Wellbeing experienced by digital players: Comparing real-life and gaming perspectives

The on-growing consumption of digital games has worried many. Recent barometers show that 75% of Finnish citizens and 67% of Australians play video games. Earlier studies suggest many adverse effects on gaming. Digital games are nevertheless largely used, and thus understanding the positive experiences of gaming is important. To better understand why gaming is so popular, this research examined the positive subjective experience of gaming. The gaming preferences of players and the subjective experiences of digital gaming were examined by a web survey (N=513) distributed to Finnish and Australian gaming forums. The respondents were players from Australia and Finland, who played on average 20.16 hours per week. The players’ specific preferences for game dynamics were examined with an upgraded version of the Game Dynamics Preferences Questionnaire (Vahlo, Kaakinen, Holm & Koponen, 2017) consisting of 50 items. Using exploratory factor analysis, these game dynamics were grouped into core dynamics. A cluster analysis based on the factor scores of the questionnaire answers was then used to divide the gamers to different profiles. The survey also contained four psychological scales: self-efficacy, curiosity, subjective vitality and psychological empowerment. There were two versions of each of these scales: first participants responded to the scales from real-life perspective, then from gaming perspective. By comparing the responses given in real-life vs. gaming perspective, the positive subjective experience of gaming could be calculated. This study conducted six core dynamics: Assault and Coordinate; Manage; Affect, Aesthetics and Expression; Explore and Develop the Gameworld; Interact; and Logic and Problem Solving. Based on the dynamics, the players divided into five gaming profiles: the Wise Adventurer, the Looter­Adventurer, the Explorer, the Commander and the Companion. The profiles consisting of heavy gamers had more positive subjective experiences of gaming, compared to light gamers. All of the different gaming profiles experienced significantly more curiosity when gaming, compared to real-life. The results suggest that heavy gamers have positive subjective experiences during gaming. In the future these subjective experiences should be further examined by controlled intervention studies. KEYWORDS: Digital gaming, player profiles, gamer’s wellbein

Character Strengths and Positive Outcomes

Character strengths have been defined as positive traits associated with individual differences. It has been explored as part of the personality that contributes to well-being, happiness and flourishing. This paper provides a review of the VIA Classification of character strengths and the relationships between character strengths and positive outcomes. Previous research shows that different character strengths predict different outcomes. From the review, character strengths have been found to generally increase life satisfaction, flourishing and leadership. Character strengths also have significant relationships with coping with stress, mastering online education system and recovering from addiction behaviour. Most of the studies were conducted in Western countries across a variety of population. The review highlights the importance of studying character strengths, especially in less studied samples such as Malaysia

Exploring the awareness, motivations and coping strategies of problematic internet users.

This paper presents a systematic review that covers internet addiction and wellbeing studies on adults; followed by a semi-structured interview of a group of 6 problematic internet adult users, analysed through thematic analysis. The interview questions explore motives, awareness level and coping strategies of problematic internet users. The systematic review results are categorised based on DRIVE model and indicate gaps in the literature on internet addiction studies and suggests a holistic direction of studying wellbeing. The interviews resulted in 6 themes that reflected the user’s awareness of the consequences of problematic internet use, coping strategies when there is a high information overload, controlling internet attachment, causes of excessive internet use, preferred using time and psychological effect after spending long hours online

Understanding Perceptions of Problematic Facebook Use: When People Experience Negative Life Impact and a Lack of Control

While many people use social network sites to connect with friends and family, some feel that their use is problematic, seriously affecting their sleep, work, or life. Pairing a survey of 20,000 Facebook users measuring perceptions of problematic use with behavioral and demographic data, we examined Facebook activities associated with problematic use as well as the kinds of people most likely to experience it. People who feel their use is problematic are more likely to be younger, male, and going through a major life event such as a breakup. They spend more time on the platform, particularly at night, and spend proportionally more time looking at profiles and less time browsing their News Feeds. They also message their friends more frequently. While they are more likely to respond to notifications, they are also more likely to deactivate their accounts, perhaps in an effort to better manage their time. Further, they are more likely to have seen content about social media or phone addiction. Notably, people reporting problematic use rate the site as more valuable to them, highlighting the complex relationship between technology use and well-being. A better understanding of problematic Facebook use can inform the design of context-appropriate and supportive tools to help people become more in control.Comment: CHI 201

Effects of internet use on wellbeing and academic attainment of students starting university

Previous research suggests that internet addiction, or problematic internet use, reduces the wellbeing and academic attainment of university students. A major problem with much of the previous research is that the studies have not controlled for established predictors of wellbeing and attainment. When this has been done, the effects of internet use on wellbeing have no longer been significant, although a negative effect of internet use on attainment still remained. This topic was examined in the present study which also controlled for information overload. 179 first year university students completed the internet addiction test , the information overload scale and the student wellbeing process questionnaire. Correlational analyses showed that internet addiction was associated with negative wellbeing and negatively associated with positive wellbeing. Numerically, internet addiction scores were associated with poorer attainment but these effects were not significant, possibly reflecting the sample size. The associations between internet addiction and wellbeing were not significant when established predictors of wellbeing (positive personality, social support, exposure to stressors and negative coping) were covaried. Further research is needed to extend these findings using longitudinal designs, other samples (e.g. high users of the internet, workers) and assessment of type of internet use

How do digital transformation and the internet use influence our wellbeing perception?

[EN] Digital transformation and the internet are changing the way people relate to others, but also the way individuals to themselves and their wellbeing perception. In this thesis, there have been examined definitions, affections, and considerations relative to digital transformation, internet, or wellbeing to deepen and understand better the concepts that will take part in our analysis. There, it has been analyzed the internet use among European Countries attending data provided by the European Social Survey (2016) on a sample of more than 34.700 respondents from 18 countries and its relationship with WB perception of individuals. First, it has been examined the individual relationship of WB of people involved in the survey. Sociodemographic factors as age, education, gender, or country have also been considered to analyze differences. The same exercise has been done with internet use data. Second, it has been examined the effect of considering both concepts (internet use and WB) together and interaction between them, for providing more extensive information and understanding. Then, personal values have been introduced. Values influence people's lives and determine individuals' attitude, behavior, relationships with others and themselves, and even their WB perception. Thus, attending personal values and considerations individuals report on the survey, different personal profiles have been defined. And both, internet use and WB concepts, first at an individual level, and secondly considering their interaction, have been examined for each different profile. Finally, results and conclusions that demonstrate personal values and different individuals profile influence the Internet use and WB perception are presented for discussion.[ES] La transformación digital y el uso de internet están cambiando la forma en la que las personas interactúan entre ellas, pero también el modo en el que se relacionan consigo mismo, e incluso su propia percepción del bienestar.En esta tesis, se han examinado las definiciones, afecciones y consideraciones relativas a la transformación digital, internet y/o bienestar para profundizar mejor en los conceptos incluidos en el presente análisis. Además, en base a una muestra de la Encuesta Social Europea (European Social Survey) 2016 en una muestra de más de 34.700 participantes de 18 países, se ha analizado el uso de internet entre países europeos, así como su relación entre la percepción del bienestar de las personas. Así, primero se ha examinado la relación y percepción individual del bienestar de las personas incluidas en la encuesta, analizando factores sociodemográficos tales como edad, educación, género o país para analizar las diferencias entre la muestra poblacional. Dicho ejercicio ha sido replicado en lo que al análisis individual del uso de internet se refiere. En segundo lugar, se ha examinado el efecto de considerar ambos conceptos simultáneamente (uso de internet y bienestar) para analizar la inteacción entre ellos y profundizar en los efectos derivados del mismo. Seguidamente se introducen los valores personales. Los valores influencian la vida de las personas determinando su actitud personal, su comportamiento, la relación con ellos mismos y con los demás, e incluso su propia percepción del bienestar. Así, atendiendo a los valores y consideraciones personales proporcionadas en la encuesta, se han definido distintos perfiles personales, para, seguidamente analizar el impacto de el uso de internet y percepción del bienestar primero a nivel individual para cada perfil, y posteriormente valorar la interacción de la confluencia de ambos y la singularidad de su efecto en cada perfil. Por último, se presentan los resultados y conclusiones identificadas, que demuestran que, los valores personales y los diferentes perfiles personales influencian el uso individual de internet y su percepción del bienestar.[CA] La transformació digital i l'ús d'Internet estan canviant la forma en què les persones interactuen entre si, però també la forma en què es relacionen amb si mateixos, i fins i tot la seva pròpia percepció del benestar. En aquesta tesi s'han examinat les definicions, condicions i consideracions relatives a la transformació digital, Internet i/o benestar, per tal d'aprofundir en els conceptes que s'inclouen en aquesta anàlisi. Partint d'una mostra de l'Enquesta Social Europea (European Social Survey) 2016 amb més de 34.700 participants de 18 països, s'ha analitzat l'ús d'Internet entre els països europeus, així com la seva relació entre la percepció del benestar de les persones. Així, s'ha examinat per primera vegada la relació individual i la percepció del benestar de les persones incloses en l'enquesta, analitzant factors sociodemogràfics com l'edat, l'educació, el gènere o el país per analitzar les diferències existents. Aquest exercici s'ha replicat amb tot alló relatiu a l'anàlisi individual de l'ús d'Internet. En segon lloc, s¿ha examinat l'efecte de considerar els dos conceptes simultàniament (ús d'Internet i benestar) per analitzar l'acció entre ells i aprofundir en els efectes que se'n deriven. També s¿han introduït els valors personals. Els valors influeixen en la vida de les persones mitjançant la determinació de la seva actitud personal, el comportament, la relació amb ells mateixos i els altres, i fins i tot la seva pròpia percepció del benestar. Així, tenint en compte els valors i les consideracions personals previstes en l'enquesta, s'han definit diferents perfils personals, per després analitzar l'impacte de l'ús d'Internet i la percepció del benestar primer a nivell individual per a cada perfil, i posteriorment valorar la interacció de la confluència d'ambdós i la singularitat del seu efecte en cada perfil. Finalment, es presenten els resultats i conclusions identificats, demostrant que els valors personals i els diferents perfils personals influeixen en l'ús individual d'Internet i en la seva percepció de benestar.Femenía Mulet, S. (2020). How do digital transformation and the internet use influence our wellbeing perception? [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/149478TESI

Investigation of the Relationships between Optimism, Perceived Social Support, and Hope

The aim of this research is to examine the relationships between optimism, perceived social support and hope. The dependent variable of this research is optimism and its independent variables are perceived social support and hope. The study group consists of 435 teacher candidates, as 331 females (76.1%) and 104 males (23.9%). In the research, the Life Orientation Test, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Adult Trait Hope Scale and personal information form were used as data collection tools. Correlational research model was used in the research. The data were analyzed using SPSS (21.0) program. In the analysis of the data, t-test, one-way variance analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis were used. According to the findings of the study, it was found that the optimism of teacher candidates did not differ significantly according to gender, but differed significantly according to perceived income level and perceived parental attitude. A positive relationship was found between optimism and perceived social support and hope. It was found that perceived social support and hope variables predicted optimism. The findings were discussed based on the literature and suggestions were developed

Shyness, self-esteem, and loneliness as causes of FA: The moderating effect of low self-control

This study examined the impacts of shyness, self-esteem and loneliness on Facebook addiction by considering their inter-relations. Furthermore, the moderating effect of low self-control on the relationship between Facebook addiction and individuals’ performance was also examined. Data were collected via an online survey from 348 Malaysians and were analysed using the partial least squares technique. The results showed that shyness has both a direct effect and an indirect effect through loneliness on Facebook addiction. Although self-esteem has no direct effect on Facebook addiction, it has an indirect effect through loneliness. The results also confirmed that low self-control negatively moderates the relationship between Facebook addiction and individuals’ performance. The findings of the study contribute to knowledge on the impacts of social and psychological problem, including shyness, self-esteem and loneliness, on Facebook addiction. In addition, this study is the first attempt to investigate the moderating effect of personal characteristics, including low self-control, on the relationship between Facebook addiction and performance. The results could benefit psychologists, managers, and school counsellors in helping to prevent Facebook addiction and control its effect on individuals’ performance by developing prevention and intervention programs

INTERNET ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS IN CROATIA AND GERMANY

Background: The research examines the influence of internet addiction of adolescents in Croatia and Germany and its impact on the subjective feeling of health status. The purpose of this paper is also to give insight into how the Internet addiction which is a risky health behavior affects the health status of adolescents. The excessive use of Internet is linked with the lower health status of Croatian adolescents as well as of the adolescents in Germany. Subjects and methods: Respondents are defined as students who attend school regularly ages 11-18. The modified SF-36 questionnaire and IAT for Internet addiction were used. Results: The Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated -0.23 with N=459 and p<0.001. Accordingly, the correlation between health quality and Internet addiction is negative but statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between adolescents\u27 mental health and quality of life and the level of their Internet addiction. Out of the total number of adolescents in ill-health, 39% of them are moderately or severely addicted to the Internet. 20% out of the total number of adolescents in medium health is moderate of severely addicted to the Internet. Finally, out of the total number of adolescents in good health 13% has been moderate of highly addicted to the Internet. Therefore, the better the adolescents\u27 health, the fewer the Internet addicts. And vice versa, the worse the health, the more the Internet addicts