Surviving the Game: Battling Internet and Video Game

Addictions

Gaming Internet Shorthand

• MUSH - Multi-User Shared Habitat• MUD – Multi-User Dungeon• FPS – First Person Shooter• RTS – Real Time Strategy• PvP – Player vs. Player• MMORPG – Mass Multi- Player Online Role Playing Game• RL – Real Life

TOP 5 MOST “ADDICTIVE” GAMES

• 'World of Warcraft'With over 9 million registered players, Blizzard’s “World of Warcraft” is the big daddy of addictive games. And these players don’t just buy the massively multiplayer online role-playing game - they also pay a monthly fee so they can continually get their fix. Why is “WoW” so popular? It could be the fantasy environment that allows players to be mythical characters with incredible powers. It could be the large-scale battles that let gamers group together and go on raids. It may be the game’s social element that makes it easy for people to make new friends and connect with old ones.

• No matter what “WoW” means to its legions of fans, there’s no denying that this game can make sitting alone at your desk feel like one huge party.

• World of Warcraft is expected to take in $2 billion worldwide.

Arizona, United States Population, total: 6,166,318 2006 census

• ‘Halo'

In fact, the largest-grossing one-day media sale ever occurred on Nov. 9, 2004, when stores sold $125 million worth of “Halo 2” games — the eagerly awaited sequel to the hit Xbox game “Halo”, in which individual players defend Earth against alien invaders.

• 'EverQuest'

• Fans of “EverQuest” will point out that this game came long before “World of Warcraft” and was the first home for fantasy-loving RPG fans.

• And they’d be right: The game, which shipped in 1999, was hugely popular with players and critics alike. So popular that the significant others of some of the game’s fans formed a real-life support group. There is a reason, after all, that “EverQuest” was known by its fans as “EverCrack” and “NeverRest.”

• 'Doom' • When “Doom” came out in 1993, its 3-D graphics and awesome multiplayer

abilities put it on the bleeding edge of gaming. Until then, it was quite uncommon to hook multiple computers together for a group gaming experience, but “Doom” changed all that. People fell big time for this alien hunting, first-person shooter, and soon there were many imitators, spawning a genre known simply as “Doom Clones.”

• The number of people who still play “Doom” today, over 10 years after its launch, bespeaks its addictive qualities.

• 'Tetris' • “Tetris” is just a simple stacking game, right? Pieces fall from above and you pack

them tightly together, keeping the pile from reaching the top of the screen. How addictive can that be?

• Very. The “Tetris” epidemic has been in full effect since it came out in 1984, and you’d be hard pressed to find a gaming system (console, handheld or other) that doesn’t have at least one form of the game available for it. Today, you can even download “Tetris” directly to your cell phone in case you need to get your fix on the fly.

Is Game Addiction True Addiction?

1. The person needs more and more of a substance or behavior to keep him going.

2. If the person does not get more of the substance or behavior, they become irritable and miserable.

3. ?????

About 40 percent of players of multiplayer online games like “EverQuest” say they consider themselves addicted. Some players refer to the game as “Evercrack”.

True Addiction?

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - IV

• “The central issue is the absence of research literature on this. At this point it is not considered an official disease. We are probably going to mention it in the appendix.”

- Dr. Charles O’Brien

Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s

Center for Studies in Addiction and chair of

the DSM-V committee

Is Game Addiction True Addiction?

1. Contingencies and Schedules

A contingency in gaming is a

rule or set of rules governing

when a “reward” is given out.

2. Ratios and IntervalsVariable ratio schedules

produce the highest rates of

activity.

*Behavioral Game Design

by John Hopson

The Biological and Psychological Factors

• Research suggests that playing video games elevates levels of dopamine.

• More to this addiction than just brain chemistry. There is a psychological component to the addiction:

“I can escape or feel good about my life. I don’t like the way I feel . . .I’ll play video games”. –USU student

• As a chemical messenger, dopamine is similar to adrenaline. Dopamine affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and ability to experience pleasure and pain.

DOPAMINE

Who is at

?• Common Threads – compulsive playing

tends to cover psychological problems___________________________________

DepressedLonelyAngryShyAgoraphobiaHistory of Family ConflictsLow Self-EsteemSocial Anxiety

Warning Signs

• Withdrawal• Isolation• Intense Pleasure/Guilt• Obsessing• Neglecting• Lying

• Lost Sense of Time• Dependency• Escape Mechanism• Debt• Anger/ Depression• Inability to Control

Xbox in control, Enter at own risk!

• Game playing is part of the daily routine for:

65% of girls 85% of boys 1 in 8 develop patterns similar to other types of

addiction and abuse 2002 survey of 1500 teenagers: 25% were

identified as compulsive video gamers 50% described a friends’ gaming behavior as

“addiction”

Niolosi, 2002; Tournemille, 2002

WHO PLAYS COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES?

of American households

play computer or video games.

WHO PLAYS COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES?

67%of American households

play computer or video games.

The average game player age is:

The average game player age is:

34

The average game player age is:

34

Age of Gamers:

25% under 18 years49% 18-49 years26% 50+ years

WHO PLAYS COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES?GENDER

of Game Players :

WHO PLAYS COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES?GENDER

of Game Players :

•60% male

•40% femaleIn fact, WOMEN age 18 or older represent a significantly

greater portion of the game-playing population (33%)

than boys age 17 or younger (20%).

67%of homes in America own either a console

and/or PC used to run entertainment software.

DO PARENTS CONTROL WHAT THEIR KIDS PLAY?

76%of parents believe that the parental controls available in

all new video game consoles are useful. Further, parents impose time limit usage on video games more than any

other form of entertainment:

83%of parents place time limits on video game playing

78%of parents place time limits on television viewing

75%of parents place time limits on Internet usage

66%of parents place time limits on movie viewing

U.S. computer and video game software sales generated $10.5 billion in 2009.

What are they playing?• Multiplicity of Games and Hardware:

TOP 20 SELLING COMPUTER GAMES OF 2009BY UNITS SOLD

Rank Title

1 CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2

2 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS.

3 WII SPORTS RESORT W/ WII MOTION PLUS

4 WII FIT W/ BALANCE BOARD

5 MARIO KART W/ WHEEL

6 WII PLAY W/ REMOTE

7 CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2

8 WII FIT PLUS W/BALANCE BOARD

9 HALO 3: ODST 10 POKEMON PLATINUM VERSION

TOP 20 SELLING COMPUTER GAMES OF 2009BY UNITS SOLD

Rank Title

11 MADDEN NFL 10

12 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS

13 MARIO KART DS

14 ASSASSIN’S CREED II

15 MADDEN NFL 10

16 LEFT 4 DEAD 2

17 MARIO & LUIGI: BOWSER’S INSIDE STORY

18 UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED

19 EA SPORTS ACTIVE BUNDLE

20 RESIDENT EVIL 5

Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service

Why Would I Ever Miss Class?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Percent

Stress

Cold/Sore Throat

Sleeping Difficulties

Concern re fam/ friend

Relationship diff.

Depression / anxiety

Internet use / games

Sinus infection

Death friend/family

Alcohol use

32

2524

1816 15

12

9 9 8

DEVELOPING COMPETENCE• Intellectual competence• Physical and manual skills competence• Interpersonal competenceMANAGING EMOTIONS• Awareness of emotions• Acknowledge emotions• Release of emotions• Control of emotions• Bonding with othersMOVING THROUGH AUTONOMY TOWARDINTERDEPENDENCE• Function with self-sufficiency• Free from continual and pressing need for• reassurance/approval• Organize activities or solve problems in a self-directed way• Willingness to pursue strong interest or stand on convictionsDEVELOPING MATURE INTERPERSONALRELATIONSHIPS• Tolerance and appreciation of differences• Capacity for intimacy which is enduring and nurturingESTABLISHING IDENTITY• Comfort with self: physical, social, spiritual• Clarification of roles and lifestyle• Strong sense of self in response to feedback from• valued othersDEVELOPING PURPOSE• Clear vocational goals• Formulating plans for action with set priorities• Strong interpersonal and family commitmentsDEVELOPING INTEGRITY• Humanizing values – balancing self-interest with interests• of others• Personalizing values – affirming core beliefs while respecting• other points of view• Develop congruence – matching personal values with socially• responsible behavior

VIDEO GAME ADDICTION’S

ATTACHMENT TO STUDENT DEVELOPMENT THEORY AND ISSUES

CHICKERING’S SEVEN VECTORS

• Academic 18.5% of students reported internet usage

and gaming caused lower grades or a dropped class. –Alcohol: 8.5% (Michigan State)

• Social GamingSucks.com

"WoW" Widows Support Group at Yahoo.com -3,000 members.

GamerWidow.com has some 2,000 members who gather in the forums to vent their frustrations and mourn their losses together.

• Financial In the past 10 years, U.S. video-game

sales have almost tripled to $10 billion last year

Where does it Hurt?

Hurting us socially?

» Given choice, video games over every other activity?

Research Summary» Does it increase violence or negatively impact prosocial

behavior?

Long-term vs. short-term

» Does it improve learning / literacy?

Mixed to Yes

» Are they addictive?

Yes . . .

» Does it prepare youth?

Mixed to Yes

IDENTIFICATION

Checklist for Direct Interaction

Attitude Physical Appearance

Behavior Academic Performance

See Handout

What does my gut tell me...

Gaming BEST Practices

Game play should never exceed 7-21 hours per week

Playing with rl friends and family is better than playing alone

Cooperative game play vs. Competitivegame play

Creative games DO benefit

Prevention• Identify students with major indicators and

common threads• Discussion in Freshmen orientation

programs• Resident Assistant / Peer Mentor Training• Early Alert, Academic Success and other

Intervention programs (poor grades, attendance)

• Ask Questions about usage

Prevention• Explore partnerships with Counseling and

Psychological Services• Direct interventions• Programs/activities that only support

productive gaming• Disposal Incentive Programs• Living Learning Communities • IT training

Suggested Readings:

• Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap – Kevin Roberts

• Game Addiction: The Experience and the Effects – Neils Clark & P. Shavaun Scott

• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other – Sherry Turkle

• Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment – Kimberly S. Young

• Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet – Sherry Turkle

• I, Avatar: The Culture and Consequences of Having a Second Life – Mark Stephen Meadows

• Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human – Tom Boellstorff

• Second Lives: A Journey Through Virtual Worlds – Tim Guest

• The Making of Second Life: Notes from the New World – Wagner James Au

But THANKS!!!! For coming and playing!

Sources:

• Nisolosi, B. (2002) Video Game Culture: A Harmless Addiction?

http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/PFarticle.asp?vm_id=2&art_id=13810&sec_id=24907

Tournemille, D. (2002) First-person shooter: The video gamer’s addiction.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1030135158281_3?s_name=&no_ads

Orzack, M. (2005)

http://www.computeraddiction.com/peter.htm

http://www.fcd.org/admin/cgi-bin/file.asp?id=52

Kalning, K. (2007) If Second Life isn’t a Game, what is it?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17538999/

Bruner, O. (2006) Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction (New York, Center Street)

Entertainment Software Association; www.theesa.com. See “Facts and Research.”

Benedetti, W. (2007) Game Widows Grieve ‘Lost’ Spouses

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20397322/

Smith, K. (2007) Top 5 Most Addictive Video Games

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20398361/?GT1=10252

Glazer, S. (2006, November 10). Video games. CQ Researcher, 16, 937-960. Retrieved from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2006111000