Internet Gaming Disorder: compensating as a Draenei in World of Warcraft

The diagnosis of Gaming Disorder (GD) has been recently proposed in the beta draft of the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization (WHO). This follows the inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), as a condition requiring additional research in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), issued by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Further research has been recommended to enhance understanding of excessive gaming, especially in the context of user-avatar (in-game figure representing the gamer) relationships. The association between selecting the Draenei race, compensation of real-life deficits through gaming, and the gamer’s gender were investigated as IGD risk factors among players of the online game, World of Warcraft (WoW). A normative online sample of WoW gamers (N = 404 Mage = 25.56; 13–75; males = 299; 74%) completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) and the compensation subscale of the User-Avatar Questionnaire. Regression, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses were conducted. Overall, players with higher levels of compensation exhibited greater levels of IGD symptoms. Interestingly, choosing the Draenei race was associated with increased compensatory behavior, which in turn linked to higher IGD risk. These associations were mildly stronger among females. Findings suggest that virtual demographics, such as the Draenei race, and their interplay with compensatory behaviors should be carefully considered when creating prevention and intervention policies targeting excessive gaming, especially when it involves the use of avatars

DEPENDENCY OF REARFOOT PRONATION ON PHYSICAL STRAIN DURING RUNNING

lNTRODUCTlON Acute and chronic injuries of runners are still a central topic in the field of Sports Medicine. The cause for acute running injuries is relatively easy to determine but the search for reasons regarding running-related chronic sports injuries as runner's knee, shin splint or achillodynia are by far more difficult. Training parameters, as extent and ground, and anatomical conditions as foot mafformations as well are functional criteria which should be taken into consideration when determing the reason for running injuries. Especially the interaction of the foot with the surface is regarded to be the main cause for developing injuries (REUTER 1987). The normal pronation has a significant importance with regard to the correct function of the foot (HENNIG 1994, JAMESIBATESIOSTERNIG 1978) but the excessive pronation, the so-called overpronation- is considered to be a frequent cause for complaints on one's foot. lower leg and knee (KliLIN et al. 1988, REUTER 1987). In order to quantify the degree of the pronation different methods are employed to record different parameters. One important parameter is the angle of the Achilles tendon which is measured as the angle between the lower leg and the heel-bone. Results from gait analyses and examinations with different running speeds exist in order to describe the effect on the angle of the Achilles tendon (MANNIHAGY 1980, NlGG 1986). MATERIALS AND METHODS In 20 volunteers the correlation between rearfoot pronation and increasing physical strain during treadmill ergometry was examined. In order to assess the influence of regularly performed running training a group of 10 endurance trained middle- and long-distance runners (age: 7.4 + 4.9 years; weight: 71.0 + 8.8 kg; height: 184.2 + 8.3 cm) was compared to another group of 10 untrained persons (age: 24.7 t 2.1 years; weight: 73.3 + 9.8 kg; height: 179.1 f 8.3 cm). The examinations were carried out on a treadmill using a high-frequency motion analyzing system. Heart rate, blood lactate as well as rearfoot pronation were measured. RESULTS Regarding heart rate and lactate concentration there were significant differences between trained and untrained volunteers. The pronation angle increased with raising speed up to a maximum of 6.54 + 4.22" for the trained group and 6.84 + 4.59" for the untrained group. With reference to maximal as well as to submaximal stages the pronation angles showed no significant differences between both groups. After the maximal step the runners performed an additional 3-min run with a velocity reduced by 8 kmlh compared to the maximal speed. On this stage the total group as well as the untrained group showed significantly greater pronation angles compared to those of the corresponding velocity at the beginning of the test. The extent of the differences, however, was not significantly correlated with the lactate levels. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that the increase of the pronation angle is a function of the running speed. But there is also an influence of fatigue, which depends neither on the running velocity nor on the lactate levels during exercise. Therefore, further investigations should lay emphasis upon the question which factors are responsible for this effect

The interplay of gaming disorder, gaming motivations, and the dark triad

Background and aims: There is a considerable amount of research on the psychological antecedents and outcomes of gaming disorder. Although many studies have examined various personality traits or motivations as predictors in isolation, fewer studies have investigated the mediations between personality traits and motivations. Furthermore, the analyzed personality traits have been limited to a few core concepts, with the Big Five personality traits being a standard model in this context. However, more recently the dark triad of personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) has been found to be associated with various forms of problematic online behavior and usage, such as online gambling, yet little is known about gaming disorder. The current study examines the relationship of these dark personality traits to gaming disorder with three gaming motivations (achievement, social, and escapism) as mediators. Method: The study uses an online survey of 1,502 German digital game users. Results: Results indicate a fully mediated association for narcissism via escapism and partial mediation associations for Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Direct effects on gaming disorder were observed for Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Indirect effects by psychopathy were observed via escapism and social motivation, by narcissism via escapism, and by Machiavellianism via social motivation. Discussion and conclusions: These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of the mediation of gaming motivations and the dark triad personality traits’ importance for gaming disorder

The Slippery Path to Total Presence: How Omnidirectional Virtual Reality Treadmills Influence the Gaming Experience

Researchers, game designers, and consumers place great hopes into the potential benefits of virtual reality (VR) technology on the user experience in digital games. Indeed, initial empirical research has shown that VR technology can improve the gaming experience in a number of ways compared to traditional desktop gaming, for instance by amplifying immersion and flow. However, on the downside, a mismatch between physical locomotion and the movements of the avatar in the virtual world can also lead to unpleasant feelings when using VR technology—often referred to as cybersickness. One solution to this problem may be the implementation of novel passive repositioning systems (also called omnidirectional treadmills) that are designed to allow a continuous, more natural form of locomotion in VR. In the current study, we investigate how VR technology and the use of an omnidirectional treadmill influence the gaming experience. Traditional desktop gaming, VR gaming, and omnidirectional treadmill gaming are compared in a one-factorial experimental design (N = 203). As expected, we found that VR gaming on the one hand leads to higher levels of flow, presence, and enjoyment, but at the same time also is accompanied by higher levels of cybersickness than traditional desktop gaming. The use of the omnidirectional treadmill did not significantly improve the gaming experience and also did not reduce cybersickness. However, this more physically demanding form of locomotion may make omnidirectional treadmills interesting for exergame designers

A Computational Approach to Analyzing the Twitter Debate on Gaming Disorder

The recognition of excessive forms of media entertainment use (such as uncontrolled video gaming or the use of social networking sites) as a disorder is a topic widely discussed among scientists and therapists, but also among politicians, journalists, users, and the industry. In 2018, when the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to include the addictive use of digital games (gaming disorder) as a diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases, the debate reached a new peak. In the current article, we aim to provide insights into the public debate on gaming disorder by examining data from Twitter for 11 months prior to and 8 months after the WHO decision, analyzing the (change in) topics, actors, and sentiment over time. Automated content analysis revealed that the debate is organic and not driven by spam accounts or other overly active ‘power users.’ The WHO announcement had a major impact on the debate, moving it away from the topics of parenting and child welfare, largely by activating actors from gaming culture. The WHO decision also resulted in a major backlash, increasing negative sentiments within the debate