Problematic video game play and ADHD traits in an adult population

This study examined the relationship between problematic video game play (PVGP), video game usage, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits in an adult population. A sample of 205 healthy adult volunteers completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), a video game usage questionnaire, and the Problem Video Game Playing Test (PVGT). A significant positive correlation was found between the ASRS and the PVGT. More specifically, inattention symptoms and time spent playing video games were the best predictors of PVGP. No relationship was found between frequency and duration of play and ADHD traits. Hyperactivity symptoms were not associated with PVGP. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between ADHD traits and problematic video game play. In particular, adults with higher level of self-reported inattention symptoms could be at higher risk of PVGP

Digital Divide: Can Computer and Videogame Usage equalize the Gender differences in Mental Rotation Ability?

Many studies with different settings have confirmed that there is a performance difference in spatial skills between men and women, especially in the domain of mental rotation. The mental rotation performance is influenced by many different factors, such as training, sexual orientation, age, hormonal level or psychological influence. Video game usage positively affects the performance on mental rotation tasks and as this special form of training is favored by men, this training gap could possibly be identified as main influencing factor. Question is whether the digital divide in video game usage widens or slowly disappears. Currently men are better trained because of their choice of video games and the amount of time invested in training. As the performance gap is not perceivable when the mental rotation test deploys real 3-dimensional figures instead of 2-dimensional representations of 3-dimensional figures. It might be possible that the advent of 3D presentations evens out the MR performance gap. Statistics are showing that the amount of game playing females has risen over the years. The creation of appealing game titles for women, which are exercising spatial skills, could balance this training difference and along with it the stability of different performance levels in mental rotation tasks between men and women

The Role of Gender in Video Game Usage, Preference, and Behavior in Surabaya

This study aims to identify and analyze the differences of Behavior and describe the Usage and Preference toward Video Game between Male and Female gamers in Surabaya. The Video Game mentioned covers all electronic games, independent of their platform (computer, consoles, arcades, handheld, smartphone, etc.). The data used in this research gathered through direct offline physical Questionnaire which was adopted from Phan. et.al. (2012). Using Non-probability purposive sampling technique, sample of this research consisted of 200 respondents, composed from 100 Male and 100 Female respondents whose age is 17 years old or above, domiciled Surabaya, and routinely plays video game for at least two hours in a week. Further data analysis was analyzed by SPSS 23.0. Result of this study found that there is significant difference in behavior between male and female video gamers and describe each gender preferences toward genres and gaming device, also the usage of the video game

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Press release #3: Declining Health and Diminishing Education

This report examines regional and sub-regional measures of health and education perceptions from the 2014 Life In Hampton Roads survey (LIHR 2014) conducted by the Old Dominion University Social Science Research Center

Video Games in the Secondary Language Arts Classroom: Opportunities For Deeper Learning and Worldly Discussions

Video games are often neglected or forgotten by educators, even though they can provide an excellent, multi-faceted learning tool for students of all backgrounds and skill levels. This capstone project examines the use of video games in secondary language arts classrooms following Minnesota state standards to help students understand literary concepts, increase language skills, and allow for meaningful worldly discussions. Using the research question “How can video games be used in educational settings to support student curriculum and foster worldly discussions?” as a guiding question, this capstone explores societal conversations surrounding video game usage as a learning tool, including the history of video games, the positive and negative effects of video games on players, genres of games, worldly discussions, and the Minnesota state standards and language that allow for gaming to have a place in the classroom. Surveying the works of scholars like Arena, Bavelier, Green, Pouget, Horowitz, and Kent, the findings of this capstone are that video games can be easily incorporated into classroom curriculum and have positive effects on learning and language development. Incorporating video games into classrooms are also possible and successful in creating worldly classroom discussions

A Day in the Life of a Sim: Making Meaning of Video Game Avatars and Behaviors

With video game usage--and criticism on its activity--on the rise, it may be helpful for the psychological community to understand what it actually means to play video games, and what the lived experience entails. This qualitative, phenomenological study specifically explores user behaviors and decisions in the simulated life video game, The Sims. Ten participants completed one- to two-hour long semi-structured interviews, and the data was transcribed, organized into 1,988 codes, which were clustered into 30 categories, and from which six themes ultimately emerged. These resulting themes are: self-representation; past, present, and future; purpose for play; self-reflection; co-creation; and familiarity. The essence of playing The Sims includes a degree of self-representation through gameplay choices, projecting one\u27s own past, present or future into the game, and play that is motivated by distinct reasons or benefits. Gameplay in The Sims also involves a sense of familiarity, the interaction of inspirations coming from both the user and the game, and the user\u27s reflections on the connection between themselves and the game. Relationships between the six resulting themes and the current literature on video game psychology are reviewed, and future research and clinical implications are discussed

The effects of video games on sexism attitudes in males

Research on video game usage has primarily focused on its violent content and how it predicts aggression in participants. Typically, most of these studies show that video games (VGs) cause individuals to become more aggressive and so VGs are theorized as a powerful medium for influencing behavior and cognition. Stereotypic presentations within media also influences behavior and cognition. Given that many VGs make use of stereotypes, particularly negative stereotypes related to gender, there is a need to investigate how VGs might reinforce and normalize the mistreatment of women in society. It was hypothesized that prior experience of playing violent video games (e.g., in person or online game play/messaging) might cause players of these games to accept the mistreatment of women. Specifically, participants were asked to rate how offensive they found screen shots of a series of sexist chat messages sent to female gamers to be. The analyses revealed that those who play violent video games, and scored high on benevolent sexism rated the sexist stimuli messages more amusing than others. In this study it was shown that high hostile sexists believed these messages to be amusing. It was also found that benevolent sexists also found the messages less amusing, a result consistent with prior research. Implications and future directions are also discussed

Video gaming in adolescence : factors associated with leisure time use

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Journal of Youth Studies on 14 July 2015, available online at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2015.1048200The geographies of the current generation of young people are markedly distinct from previous generations by virtue of their access to a virtual playground. The vast majority of young people now engage in video gaming as a leisure activity. Drawing on findings from the 2009/2010 WHO Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study this paper set out to investigate the factors that might be associated with higher levels of video gaming. Information was collected from 4404 school students aged 11, 13 and 15 years, using anonymised self-completed questionnaires. Higher usage was defined as game play exceeding two hours a day. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls. For both genders higher levels of game playing was associated with early adolescence, opposite sex friends and minimal parental mediation. Bullying and going to bed hungry were associated with higher usage for boys only, while life satisfaction and family activities were linked to girls’ game playing only. Parents were identified as effective mediators of young people’s video game usage. The study identified gendered motivations for higher levels of game play, suggesting different interventions for boys and girls may be required in order for young people to create a balanced approach to video gamingPeer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio