Mental Effects of Online Games: A Study on Online Game Addiction

among Stud’s

The following are the beneficiaries of the study:

Students: John Dave Bacatan

Jay Ryan Labitad

Rexell Palermo

Kaycee Sagayno

Jennica Angcay

Danica Limba

Chad Suson

Lorenda Badajos

Teacher: Krystel Jane Gerson

 CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale

Modern technologies of living has a great impact to all of us

especially in gadgets,computer, and other technologies. The researcher

chooses this topic because they need to protect the student to be aware

on online games. The researcher also said that computer has many

benefits that makes our lives better and help us do a work a lot better.

They generalized that one of the evidence thats why students using

computer it’s because computer gives us a faster access to the world and

its very beneficial to our studies like doing paper works, thesis, research

paper, and entertainment.

According to some article that they read, there was a significant

positive correlation between students’ computer games addiction and their

mental health in dimensions of anxiety and sleeplessness. There was a

significant negative relationships between addictions to computer games

and impaired social functioning.

According to Kent Dexter B. Abbas video game addiction is defined as

impulse control disorder, which does not involve use of an intoxicating

drug and is similar to pathological gambling. Also, it is also referred to

video game overuse, pathological or compulsive use of computer games

and videogames (Greenfield & Young, 2009). Due to excessive use of

computer games there is effect in their personal traits like anxiety,

sensation seeking, neuroticism, and aggression which are the symptoms

that a person is under the development of gaming addiction (Mehroof, M

et al. 2010). Brain is also affected in computer addiction; regions of the

brain associated with cravings in substance abuse also appear to be

activated in gaming addicts when they view images of video games (Ko, C

et al. 2010). There are two types of gaming, “excessive gaming” and

“addictive gaming” these two types of gaming is different from each other;

the difference between “excessive gaming and “addictive gaming” is that

two gamers may play for an identical number of hours each day, but their

psychological motivation and the meaning that gaming has within their

lives can be very different. Gaming addiction should be defined by how

much the negatively impacts other areas of life, not by how much time is

spent playing (Griffiths, M et al. 2010). In a volunteer sample, 41% of

online gamers acknowledged that they use gaming as an escape. In the

same sample, 7% were viewed as “dependent”. These gamers possessed

several behavioural attributes that are related to more well established

forms of addiction (e.g., mood modification, tolerance, & relapse) (Hussain

et al. 2009). Most online gamers are male. Among male gamers, more

severe online gaming addiction is correlated with older age, lower self-

esteem, and lower dissatisfaction with daily life. This relationship did not

hold true for female gamers(Ko et al. 2005). Excessive use of technology

is relatively rare. Compared to females, males are more likely to develop a

gaming addiction. Boys are more likely to play aggressive or violent

games while girls are more likely to play platform and puzzle games

(Griffiths, 2008). In Germany, 1.5 – 3.5% of teenage internet users show

signs of gaming addiction. Gaming addiction is associated with higher

rates of anxiety and depression, and poorer academic performance

(Peukert et al. 2010). Computer gaming addiction is positively correlated

with achievement motivation, sensation-seeking, a positive evaluation of

one’s intelligence, and a negative evaluation of one’s skills in interpersonal

relationship (Zheng et al. 2006). In a sample of German teens, 6.3% of

subjects fulfilled the authors’ diagnostic criteria for gaming addiction.

These adolescents were mostly male and had low educational

backgrounds (Klaus et al. 2008). Gaming addiction is negatively

associated with academic achievement (Chiu et al. 2004). So far there

are no studies conducted as to the percentage of senior high school

students who are hooked to online games, thus, this study would like to

find out factors why senior high school students are addicted to online

games.

Theoretical Background

Game theory is the study of human conflict and cooperation within

a competitive situation. In some respects, game theory is the science of

strategy, or at least the optimal decision-making of independent and

competing actors in a strategic setting. The key pioneers of game theory

were mathematicians John von Neumann and John Nash, as well as

economist Oskar Morgenstern.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to identify the mental effects of Online Games towards

students. Specifically, the following questions will be answered:

1. Identify the reasons why student playing online games?

2. Student’s mental effects on playing online games?

3. Provide awareness to people about the mental effects of online

games?

Objectives of the study

The general objective of this study is to determine the effects of the online

game addiction of the student to their academics and the effects of online

games to their health.

Significance of the study

The result of this study is significant to the following group

Students. This study may give information to the students about how

online gaming affects their life as a students.

Teachers. This study may serve as the way to the teachers to determine

the students who are addicted to online games so they can help the

students to avoid being addicted to online games.

Family. This study is significant to the family because it may help them to

know if their children are addicted to online games.

Future researchers. It would help the future researchers that are

interested in this study. It will serve as their basis and their background

about their research.

 CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale