Analysis of the Sleep Disorders in Students Under the Effect of Computer Games and Video Films

Introduction and wide use of information technologies in all spheres of human life including for the purpose of entertainment has led to the emergence and spread of various types of Internet addiction. Numerous studies have established the effect of the nature of activity in the virtual world on the state of the human mental condition. In our research was conducted analysis of the sleep disorders in technical university students, who use computer games and video films for recreation and entertainment. We have researched in the sleep disorder mechanisms in technical university students, who use computer games and video films for recreation and entertainment. The authors of the article K. N. Meziyanaya, K. D. Yashin, K. M. Karaneuski developed the questionnaire "Method of Screening Diagnostics of Computer Addiction and its Influence on Physical and Mental Health" to study of formation of sleep disorders [1]. Interviews with 142 2nd to 5th year students studying in one of the technical universities of Minsk city were conducted in order to study the formation of sleep disorders under the influence of the computer media environment: males – 119 (84.4%), females – 23 (16.2%). The average age of respondents was 19.7 (±1.5) years. The average duration of the virtual world use was 9 (±2) years. It is established that 101 students (71.1% of the number of respondents) are forced to wake up from fear and anxiety. The statistical relationship is shown between the symptom of sleep disturbance: they say in a dream "I just dream it" and the symptom: duration of stay in the virtual world 40 or more hours per week. χ2 criterion = 5.63; p = 0.05. The relationship between combining computer games with watching movies and waking up from fear and anxiety is found, χ2 criterion = 4.38, p = 0.05. The findings suggest that the continued use of computer games in combination with viewing video films contributes to the development of malfunction of the organization and maintenance of sleep. The results testify to the correlation between a sleep disorder and a prolonged stay in the virtual world, which can contribute to predicting the formation of anxiety disorders.

Videogame for Water Conservation Teaching

La enseñanza del uso sostenible del agua es un elemento clave para el cuidado del medio ambiente. Esto es cierto en todos los niveles de formación, pero cobra vital importancia en la educación básica, puesto que permite en los estudiantes la creación de hábitos adecuados y consciencia ambiental desde una edad temprana. Considerando esta situación, los docentes de ciencias naturales deben centrar sus esfuerzos en emplear estrategias para la enseñanza de esta temática, siendo una con gran potencial el uso de videojuegos, gracias entonces al interés que esta tecnología suele despertar en esa población. El objeto de este trabajo es la descripción de un videojuego para la enseñanza del cuidado del agua, el cual se diseñó en formato de sandbox 3D y con una estética similar a la del popular Minecraft. Se presenta su validación en un entorno educativo real en el que participaron 65 estudiantes de cuarto grado, de una institución educativa en el municipio de Bello, Colombia. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron determinar de forma cualitativa, pero también cuantitativa y con significancia estadística, que dicha estrategia propició una mayor apropiación en sí de los estudiantes, al tiempo que generó actitudes positivas hacía la estrategia y hacia la temática abordada.Teaching water sustainability is a key element for environmental protection. Although that is true at all educational levels, it is vitally important during primary education because it enables students to develop adequate habits and environmental awareness from an early age. As a consequence, natural science teachers should focus their efforts on strategies to teach said topic, and videogames offer great potential thanks to the interest they usually generate in students. The objective of this work, therefore, is to describe a videogame created to teach water conservation designed in a 3D sandbox format with similar aesthetics to that of the popular Minecraft. The strategy is validated in an actual educational environment with the participation of 65 fourth-graders from an education institution in the municipality of Bello, Colombia. The results enabled the authors to qualitatively and quantitatively (with statistical significance) determine that such strategy promoted more student participation and, at the same time, produced positive attitudes toward the strategy itself and the topic

Player retention in a free-to-play mobile game:the role of engagement

Abstract. This master’s thesis studies engagement and player retention in a free-to-play mobile game. The research design of this study was causal comparative. The study was based on statistical analysis of 5,000 first time players of a mobile game. These players’ behaviour on their first day of playing was analysed. Game engagement was defined by combining views of prior research of school engagement and game engagement. Game engagement was defined as players’ involvement, interest, and connection to a game. Game engagement was further defined as a four-dimensional concept consisting of behavioural, cognitive, affective, and agentic engagement. This study focused on studying behavioural and agentic game engagement. This study focused on examining how different engaged player behaviours on the first day of gameplay were connected to whether players continue playing the game. Continued play was examined through player retention at two points in time: after the first day and after the first week of gameplay. The research questions of this study examined how behavioural and agentic game engagement on the first day of gameplay were connected to whether players continued playing the game after the first day and first week of playing. The results of this study showed that behavioural and agentic game engagement factors on the first day of playing were important predictors in player retention both after the first day and after the first week of playing. The variables of first day gameplay had different effects after the first day and first week of gameplay. The most influential first day variables predicting continued gameplay both after a day and after a week were customising the game and gathering game rewards. Social interaction and time spent playing also impacted player retention after the first day. After the first week, influential factors were time spent playing, gathering rewards and skill level on the first day. The results of this study can be applied in developing different game-based solutions.Sitoutumisen rooli pelaamisen jatkamisessa ilmaisessa mobiilipelissä. Tiivistelmä. Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma tarkastelee pelaajien sitoutumista ja pelaamisen jatkamista ilmaisessa mobiilipelissä. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan tilastollisen analyysin avulla 5,000 ensikertalaispelaajaa mobiilipelissä ensimmäisen pelipäivänsä aikana. Peliin sitoutuminen määritellään yhdistelemällä aiemman tutkimuksen näkökulmia. Pohjana määrittelylle toimivat kouluoppimiseen sitoutumisen ja peleihin sitoutumisen teoriat. Peliin sitoutuminen määritellään pelaajan osallistumisena, kiinnostuksena ja suhteena peliin. Tarkemmin peliin sitoutuminen määritellään neljästä osasta koostuvana käsitteenä. Nämä osat ovat behaviouraalinen, kognitiivinen, affektiivinen ja toimijuudellinen sitoutuminen. Tässä tutkimuksessa tutkitaan behavioraalista ja toimijuudellista peliin sitoutumista. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan sitä, onko pelaajien ensimmäisen pelipäivän toiminnalla yhteyttä siihen, jatkaako pelaaja pelaamista. Pelaamisen jatkamista tarkastellaan kahtena ajankohtana: ensimmäisen pelipäivän ja ensimmäisen peliviikon jälkeen. Tutkimuskysymykset tarkastelevat sitä, miten behavioraalinen ja toimijuudellinen peliin sitoutuminen ensimmäisenä päivänä ennustaa pelaamisen jatkamista ensimmäisen pelipäivän ja ensimmäisen peliviikon jälkeen. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että behavioraalinen ja toimijuudellinen peliin sitoutuminen ensimmäisenä pelipäivänä ennustavat tilastollisesti merkittävästi pelaamisen jatkamista. Ensimmäisen päivän pelitoiminnoilla oli erilaisia yhteyksiä yhden päivän ja yhden viikon pelaamisen jälkeen. Merkitsevimmät ensipäivän pelitoiminnot, jotka ennustivat pelaamisen jatkamista sekä ensimmäisen päivän jälkeen että ensimmäisen viikon jälkeen olivat pelin kustomointi sekä palkintojen kerääminen. Myös sosiaalisella vuorovaikutuksella ja pelissä käytetyllä ajalla oli vaikutusta ensimmäisen päivän jälkeen pelaamisen jatkamiseen. Ensimmäisen viikon jälkeen ensipäivän toiminnasta vaikuttavia olivat myös pelissä käytetty aika, palkintojen kerääminen sekä taitotaso. Tutkimuksen tuloksia voi hyödyntää erilaisten pelipohjaisten ratkaisujen suunnittelussa

Mängustamise kasutamine haridusteenuse arendamisel Pärnu Koidula Gümnaasiumi IT aine näitel

https://www.ester.ee/record=b5361900*es

Investigating the role of eSport on the free to play business model: An analysis of league of legends economic success

ESport is a rising entertainment industry that has grown exponentially in the past decade. Competitions broadcasted online make eSport appealing for a large audience of video game enthusiasts, creating an opportunity for sponsorship deals. To this day, scholars have focused their efforts on understanding which are the motivations for people to watch eSport, and only scarce research has been made to measure how eSport consumption affects video game consumption. Filling this literature gap is the first objective of this study. Free-to-play games are a logical response to the shifts of the video game industry. A second objective is to investigate the determinants of free-to-play games profitability: while being free, these games generate their revenues through the sale of virtual items. League of Legends, a successful freeto- play game and leading player in the eSport industry, was selected as the context of this study. A quantitative questionnaire was distributed in eSport and League of Legends online communities. A PLS-SEM analysis revealed two motivations to watch eSport, (1) knowledge acquisition and (2) aesthetics. Such motivations drive the players’ perception of the game enjoyability and ease of use, this study being the first to establish these links. The model also confirms that customer loyalty predicts purchase intention of virtual items. Findings carry implications for a wide range of eSport and video game industry stakeholders and emphasize the importance of mentoring novices and rewarding the loyalty of existing players.O eSport é uma indústria de entretenimento em ascensão que cresceu exponencialmente na última década. As competições transmitidas online tornam o eSport apelativo para uma grande audiência de entusiastas de videojogos, criando uma oportunidade para importantes patrocínios. Até hoje, as investigações têm-se focado na compreensão de quais são as motivações para as pessoas assistirem ao eSport, e foram feitos poucos estudos para medir como o consumo de eSport pode afetar o consumo de videojogos. O primeiro objetivo desta tese é preencher esta lacuna na literatura. Um segundo objetivo é investigar os determinantes da rentabilidade dos jogos free-to-play: jogos gratuitos que geram as suas receitas através da venda de itens virtuais. Com esse propósito, esta tese foca-se no caso do League of Legends, um jogo free-to-play bastante popular na indústria de eSport. Um questionário quantitativo aplicado nas comunidades online de eSport e League of Legends foi analisado utilizando equações estruturais PLS-SEM e revelou duas motivações para assistir ao eSport, (1) aquisição de conhecimento e (2) estética. Estas duas motivações impulsionam a perceção dos jogadores sobre a capacidade de utilização do jogo, sendo este estudo o primeiro a estabelecer estas ligações. O modelo confirma ainda que a fidelização do cliente prevê a intenção de compra de itens virtuais. As descobertas têm implicações para uma vasta gama de intervenientes da indústria de eSport e videojogos e enfatizam a importância de orientar os novos jogadores e recompensar a lealdade dos jogadores existentes

The time loss effect in gaming: an exploration of gamers' time perception from a dual-process perspective

Gaming Disorder has been included in the 11th revision of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases as a recurrent gaming behaviour with a lack of control from the gamer. One important aspect of gaming disorder, and gaming in general, is the time loss effect which can be defined as the underestimation of the time spent on an activity (i.e., gaming in this case). Since this process may lead the gamers to experience multiple negative consequences (e.g., conflicts with education and occupation, relationship problems, etc.) due to the increased time spent on videogames, the main objective of this thesis was to explore a potential underlying mechanism of time loss: time perception. This thesis contributed to knowledge by (i) systematically reviewing the variables commonly associated with both gaming (i.e., healthy and disordered) and time perception, allowing a deeper understanding of these two variables’ interaction; (ii) testing the Dual-Process Contingency Model of time perception within durations above one minute; (iii) testing both the prospective and retrospective time perception of the gamers in comparison to non-gamers in a neutral setting; and (iv) testing how emotion and cognition affect the gamers’ retrospective time perception. The new primary data from this thesis were collected using quantitative approaches, utilizing both experimental (i.e., computer tasks) and psychometric (i.e., online survey) data collection. These data from three experimental studies and one psychometric study were analysed through multiple types of analysis such as ANOVAs, regressions, or general linear models. The results first indicated that the Dual-Process Contingency Model of time perception, unifying RTP and PTP, was not valid for longer time durations. Second, the results showed that the gamers exhibited a better PTP (but a similar RTP) than non-gamers when estimating time in a neutral setting. However, the gamers underestimated time when processing gaming pictures, this effect being stronger when the task to complete was more complicated. In conclusion, it appears from the studies carried out that the reason underlying the observed time loss effect experienced by gamers was impaired retrospective time perception occurring when aroused by gaming stimuli

Navigating Online and Offline Social Spaces: Interpersonal Relationships and Problematic Gaming Behaviour in MMORPG Players

Previous research suggests that individuals who play Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs) may experience interpersonal benefits from their in-game interactions with other players (Kaczmarek & Drazkowski, 2014). At times, however, these online relationships may develop at the expense of their offline relationships and some players may even be at risk for developing problematic gaming behaviours (PGB). The current study aimed to better understand the online and offline interpersonal experiences of MMORPG players and to identify interpersonal risk factors for developing PGB. A total of 149 MMORPG players between the ages of 18 to 46 years completed a set of online questionnaires which included measures for PGB, time spent playing, social support, loneliness, gamer identity, attachment, coping behaviour, antisocial behaviour, and impulsivity/risk-taking behaviour. They also completed a set of open-ended questionnaire items that examined their perspectives on their online and offline relationships, as well as their online gaming behaviour. The findings indicated that participants who spent more time playing MMORPGs reported lower offline interpersonal support, greater avoidant attachment, and greater identification with the online gaming community. Time spent playing was not associated with online interpersonal support nor was it associated with online or offline loneliness. Contrary to expectations, neither avoidant attachment nor coping style moderated the link between time spent playing, and either interpersonal support or loneliness. However, players with greater avoidant attachment and those with greater avoidance coping tended to report lower interpersonal support and greater loneliness within online and offline domains. Players with greater social support coping also reported greater online and offline interpersonal support, as well as lower online loneliness; but, greater social support coping was not linked to offline loneliness. Lastly, findings indicated that players with greater avoidance coping, greater antisocial behaviour, and those who reported less offline interpersonal support were at greater risk of having higher levels of PGB. The findings indicated some parallels between players’ online and offline relationships; however, players’ interpersonal gains within one domain did not necessarily compensate for deficits within the other domain. Players who are socially motivated to play, engage in more social support coping, and fewer avoidance coping behaviours may find it easier to create and maintain online connections. Thus, understanding how players engage with online games, rather than relying on overall time spent playing, may better predict players’ risk for developing higher levels of PGB. The findings from the study may inform health professionals about the online and offline social contexts in the lives of online gamers, which may help individuals at risk for developing significant distress related to their online gaming behaviour. This research may also inform game developers seeking to improve user experiences by establishing a more supportive online community for players and promoting healthier video game engagement