Examining the social lives of adolescent and young adult massively multiplayer online game players

What is it about?

This study (N = 1,332) investigated different aspects of young massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) players’ social lives in the context of problematic game play while differentiating "addiction" from high engagement. This is a distinction that has been lost on early research. Frequency of online game play and demographic information were also examined. The findings speak to the complexity of defining problematic play, raising questions about the social consequences of video games.

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Why is it important?

Reaching agreement regarding the social effects of video game play requires a thorough ability to distinguish problematic from healthy behavior. While excessive game play measured in time is a common thread found in early research, later attempts have proposed psychological criteria to help identify cases of "addiction." Problematic game play is in itself controversial, however, with criteria and scales left to the discretion of those studying the matter. While the findings support research suggesting that problematic MMOG play can lead to a reduction in typical everyday social function, they also challenge our understanding of this play in social contexts. Adding credence to the supposition that individuals may advance through a phase of high engagement before showing signs of addiction; making it difficult to identify traits or behaviors that can be used to recognize problematic gaming.

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