachers,” noting the following

exemplary dimensions of video games: clear objectives with adaptable difficulty levels,

active learning with practice and feedback, over-learning to gain mastery, extrinsic and

intrinsic motivation, increasing difficulty across levels where past learning can be applied

close-to-optimal combination of massed versus distributed practice and learning that can

be applied to different problems and contexts.

Egli and Myers (1984) identified “compulsive” behaviors associated with video

game play, finding that about 13% of the adolescents they surveyed sacrificed other

activities and compulsively invested money and time in gaming.

Klein (1984) noticed that some of his teenaged clients exhibited what he would

term addictive behavior regarding video game play e.g., stealing money or spending

lunch money to play videogames.

Suler (2004) provides a balanced view of cyber addictions, noting that some level

of devotion to a hobby is healthy, but that in pathological addictions, the bad outweighs

the good.

Carnagey and Anderson (2005) found that when a car racing game rewarded

players for violent acts, those players were more likely to attack an opponent than when

the same game punished players for aggression. Konijn, Bijvank & Bushman (2007)

found that adolescent boys who identified with aggressive characters in immersive and

realistic games were most aggressive.

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Dill and colleagues (2003) found a positive association between violent video

game play and anti-women attitudes including attitudes supporting violence against

women. Dill found that youth exposed to sexist images of video game characters were

more likely to accept rape myths than youth exposed to images of professional men and

women.

Burgess, Stermer, et. al(2007) found that male African-American video game

characters are as athletes and gangsters who are more likely to use guns, particularly

extreme guns. Asian women are represented as non-aggressive beauties and Asian men

are shown using martial arts. Finally, he showed that exposure to a video game with

African-American characters have more violent content as compared to exposure to a

video game without African-American characters.

Researchers in the British journal Nature (1998) report that the brain releases

dopamine a pleasure chemical, during video game play. New brain research (Bartholow,

Bushman & Sestir, 2006) is the first to show that violent video game players have

problems in their healthy, empathic brain responses to real-life violence such as gun

attacks and that those with these less empathic brain responses were more likely to

behave aggressively in the laboratory.

Video games are designed to be entertaining, challenging, and sometimes

educational, most include violent content. Recent content analyses of video games show

that as many as 89% of games contain some violent content, and that half of the games

include serious violent content towards other game characters. (Children Now, 2001)

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Effect of violent video game content on aggression:

Anderson and Bushman (2000) suggested that Playing violent games increases

aggressive behaviors, increases aggressive cognitions, increases aggressive emotions,

increases physiological arousal, and decreases pro social behaviors. These effects have

been found in children and adolescent, in males and females and in experimental and non

experimental studies.

Anderson and Dill (2000) found that associations between violent video game

play and aggressive behavior and delinquency were stronger for those who were

characteristically aggressive. This interaction of violent content is important because it

suggests that the harmful effects of playing violent games may be even greater for

children who are already at higher risk for aggressive behavior. A second variable that

may moderate the effects of video game play is parental monitoring and limiting.

Research regarding limits and mediation of television messages has shown that each of

these strategies can have beneficial effects. Parent-imposed limits have been shown to be

effective in reducing time with television. Active parental involvement, such as rules

limiting media use and active mediation, can be effective in influencing children’s

viewing, understanding, reactions to, and imitation of program content (Lin & Atkin,

1989; Dorr & Rabin, 1995).

Corder-Bolz (2000) in his research said that parental mediation is correlated with

better academic performance, and has been shown to increase beliefs in social norms, and

to decrease fear. Few studies have looked at parental limits with video games. In a

nationally representative study of parents, 55% say they ‘‘always’’ or ‘‘often’’ put limits

on the amount of time their children may play computer and video games, and 40% say

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they ‘‘always’’ or ‘‘often’’ check the video game rating before allowing their children to

buy or rent computer or video games (Gentile & Walsh, 2002). Even though these

numbers are not particularly high, they may overestimate the amount of parental

monitoring of children’s video game play. In one study, nine out of ten teenagers said

that their parents ‘‘never’’ check the ratings before allowing them to rent or buy games.

Funk, Hagan, and Schimming (1999) in their research said that most parents could

not correctly identify their 3rd- to 5th-grade child’s favorite game. In 70% of the cases

where parents named an incorrect game, children described their favorite game as violent.

Active parental limits in children’s game selection and amount of play could play an

important role in the effects of video games on children.

Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, & Brodie, (1999) have shown a negative association

between the amount of video game play and school performance for children,

adolescents, and college students.

Anderson & Dill, (2000) and Paschke, Green, & Gentile, (2001) documented a

similar negative correlation with college students between amount of time playing video

games and grades. The content of the games being played could affect the relationship

between amounts of play and school performance. If, for example, students played only

educational games, they would probably be less likely to show a corresponding deficit in

school performance.

Lieberman et al. (1988) have shown that children who use computers to play

games frequently perform poorer in school, whereas those who use computers for

schoolwork perform better in school.

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Huston et al., (1992) suggested that electronic media can influence learning and

social behavior by taking the place of activities such as reading, family interaction, and

social play with peers. If an average child plays video games for 7 hr a week, those are

the 7 hrs that the child is not engaged in reading, homework or participating in creative

activities.

Lynch (1994, 1999) found that the physiological effects of playing violent video

games may be even greater for who already show more aggressive tendencies.

Theories of aggression and violent video games

Theoretical explanations for the link between exposure to violent video games

and aggression are explained by several theories.

Bandura’s (1986) social learning theory explains that exposure to video game

violence would create behavioral mimicry, reinforce already existing aggressive habits,

and increase internal arousal. In turn, this internal arousal could be interpreted as anger,

which increases the likelihood of aggression.

Berkowitz’s (1984) cognitive neoassociation model of aggression, playing violent

video games, should create or activate aggressive thoughts, feelings, memories, and

beliefs.

Anderson & Dill, (2000) and Anderson & Bushman, (2002) have developed the

General Aggression Model (GAM) to explain violent video game exposure and

aggressive cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors. Anderson and Bushman’s (2002) General

Aggression Model (GAM) has developed, for the effects of violent video games on

aggressive behavior. The GAM is compatible with the theories proposed by Bandura

(1986), Berkowitz (1984), and Dodge (1980).

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Douglas Gentile (1993) found nearly one in 10 of the gamers (8.5 percent) to be

pathological players according to standards established for pathological gambling causing

family, social, school or psychological damage because of their video game playing

habits.

Gentile (2007) compared respondents' video game play habits to the symptoms

established in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for pathological

gambling. Gamers were classified as "pathological" if they exhibited at least six of 11

symptoms. The pathological gamers in the study played video games for 24 hours per

week, about twice as much as non-pathological gamers. They also were more likely to

have video game systems in their bedrooms, reported having more trouble paying

attention in school, received poorer grades in school, and had more health problems.

Joanne Savage (2000) reviewed the research purporting to show negative effects

of media violence on youth and concluded that there is no causal link between media

violence and violent crime.

Jenkins (2005) explained that the new participatory culture created by video

games and other forms of digital media, offers many opportunities for kids to engage in

civic debates, to participate in community life, to become political leaders even if

sometimes only through the “second lives” offered by massively multiplayer games or

online fan communities.

The Squire and Barab (2005) study suggests that young people can show gains in

political and civic knowledge from playing a commercial video game such as

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Civilization. However, this occurred in a context where adults guided and shaped the

experiences with specific educational goals

Thomas and Seely Brown (2000) point out that games such as World of Warcraft

involve the experience of acting together to overcome obstacles, managing skills, talents,

and relationships and they create contexts in which social awareness, reflection, and joint

coordinated action become an essential part of the game experience.

Portal (2007) stated that, compulsive gaming is already considered a

psychological disorder. Now a day video game addiction is increasing greatly. People do

not understand that the root of addiction is only from harmless things like virtual games.

Violent Video Games and Dopamine Production

At Hammersmith Hospital in London, Paul Grasby (1998) undertook a study that

proved that playing video games triggers the release of dopamine in the brain. Using a

brain imaging technique called PET (Positron Emission Tomography) he showed that

playing a video game increases the activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.

In fact, during video game play, the production of dopamine doubles. Dopamine is a

chemical associated with reinforcement that produces pleasure. In the brain,

reinforcement and dopamine are linked. For instance, for a hungry rat, food triggers

dopamine release in the brain; in a thirsty rat, water causes dopamine release in the brain.

In terms of addiction, dopamine is connected to the reinforcing effects of drugs like

cocaine and amphetamines.

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Video game play across adolescence

Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, and Brodie (1999) found that older children and

adolescents (8- to 18-yearolds) play video games, on an average, between 1.2 and 7.5

hours per week.

Dill and Dill (1998), predicted that adolescent boys play video games for more

hours than adolescent girls, both male and female adolescents play video games on a

regular basis. Early-adolescent boys play video games nearly twice as much as early-

adolescent girls, (Funk and Buchman 1996).

Roberts (1997) found that the amount of video game play, regardless of gender,

decreases with age. Specifically, early adolescent boys (8 to 13 years of age) play video

games approximately 7.5 hours per week, boys in middle to late adolescence play video

games for 3.5 hours per week. For girls, although the amount of video game play was far

less than boys, a similar developmental pattern emerged. Whereas early-adolescent girls

played video games for 3.15 hours per week, middle and late-adolescent girls played

video games for 1.2 hours per week.

Griffiths (1999) identified nine different types of video games: sport simulations

(e.g., Golf, Baseball), Racers (e.g., Motor Sports), Adventures (e.g., Fantasy rescue),

puzzlers (e.g., Brainteasers), plat formers (e.g., Jump to and from platforms), platform

blasters (e.g., Plat former with Shooting), Beat ’em Ups (e.g., games with punching and

kicking), Shoot ’em Ups (e.g., shooting and killing with weapons), and Weird Games

(i.e., games that do not fit other categories).

Although not all video games contain violence, research by Funk and Buchman

(1996) suggests that adolescent boys and girls both prefer violent video games. These

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findings are supported by the dominance of violent video games being sold to

adolescents. 80% of the most popular video games on the market today are violent in

nature (Dietz 1998).

Huston, Wright, Marquis & Green’s study (1995) where parents were interviewed

to describe their child's activities in the previous 24-hour period, it was found that girls

rarely played electronic games, however, boys played 10 minutes on weekends. By age 6,

girls played 15 minutes and boys typically played 40 minutes.

Douglas Rushkoff, (1998) says while parents do not control their children while

playing video games this will spoil him/her his real world in their teen. The video game

industry has not only been selling our kids on digital technology, but also a unique

entertainment experience which has already dramatically affected the way kids allocate

and spend their leisure time.

David Walsh(1998) suggested that from the National Institute on Media and the

Family that Parents of youth who play video games may dismiss their teenagers’ temper

tantrums and cranky behavior as normal adolescent behavior and see mood swings as a

right of passage. Unfortunately they may fail to realize that their child is in fact, an

addict.

Zarozinski and Michael (2000) predicted that the video game industry is the only

entertainment industry in the United States that voluntarily rates itself. This allows

players and parents to judge if a game is appropriate. He is not stating this to blame the

parents, the blame must lie squarely where it belongs, on the killers. For years now,

multiple violent crimes and behavior in young children and teenagers have been blamed

on what their hobbies are and their overall culture. In the words of Freedman, (2000)

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“These crimes are due to media violence, and all this violence causes children to be more

aggressive and commit these violent crimes.

Video game historian Steven Kent (2001) has noted that, “part of Wolfenstein’s

popularity sprang from its shock value. In previous games, when players shot enemies,

the injured targets fell and disappeared. In Wolfenstein 3D, enemies fell and bled on the

floor”. This caused a revolution in the way violent games were designed. Doom(1993)

the next major first-person shooter game was released. It included more blood and gore

and also allowed players to hunt and kill each other.

Video games and Killers:

Eric Harris, one of the killers, announced on his website that he would "make

DOOM a reality" on April 21, 1999. He fulfilled his threat. On that very day he and

Dylan Klebold killed 15 people, wounded 23.

Paducah Kentucky and Michael Carneal, killed 3 students and wounded 5 others.

They were also violent video game addict of DOOM, QUAKE, and FINAL FANTASY.

In Gutenberg high school in Erfurt, Germany, a 19 year old student, killed 17

including 13 teachers, 2 students, a police officer and himself. The killer, Robert

Steinhauser, was also found to be an addict of violent video games.

Video game players not only kill reflexively in video games; they always

associate killing with victory. The more people they kill, the higher the points they amass

and the higher the level they achieve. Killing equals victory. Killing equals fun. Killing

brings them a reward, always.

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METHOD SECTION

This chapter examines the “Impact of video games on college students”. This

chapter includes the geographical areas taken up for the study, sampling procedures, tools

utilized, the technique of data collection, the analysis and the interpretation.

Geographical Area

Geographical area for my research is Tiruchirappali city. This city, which was

once considered to be rural, is now emerging out to limelight by providing its people with

access of vast communication technologies. As the students in Trichy have no access to

have possibilities of entertainment, a majority spends their time by playing video games.

Universe

The universe of the research study is the college going boys and girls in Trichy. The

colleges are Urumu Dhanalakshmi Arts & Science College and Kurunji college of Arts &

Science.

Sample:

Out of the 20 colleges in Trichy, the above 2 colleges were selected on the basis

of purposive sampling. Respondents were chosen randomly from these two colleges. The

432 sample is equally divided between the Arts and Science streams. The 216 youth in

Arts and Science stream are divided equally between male and female students. In all

these colleges the Undergraduate students of Ist, IInd and IIIrd years in the Arts and

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science stream are selected and there were 54 students in each of the four departments

which comes to 216 per institution

The following table describes the sample.

432 (sample)

2colleges (216 students per institution)

4 departments ( 54 students from each department)

3 year( I II III year) (18 students from each year)

9 male and 9 female students

Instrument of data collection

A Questionnaire was designed and it was used as the instrument for collecting

data. The questionnaire was constructed comprising variables from the available research

literature. The questionnaire was in English .Some of the questions are of Likert type and

a few questions are open ended.

Pilot study

Subjecting the questionnaire to tests resulted in a drastic reduction of questions, besides

elimination of all open ended questions. Besides questions relating to demographics, the

questionnaire included Likert type questions with answers ranging from 1 (very often

true) to 5 (not at all true). When the questionnaire was tested among girls, they suggested

that certain questions relating to the enforcement of rules for playing video games should

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have been included. The suggestion was accepted and two questions relating to restriction

were included.

Data collection procedure

A total of 432 filled in questionnaires were collected from these 2 colleges.

Instruction was given to the investigator, not to suggest answers but to only clarify

questions, in order to help the students to understand the question .The students who are

from Tamil medium of instruction at their school level, took more time to answer the

questionnaire compared to others who were from the English medium students. The

Tamil medium students sought more clarifications. The English medium students of all

classes had practically no clarification to seek.

Some colleges were busy with their model examinations so they did not allow the

researcher to collect data. Boys repeatedly asked unwanted questions during the time of

data collection.

It is to be noted that the response from the college principals, when approached

for help to collect data from their college, was overwhelming by positive which

encouraged me for doing research on a topic of contemporary social change. In three

colleges principals threw me out saying that there were too many people coming to

collect data from college students. So they did not allow me to approach their students.

I collected data during college hours. This helped me not to put undue pressure on

students of having to spend extra time after the college hours.

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AnalysisDemographics Age of the respondents Frequency Percent17 95 2218 91 21.119 101 23.420 145 33.6________________________________________________________________________

Table -1: Age of the respondents

One third (33.6 %) of the respondents were of the age 20 years. Two fifth (21.1 %) of

them are of 18 years. Less than one fourth of the students (22%) (23.4%) are between the

age group of 17 and 19 years. The mean age of the students is 18 and the standard

deviation is 1.153

________________________________________________________________________Pocket money received per week Frequency PercentBelow 50 rupees 108 25.0101 to 300 250 57.9301 to 500 rupees 55 12.7501 to 1000 rupees 19 4.4

Table – 2 Pocket money

More than fifty percent of the student’s (58%) received 101 – 300 Rs as a pocket money.

One fourth (25%) of the students received below 50 rupees as their pocket money per

week. A small percent receives above 300 as their pocket money per week.

Father’s employment:

Majority of the fathers are employed (90.9%) and majority of the mothers were

not employed (68.4 %). Above one third of the mothers were employed.

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Siblings:

(43.5 %) of the students have one brother. (46.5 %) have one sister and (10 %) of

them have two sisters or two brothers.

________________________________________________________________________Tv at home Frequency Percent0 TV 32 7.2

1 TV 330 76.6

2 TV 52 12.1

3 or moreTV 18 4.2

Table– 3: Number of television set

Three fourth of the students (76.6 %) have one TV set at homes. (4.2 %) have three or

more TV sets at home.

Playing video games weekends Frequency percent0 hour 70 16Less than one hour 185 431-2 hour 120 27.93-4 hour 29 6.7More than 5 hours 26 6.0

________________________________________________

Table -4: Number of hours playing video games during weekdays

(42%) of the student are play video games for less than one hour, one third of the

students play video game for 1-2 hours during weekdays and 14% percent play video

games for 3-4 hours and 13% play more than five hours.

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Place of playing video games Frequency Percentage

Home 293 67.8Friends house 88 20.4Gaming centers 29 6.7Browsing centers 22 5.1Table -5: Place of playing video games

Two third (67.8%) students play video games in their home. Whereas one fifth (20.4%)

play video games at their friend’s place. (11.8%) play video games at a gaming and

browsing centers for playing video games. As there are equipments like consoles for

connecting video games with television sets, students prefer playing video games at

home. In gaming and browsing centers the students have to pay, so they prefer their homr

and friend’s place for playing video games.

Type of game Frequency Percent_______________________________________________________________________Action 125 28.9Adventure 139 32.2Sports 100 23.1Strategy 27 6.3Others 41 9.5_____________________________________________________________

Table – 6: Type of game One third (32.2%) of the students prefer adventurous video games whereas one

third (28.9%) of them play action oriented video games. One fourth of them (23.1%)

prefer sports oriented video games. A small percentage 6.3% plays strategy type of

videogames. There are thriller experiences in adventure video games.

Feeling after playing Frequency Percent ________________________________________________________________________

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Happy 169 39.3 Disappointed 16 3.7Eager to play more 49 11.4Unhappy for having wasted time 198 45.9_______________________________________________________________________Table -7: Feeling after playing

One fourth of the students (45.9%) feel unhappy for playing video games whereas

more than one third of them 39.3% felt happy for playing video game, 11.4% of the

players are eager to play more after a video game play.

_____________________________________________________________Don’t like to talk Frequency PercentNot at all 181 42.3Rarely 81 18.9Often 100 23.4Sometimes 36 8.4Always 34 7.2

Table- 8: Don’t like to talk while playing video games

For about 61.2% of the students not at all or rarely donot like to talk while playing video

games. 30.6% students always or often donot like to talk while playing video games. So

majority of the students felt that talking while playing video games does not disturb them.

Gender Playing game

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0 hr lessthan 1 hr 1-2 hr 3-4 hr 5 or more hr

Male 44 104 59 15 10

Female 26 81 61 14 16

Total 70 185 120 29 26

Table- 9 Gender * Playing games in week ends

50% of the girls are of these 62.9% of them do not play video games where as

50% of the boys of their 61.5% of them play 5 or more hrs of video games. Girls have

home made works in home but boys did not have that, so only boys playing more than the

girls.

Gender Type of game

Action Adventure Sports Strategy Puzzles

Boys 61 79 56 12 24

Girls 64 60 44 15 17

Total 125 139 100 27 41

Table- 10 Gender * Type of games

50% of the girls of these 58.5% of the girls to play puzzle games. Where as 50%

of the boys of their 55.6% of the boys like to play action games. The boys are more

vulnerable to action oriented games.

Gender Studies affected

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Not at all Rarely only sometimes often always

Boys 143 60 16 10 3

Girls 102 53 18 26 1

Total 245 113 34 36 4

Table- 11 Gender * Studies affected

53.7% of the girls of their 58.4% of them are not at all affected in their studies because of

playing video games. 46.3% of the boys, of these 72.2% often their studies affected

playing video games. Girls wanted to do their academic best so they might not

concentrate in other activities. Where as boys spend their leisure time in entertainment so

they play more video games apart from the studies.

Type of game Late sleep

Not at all Rarely only sometimes often always

Action 35 25 39 14 12

Adventure 38 41 31 16 13

Sports 31 32 23 9 4

Strategy 8 8 5 4 2

Puzzles 14 11 7 6 3

Total 126 117 105 47 36

Table- 12 Type of game * Late sleep

32.3 % of the students who play adventure type of video games of these 36.1% of

them often go to sleep late 29% of the students who play action type of video games of

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these 37.1% of the students go only sometimes go to sleep late night. As adventure type

of game have thriller and more levels, so this might make them to go sleep late night.

Research Question #1

Is the impact of playing video games is different for boys and girls?

In order to find out the answer for this research question, a t-test was performed on the

Likert type variables with gender as the grouping variable. This study looked at the

characteristics that distinguish male and female students with regard to playing video

games and its influence

The variables are

1. Late sleep due to playing video games.

2. Pestering parents for money to buy video games.

3. Studies affected due to playing video games.

4. Violence is a justifiable way to get things done.

5. I Do not like to talk while playing video games

Variables Gender Male Female

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Late sleep due to playing video games. 2.60 2.27

Pestering parents for money to buy video games. 1.40 1.25

Studies affected due to playing video games. 1.88 1.63

Violence is a justifiable way to get things done. 1.65 1.39

I do not like to talk while playing video games 2.39 2.22

Table -13: Mean of Male and Female students

Boys due to playing video games boys go to sleep later (M=3.00) when compared to girls

students (M=2.68) t {(581) =3.125, p=002. male students pester parents for money to buy

video games (M=1.40) more when compared to female students (M=1.25) t {(395.642)

=-2.2968, p=.02. Playing video games studies affected for the male students (M=1.88)

more when compared to female students (M=1.63) t {(430) =-2.185, p=.02} Male

students take violence as a justifiable way for getting things done more (M=1.65) when

compared to females (M=1.39) t{(387.994)=-3.157,p=.002}. More male students do not

like to talk while playing video games (M=2.39) when compared to female students

(M=2.22) t {(406.578)=-3.034,p=.003.

As gaming is a part of male activity, video game is one factor and boys prefer

violent oriented programs as the violence in the video games can desensitize violence and

alter the perception of reality. It can give them an idea that the violence is an acceptable

way to deal with problems and conflicts. Boys as they want to update themselves with the

new technological gadgets they pester money from their parents. As they easily get

addicted to the video games, If they talk with others they might think that they will lose

the levels so they avoid talking with others. As boys spend long hours in playing video

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games due to the attractive features and the adventures levels they concentrate more on

playing rather than studies.

In the case of girls, their playing habit is limited and hence it may not be possible

for them to have disturbed sleep. As girls often prefer soft nature games like puzzles they

may not behave violent. As girls want to be good in academics, the time for playing video

games and pestering money for buying video games will be less so their studies might not

be affected when compared to males.

Research Question # 2

In order to find out the answer for the research question “What are the effects of

playing video games among college students” I performed a series of anova.

Independent variable

Number of hours playing video games in a weekday’s is collapsed into a categorical

variable video game players.Those who play video games less than for one hour (n=184)

are labeled light players, moderate players are those who access one to two hours or those

who play three to four hours video games (n=134) and heavy players are those who play

five hours or more (n=54) per day.

A one–way analysis of variance was performed with compound variable, video game

players as the independent variable on the following dependent variable, to arrive at

answers for the research question

What is the effect of playing video games among college going boys and girls?

1. Aggression due to the exposure of the violent video games

2. Violence is a justifiable way to get things done.

3. Disturbed sleep due to playing video game

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4. Disobeying parents.

5. Considering their happiness first.

_______________________________________________________________________

Dependent variable df N F p

________________________________________________________________________

1. Aggression due to the 2 428 8.110 .000

exposure of the violent video games

2. Violence is a justifiable

way to get things done. 2 432 6.501 .000

3. Disturbed sleep due to 2 427 3.685 .02

playing video game

4. Disobeying parents. 2 427 4.027 .01

5. Considering their happiness first. 2 428 3.063 .04

_______________________________________________________________________

Table -14 : Shows the result of one way analysis of variance

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Independent variable

Dependent variable Light players Moderate players Heavy players _______________________________________________________________________ 1. Aggression due to the

exposure of the violent video games 1.384* 1.329* 1.778*

2. . Violence is a justifiable

way to get things done. 1.444 1.456* 1.869*

3. Disturbed sleep due to

playing video game 2.061* 2.388* 2.371

4. Disobeying parents. 1.590 1.350* 1.774*

5. Considering their happiness first. 1.686 1.534* 2.000*

Table-15 : Result of post-hoc Tukey Tests

A Post hoc Tukey test was performed to see if any of the three categories of users

was significantly different from the others. The test related that.

1. Playing video games makes heavy players (M=1.778) to behave aggressive compared

to moderate players (M= 1.329) and light players (M= 1.384).

Heavy players play video game for a longer period choosing any type of games. The

games they play might contain violence so exposing to violence makes them to

behave aggressive. Where as the light and moderate college going students, they

might indulge in some other entertainment activities. The number of hours they spend

for playing is less so they may not behave aggressive.

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2. Heavy players (M=1.869) Playing video games accept violence is a justifiable

way to get things done compared to students who are moderate players (M= 1.456).

Students who are heavy players aggressively play video games. Their vigorusness

in playing video games makes them to win in the game. So this mind setup makes them

to accept violence as justifiable way to get things. Moderate players they might not play

vigorously so the possibility of accepting violence is less. So they may not consider

violence as factor for getting things.

3 The students who are moderate players (M=2.388) playing video games makes

them to have disturbed sleep when compared to the students who are light players

(M= 2.061).

The moderate players as they play for a longer duration when compared to the light

players. The moderate players have the possibility of getting dreams of the game

sequence if they have not finished the games; this makes them to have disturbed sleep so

they wake up early in the morning to play. Light players as they play for a less time they

do not worry about the game even if they fail in the entry levels.

4. The heavy players (M=1.774) playing video games makes them disobey their parents

more compared to students who are moderate players (M= 1.340).

The heavy players are highly disobeying their parents than the moderate players.

As the heavy players do not want to withdraw from the game levels; and don’t want to be

the loser they would not didn’t get up from game even if their parents offer a work.

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5. The heavy players (M=2.000) consider their happiness first when compared to

students who are moderate players (M= 1.534).

The heavy players consider their happiness first because when they want to play

and as long as they play as independent and alone. Whereas for the moderate players, the

duration they play video game is less, so they might not be as selfish as the heavy

players.

Discussion

34

Male students spent more time to play video games and are interested in playing

videogames. Boys prefer the games which are of adventure and action types, whereas

girls because of their soft nature they prefer to play puzzles and strategy type of video

games. The action and adventure type of video games makes disturbed sleep among the

boys. Due to the vigorous playing of violence component video games makes male

students to accept violence as a justifiable way of getting things done.

Computer and video games are the sources of conversation and interaction among

many students today. Regardless of the age, boys spent substantially more time playing

video games than girls. On any given day forty four percent of the boys report playing

than girls to play action and sports video games compared to seventeen percent of the

girls (Shanarosen, 2002). Studies also showed significant difference in boys and girls in

their game playing behaviour. Males are more likely than girls to play action and sports

simulation video games while girls were found to play platform games and puzzlers

significantly more than those boys. Nine out of the ten (89%) of the top selling video

games contained violence about half of all games contained serious violence and

seventeen percent featured violence as primary focus of the game (Funk, 1993) violence

in these video games.

The amount of time students spent playing video games correlate with poorer

grades and attention problems in the education institution (Walsh, 2006) as boys get

addicted to video games very easily due to the attractive elements they skip their home

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work and assignments and to escape from the house hold works. Playing long hours of

games could result in replaying game images during sleep onset. Once they play video

games for long hours there is the decrease in sleep (Bulck, 2004). Male students often

pester their parents for buying video games and they don’t like to talk while playing

video games. As there are more levels in playing video games once they are distracted

they lose the levels in the video games.

The students who are heavy players disobey their parents and they consider their

happiness first .majority of the games are single player so the students have to play

alone and independent they do not want to lose their scores.They also do not allow others

to keep high scores. this might make them to disobey the parents even if they give some

work.

Conclusion

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Video games are still preferred by the college students. They play more video

games during the weekdays. This makes them to get low grades in their academics. As

the sample size that was taken for the research is small; significance test (A one way

analysis of variance) does not support the number of hours playing video games and

studies affecting.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

37

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Annexure – I

The purpose of the survey is to aid in the research “ Effect of video games on college students”. I thank you in advance for both your time and cooperation. Please note that all survey responses will be kept confidential.

Please tick which is appropriate to youDemographics:

1.Your age ______________

2. Your sex ______________ a. Male b.Female

3. Your stream of studying?a) artsb) science

3. Is your father employed? ______________ a.Yes b. No

4. Is your mother employed? ______________a.Yes b. No

5. What is your family monthly income? ______________a. Below 5,000 Rs b. Rs 5001 – 10000 c. RS 10001 – 15,000 d. Above 15,001

6. How much pocket money you receive for a week ______________

7. Do you have sisters? ______________a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. None

8. Do you have brothers? _____________a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. None

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9. Do you have computer at home? _____________a. Yes b. No

10. How many TV sets you have? ______________a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3 e. more than 3

11. Do you play video games? _____________a. Yes b. No

12. How many hours do you play video games on college days?a) 0hr ____________ b) 1-2 hrs c) 3-4 hrs d) 5hrs or more

13. How many hours do you play video games on Holidays?a) 0hr ____________ b) 1-2 hrs c) 3-4 hrs d) 5hrs or more

14) How do you get video games to play?

1. BUY a) Not at all ________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

2. BORROW a) Not at all ________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

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3. PIRATE a) Not at all ________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

4. RENT a) Not at all ________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

15) What type of game do you prefer?

a) Actiona) Not at all ________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

b) Adventure a) Not at all ________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

c) Sports a) Not at all ________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

d) Strategy a) Not at all ________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

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16) Where do you play video games?

a) Home _________________

b) Friend’s house _________________

c) Gaming centers _________________

d) Browsing center _________________

e) Relative place _________________

17. How often do you pester your parents to buy video games?a) Not at all _________________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

18. How often do you consider your happiness first while playing video games?a) Not at all ________________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimesd) Often e) Always

19. How often do you don’t like to talk with others while playing video games?a) Not at all _______________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

20. How do you feel after playing video games?a) Happy ______________b) Disappointed ______________c) eager to play more ______________d) un happy for wasted time ______________

21) Do you think the playing video games affect your studies? __________a) Yesb) No

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22. How often do you think your study is affected by playing video games?a) Not at all _____________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

23. Do your parents allow you to play video games?a) Not at all _____________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimesd) Often e) Always

24. How often do you disobey your parents while playing video games?a) Not at all _____________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimesd) Often e) Always

25. How often do you have late sleep after playing video games?a) Not at all ____________ b) Rarely c) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

26. When do you play video games?

a) Morning ______________

b) After noon

c) Evening

d) Night

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27) With whom do you play?

a) ALONE _______________

b) With my friends

c) With my brothers and sisters

d) Parents

e) Others specify

28) Do you have snacks while playing video games?a) Yes ______________b) No

29) How often do you behave aggressive after playing video games?a) Not at all _______________ b) Rarelyc) Only sometimes d) Often e) Always

Thank you for your cooperation.

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