Peer Group Identification as Determinant of Youth Behavior and the Role of Perceived Social Support in Problem Gambling

Gambling opportunities have increased rapidly during recent years. Previous research shows that gambling is a popular activity among youth, which may contribute to problem gambling. This study examined how social identification with online and offline peer groups associates with youth problem gambling behavior and if perceived social support buffers this relationship. Data were gathered with an online survey with 1212 American and 1200 Finnish participants between 15 and 25 years of age. Measures included the South Oaks Gambling Screen for problem gambling, and items for peer group identification and perceived social support. It was found that youth who identify strongly with offline peer groups were less likely to engage in problem gambling, while strong identification with online peer groups had the opposite effect. We also found that the associations between social identification and problem gambling behavior were moderated by perceived social support. Online peer groups may be a determinant in youth problem gambling. Focusing on offline peer groups and increasing social support can hold significant potential in youth gambling prevention.Peer reviewe

Young people and gambling content in social media : An experimental insight

Introduction and Aims Online gambling advertising and user-generated gambling content have increased. This study used a social psychological online experiment to analyse young people's reactions towards and self-reported interests in social media gambling messages. Design and Methods A vignette experiment with a two-level between-subjects factor (group condition or control condition) and three two-level within-subjects factors (expressed stance on gambling, narrative perspective and majority opinion) was conducted with two samples of young Finnish people aged 15 to 25 years (N = 1200, 50% female, mean age 21.29 years) and 15 to 30 years (N = 230, 53% female, mean age 24.35 years). Participants were asked to indicate how they would react to presented gambling messages (i.e. like or dislike the content) and how interesting would the content appear to them. In addition to experimental factors, the Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale and a global self-esteem measure were used as the independent variables. A statistical analysis included multilevel linear and logistic regressions. Results Young people preferred anti-gambling messages instead of pro-gambling messages. This effect was moderated by personal gambling attitudes as participants with highly positive gambling attitudes preferred pro-gambling content. Fact-driven messages were favoured over experience-driven messages. Positive majority opinions predicted more favourable reactions and positive interest. Discussion and Conclusions Young people prefer anti-gambling content and factual argumentation but their online behaviour is also influenced by perceived group norms. The potential risks of online gambling promotion mainly concern young people already interested in gambling.Peer reviewe

Impulsivity, internalizing symptoms, and online group behavior as determinants of online hate

Online hate is widely identified as a social problem, but its social psychological dimensions are yet to be explored. We used an integrative social psychological framework for analyzing online hate offending and found that both personal risk factors and online group behavior were associated with online hate offending. Study 1, based on socio-demographically balanced survey data (N = 1200) collected from Finnish adolescents and young adults, found that impulsivity and internalizing symptoms were positively associated with online hate offending. Furthermore, social homophily was positively associated with online hate offending but only among those with average or high level of internalizing symptoms. Social identification with online communities was not associated with hate offending. In Study 2, based on a vignette experiment (N = 160), online hate offenders were more likely than others to rely on in-group stereotypes (i.e. self-stereotype) in anonymous online interaction and, as a consequence, follow perceived group norms. These associations were found only when a shared group identity was primed. We conclude that both personal risk factors and group behavior are related to online hate but they have different implications for reducing hateful communication in social media.Peer reviewe

The Role of Virtual Communities in Gambling and Gaming Behaviors : A Systematic Review

Gambling opportunities are facilitated by the growth of the Internet and social media platforms. Digital games also increasingly include monetary features, such as microtransactions, blurring the line between gambling and gaming. The Internet provides a variety of virtual communities for gamblers and gamers, but comprehensive research on these communities and their relevance in gambling and monetary gaming behaviors remains scarce. This paper summarizes research of online gambling and monetary gaming communities based on a systematic literature review. A systematic literature search was conducted from five databases: Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Social Science Premium Collection, and EBSCOhost. The search was limited to empirical articles that focused on gambling or gaming involving money and examined online interaction between gamblers or gamers. Preliminary search resulted in 1056 articles, from which 55 were selected for the analyses based on pre-determined criteria. According to results, online communities serve different functions in gambling and gaming behaviors. Gambling communities are typically forums for discussing and sharing gambling experiences, strategies, and tips as well as gambling problems, while gaming communities are inherently embedded inside a game being an essential part of the gaming experience. Identification with virtual communities influences gambling behavior and monetary gaming behavior through mechanisms of perceived norms, social influence, and community feedback. Whereas some gambling communities may provide protection from excessive gambling habits, gaming communities seem to solely motivate gaming behavior and purchase intentions. The role of online communities should be acknowledged in prevention and treatment of gambling and gaming problems.Peer reviewe

Rahapelien nettimainonnalle altistuminen ja rahapelihaittojen kokemisen yhteys

Rahapelihaittojen ehkäisy tarkoittaa toimenpiteitä, joilla ehkäistään rahapelaamisesta aiheutuvia haittoja. Mainonnan ja markkinoinnin rajoittaminen on yksi ennaltaehkäisyn keinoista. Haittoja voidaan ehkäistä haitallisesti pelaavien ja heidän läheistensä keskuudessa sekä ehkäistä pelaamisen haittoja erilaisille yhteisöille ja yhteiskunnalle laajemmin. Nykyiset markkinoinnin ja mainonnan periaatteet ovat seuraavat: markkinointi ei edistä sosiaalisia ja terveydellisiä haittoja aiheuttavaa pelaamista markkinoinnilla ohjataan rahapelikysyntää lainmukaiseen rahapelitoimintaan markkinointia ei kohdisteta alaikäisiin markkinoinnissa ei kuvata runsasta pelaamista myönteisesti eikä pelaamattomuutta tai kohtuullista pelaamista kielteisesti. THL:n Tampereen yliopistolta tilaamassa selvityksessä selvitettiin mainonnalle altistumisen ja rahapelihaittojen kokemisen yhteyttä eri väestöryhmissä. Selvityksen ovat laatineet Iina Savolainen ja Atte Oksanen Tampereen yliopistolta

Editorial: Addiction and social behaviors in the post-pandemic world

nonPeerReviewe

Perceived stress moderates spending money on digital games and gambling : a nationwide study of Finnish adults

People face numerous stressors in their life. Some engage in buying behavior as a way of relieving or coping with stress. Gambling and digital gaming are examples of popular past time activities that can distract from stressors and involve spending money. This survey study investigated the role of perceived stress in the relationship between in-game buying behavior and gaming problems, and the relationship between spending money on gambling and gambling problems. We base our study on prior literature on stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and the escape theory applied to buying behavior as a coping strategy. Participants were Finnish adults (N = 1530; M = 46.67; 50.33% male). Stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Spending money on gambling and gaming and in-game buying behavior were asked using single items. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) assessed gambling problems and the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) measured gaming problems. Analyses utilized robust regression estimation. According to the results, perceived stress significantly moderated the association between in-game buying behavior and gaming problems and the relationship between spending money on gambling and gambling problems. Undergoing stress may influence spending on gaming and gambling activities and amplify gaming and gambling problems.Peer reviewe

The Role of Perceived Loneliness in Youth Addictive Behaviors : Cross-National Survey Study

Background: In the ever-growing and technologically advancing world, an increasing amount of social interaction takes place through the Web. With this change, loneliness is becoming an unprecedented societal issue, making youth more susceptible to various physical and mental health problems. This societal change also influences the dynamics of addiction. Objective: Employing the cognitive discrepancy loneliness model, this study aimed to provide a social psychological perspective on youth addictions. Methods: A comprehensive survey was used to collect data from American (N=1212; mean 20.05, SD 3.19; 608/1212, 50.17% women), South Korean (N=1192; mean 20.61, SD 3.24; 601/1192, 50.42% women), and Finnish (N=1200; mean 21.29, SD 2.85; 600/1200, 50.00% women) youths aged 15 to 25 years. Perceived loneliness was assessed with the 3-item Loneliness Scale. A total of 3 addictive behaviors were measured, including excessive alcohol use, compulsive internet use, and problem gambling. A total of 2 separate models using linear regression analyses were estimated for each country to examine the association between perceived loneliness and addiction. Results: Loneliness was significantly related to only compulsive internet use among the youth in all 3 countries (P Conclusions: The findings reveal existing differences between youths who spend excessive amounts of time online and those who engage in other types of addictive behaviors. Experiencing loneliness is consistently linked to compulsive internet use across countries, although different underlying factors may explain other forms of addiction. These findings provide a deeper understanding in the mechanisms of youth addiction and can help improve prevention and intervention work, especially in terms of compulsive internet use.Peer reviewe

Health self-management of older employees: identifying critical peak experiences of a patient portal

Digitalization could provide efficient and cost-effective health and well-being services to the rapidly aging population. However, digital services do not always meet their needs. We investigated the experiences and service needs of older employees by collecting quantitative and qualitative data through a survey (n = 497). The results suggested a negative association between user satisfaction and age during retirement transition. Peak experiences were meaningful, explaining a 26% variation in the overall evaluation of the portal. The negative peak experiences concerned poorly functioning features, and the positive ones the ability to take care of one’s health smoothly and easily. The respondents had high expectations for functionality, efficiency, and ease of use. They wanted more support for self-managing health: controlling weight, sleeping, recovery, and exercising

Online identities and social influence in social media gambling exposure : A four-country study on young people

Social media tends to gather users around social cliques consisting of similar-minded individuals and shared identities. These online group processes can have significant influence on user behavior, which is alarming when considering risky behaviors such as gambling. This study examined how online clique involvement predicts young people's interest in gambling content and following observed group norms on social media. Survey respondents were 15-25-year-olds from Finland (n = 1200), the United States (n = 1212), South Korea (n = 1192) and Spain (n = 1212). A self-reported measure of online clique involvement and a gambling-related social media vignette experiment were utilized. The results show that online clique involvement was related to higher interest in gambling content. Content liked by a majority gathered more interest, indicating conformity to a group norm. This finding was especially true among participants with past involvement in online cliques, and the association was strongest in South Korea. The tendency to participate in online clique behavior creates a potentially risky setting when encountering online gambling content, because it may accentuate the effect of observed group norms. Interacting with gambling content increases the visibility of such content due to algorithmic filtering technologies, which can fuel gambling-related intentions and behaviors, and normalize gambling.Peer reviewe