Related Literature About Online Games

RELATED LITERATURE ABOUT ONLINE GAMES date: 08/28/14 time: 8:14 PM source: http://yourbrainonporn.com/internet-and-gaming-addiction-systematicliterature-review-neuroimaging-studies-2012 Authors: Daria J. Kuss and Mark D. Griffiths Year: 2012

In the past decade, research has accumulated suggesting that excessive Internet use can lead to the development of a behavioral addiction.Internet addiction has been considered as a serious threat to mental health and the excessive use of the Internet has been linked to a variety of negative psychosocial consequences. The aim of this review is to identify all empirical studies to date that used neuroimaging techniques to shed light upon the emerging mental health problem of Internet and gaming addiction from a neuroscientific perspective. Neuroimaging studies offer an advantage over traditional survey and behavioral research because with this method, it is possible to distinguish particular brain areas that are involved in the development and maintenance of addiction. A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying 18 studies. These studies provide compelling evidence for the similarities between different types of addictions, notably substance-related addictions and Internet and gaming addiction, on a variety of levels. On the molecular level, Internet addiction is characterized by an overall reward deficiency that entails decreased dopaminergic activity. On the level of neural circuitry, Internet and gaming addiction led to neuroadaptation and structural changes that occur as a consequence of prolonged increased activity in brain areas associated with addiction. On a behavioral level, Internet and gaming addicts appear to be constricted with regards to their cognitive functioning in various domains.

date: 08/28/14 time: 8:14 PM source: http://game-research.com/index.php/articles/computer-game-research101-a-brief-introduction-to-the-literature/ author: Jonas Heide Smith Year: 2006 A few years ago there wasn´t much to talk about. Now, however, computer game research is booming resulting in common terminology, competing paradigms and serious discussion on the subjects of games and gaming. This article attempts to provide an introduction to the field of computer game research. Computer games, like other media, have taken some time to register on the academic radar screen. Film, although treated seriously early on (e.g. M´nsterberg, 1916), was not considered an entirely valid research field until the 1960s which saw the birth of actual academic departments. Games, now 40 years old, are starting ´ quite suddenly ´ to attract attention from a wide range of disciplines. Only five years ago it would be possible to survey the entire field of game research without raising much of a sweat. Sociologists and psychologists had attempted to map behavioural effects, but not in ways that warranted special attention compared to similar studies on other phenomena in the same league. Today, scholars from fields as diverse as comparative literature, graphic design, computer science, film studies and theatre studies have contributed to the understanding of the phenomenon of computer games. In the following I try to convey a crude map of the field. I attempt ´ but do not hope to succeed ´ to provide a balanced view of what is essentially a non-unified research community with huge differences in outlook and priorities.

RELATED STUDIES ABOUT ONLINE GAMES date: 08/28/14 time: 8:14 PM source: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/psychiatry/2013/464685/ author: Jonathan Scott and Alison P. Porter-Armstrong YEAR: 2009

Abstract

Introduction. For many people, the online environment has become a significant arena for everyday living, and researchers are beginning to explore the multifaceted nature of human interaction with the Internet. The burgeoning global popularity and distinct design features of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have received particular attention, and discourses about the phenomenon suggest both positive and negative impact upon gamer health. Aim. The purpose of this paper was to critically appraise the research literature to determine if playing MMORPGs impacts upon the psychosocial well-being of adolescents and young adults. Method. Initial searches were conducted on nine databases spanning the years 2002 to 2012 using key words, such as online gaming, internet gaming, psychosocial, and well-being, which, in addition to hand searching, identified six studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. Results. All six studies strongly associated MMORPG playing with helpful and harmful impact to the psychosocial well-being of the populations under study; however due to the methodologies employed, only tentative conclusions may be drawn. Conclusion. Since both helpful and harmful effects were reported, further multidisciplinary research is recommended to specifically explore the clinical implications and therapeutic potentialities of this modern, growing phenomenon. 1. Introduction

There can be little doubt that the use of the Internet has become a significant aspect of modern living, bringing benefits to users in terms of access to information and flexibility of communication. Even so, certain aspects of Internet use are beginning to come under increasing scrutiny. Recently, the term Problematic Internet Use has been used to describe a syndrome of cognitive and behavioural symptoms that result in a wide range of negative consequences, including physical harm and psychosocial adversities [1–3].

Indeed there is a body of opinion suggesting that the term internet addiction should be included in the forthcoming fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders [4]. However, research suggests that individuals do not develop problems with the Internet in and of itself, but rather with the various activities it enables [5–7]. Despite the increasing pervasiveness and variety of online activities in adolescent’s lives, little is known about any associated short- or long-term health implications of use [8]. Of particular interest are those activities which involve online community interaction, and questions have been raised about the ability of these applications to influence behaviour and induce or support pathological thinking [9]. Online gaming is one such activity and is the latest iteration of the well-established leisure occupation of video and computer gaming. It has become a significant global phenomenon, with one source estimating that there are more than 217 million online gamers worldwide [10] and other statistics estimating that one in four internet users access sites that offer gaming [11]. Indeed, market research indicates that the average number of hours spent each week on online gaming is increasing, with 12–14 year olds spending the most time on these games [12]. An online game is a digital game that utilises a live network connection in order to be played and is usually done through a games console, a portable gaming device, or a personal computer [13]. As well as the traditional offline gaming experience of “continuous scoring, promotion, immediate feedback, and achievement of selfsatisfaction” [14], which research has shown can have many adverse health consequences [15, 16], online gaming allows for social interaction amongst gamers in a shared virtual space [17] and consequently may be more problematic for some individuals [18]. The most popular genre or type of online game that of massively multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs) and the small amount of research exploring online gaming has tended to focus on this genre. MMORPGs allow gamers to create their own avatar to explore and play with others from across the globe in self-contained, persistent, and immersive online worlds. By design, these games run in real time are highly social and competitive in nature, and call for a high level of commitment and cooperation amongst game users [19]. Consequently there are growing concerns that the significant requirements of playing MMORPGs may facilitate compulsive or addictive use. It has been reported that in order to create more time for computer games, players will neglect sleep, diet, hobbies, exercise, and socialising [20] and that there is evidence to associate poor decision making [21], depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation with excessive digital gaming [22]. However, it should be noted that studies have also reported that users are deriving a great deal of satisfaction and benefit from engaging in these games [23–26]. Clearly a heterogeneous clinical picture is beginning to emerge of how online gaming is impacting the psychosocial well-being of gamers. For the purposes of this review “psychosocial well-being” is understood as an “array of

constructs which reflect the quality of intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning” [27]. Moreover, since playing MMORPGs is becoming an increasingly significant occupation of leisure for many adolescents and young adults, the aim of this critical review is to examine the published literature and to critically appraise the evidence to determine the impact, if any, of playing MMORPGs upon the psychosocial well-being of adolescents, emerging adults, and young adults.

date: 08/28/14 time: 8:14 PM source: http://www.scilearn.com/blog/video-games-brain author: Bill Jenkins, Ph.D. YEAR: 2012

We’ve all seen the news reports, but how do video games really affect the brain? The short answer is this: researchers are working on it. While a great many studies have been done, science has a long way to go before we fully understand the impact video games can have. The brain is a malleable, “plastic” structure that can change and evolve with every stimulus we give it. Whether that stimulus comes from listening to Tchaikovsky, studying Spanish, training in karate, or jumping through the mushroom kingdom in Super Mario Bros. Wii, every single input can affect the wiring of the brain if the conditions are right. In a December 2011 article in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, six experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology – Daphne Bavelier, C. Shawn Green, Doug Hyun Han, Perry F. Renshaw, Michael M. Merzenich and Douglas A. Gentile – offer their perspectives on frequently asked questions related to the effects of video games on the brain: Are there beneficial effects of video games? Does evidence point to improvements in cognitive function?Given the wide variety of game types and the tasks they demand of the brain, this is an extremely complex and layered issue. Han

and Renshaw cite studies indicating that game play may improve visual-spatial capacity, visual acuity, task switching, decision making and object tracking. In perception, gaming has been shown to enhance low-level vision, visual attention, processing speed and statistical inference. These skills are not necessarily general improvements in cognitive functioning, but specific skills transferrable to similar tasks. (Gentile) Does playing video games have negative effects on the brain and behavior?On this issue, the jury is essentially unanimous: intensive play of high-action games has been shown to have negative cognitive effects. Merzenich references studies that indicate such games can create “listlessness and discontent in slower-paced and less stimulating academic, work or social environments.” Research has drawn connections between playing more violent games and an increase in more aggressive thoughts. Games with anti-social or violent content “have been shown to reduce empathy, to reduce stress associated with observing or initiating anti-social actions, and to increase confrontational and disruptive behaviors in the real world.” (ibid) How strong is the evidence that video games are addictive?While strong evidence is mounting, research is proceeding but still incomplete. According to Han and Renshaw, investigations suggest that “brain areas that respond to game stimuli in patients with on-line game addiction are similar to those that respond to drug cueinduced craving in patients with substance dependence.” In addition, they state that gaming dependence has been shown to create “dysfunction in five domains: academic, social, occupational, developmental and behavioral.” While gaming addiction may differ from other types of addiction, it clearly appears to be a very real issue.