CHAPTER II

Related Review of Related Literature and Studies

This chapter will serve as the foundation of the research that presents the related literature
and studies, both local and foreign sources. It includes research findings, published or
unpublished theories and discussions that help in familiarizing information that is
relevant and similar to the present study.

Foreign

Playing video games is often associated with our society with poor academic
performance. Some research supports this anecdotal idea. A 2000 study found a negative
correlation between GPA and time spent playing video games (Anderson & Dill, 2000).
The relationship was relatively small. Time alone accounted for a 4% variance in GPA, yet
the findings are significant. However, several earlier studies contend that the results of the
research have mixed. A 1997 study suggests that “there is no clear causal relationship
between video game playing and academic performance” (Emes, 1997, p. 413). It goes on
to say that the research is “sparse and contradictory” (Emes, 1997, p. 413).

The effect that interactive digital media has on the learning process is not entirely
negative. It is not that the medium itself is inherently flawed, but much of the information
that gets transmitted through it may be. As was noted in a 2008 study on media attention
and cognitive abilities, “content appears to be crucial” (Schmidt & Vanderwater, 2008, p.
63). If the content being consumed is positive, then positive results can be expected. If the
content is negative, then negative results can be expected. The study examined research
from many sources in arriving at this conclusion.

There is a movement to leverage video games as a part of the learning process. A

paper from EDUCAUSE suggests that faculty need to be aware of games that could be
helpful to the in-class learning experience (Hitch & Duncan, 2005). It mentions using
tactical and strategy games to enhance the level of understanding and engagement with the
material. It specifically mentioned using Civilization IV, a game that focuses on empire
building and economies of scale to aid in the knowledge of history and economics.
A 2005 paper suggests that videogames are changing education and that games are more
than a simple form of entertainment (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, & Gee, 2005). It explains
that experiences can enhance student learning in vast virtual worlds. These worlds can
allow students to interact as a community. Virtual worlds are useful “because they make it
possible to develop situated understanding” (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, & Gee, 2005, p.
106). It means that students can experience and experiment with the things that they are
learning rather than being told them as facts or equations.

Some research concludes there is little evidence to suggest that interactive media enhances
the learning experience (Schmidt & Vanderwater, 2008). Other sources have noted positive
impacts on student performance. One study of a game relating to numerical analysis in an
engineering curriculum found that “students experienced significantly more intellectual
intensity, intrinsic motivation, positive affect, and overall student engagement when
completing homework” (Coller & Shernoff, 2009, p. 315). Research on the subject has
mixed, but it seems that video games can have a positive effect on learning when used in
particular ways.

Local

Based on Vinluan’s analysis of video games typically violent content and their
addictive implications on the brain in 2016, computer games receive a generally negative
reception from people. Vinluan had specifically emphasized the negative response from
parents due to the view that these games may be a waste of time. Additionally, critics and
researches have linked computer gaming to video game addiction, violence, anti-social
behavior, and attention problems, among others.

A study of Toral (2007), revealed that there were nearly 5.6 million online gamers
in the Philippines in 2007. Given its obvious appeal to youth, Toral wrote in detail about
how online games have transcended from a form of entertainment into a way of life for
some. Due to this, governmental, educational institutions in the Philippines have begun to
see online games in a whole new light: as a tool for education. The technologies used in
online gaming are not new to Philippine schools. Some private schools are already using
virtual classrooms and e-learning techniques to teach students. At the same time, some
universities are already considering the value of integrating computer games into the
curriculum using these games in teaching students subjects such as Economics and Macro
and Micro-Management.

In research conducted by GMA news Online in 2015, it shows that computer games,
or any other video games, can boost both visual and cognitive skills. However, the
development of behavioral problems linked to having little to no or no limitations at all
from playing computer games. "A lot of people still view video games as a time-wasting
activity even though research is beginning to show their beneficial aspects. If we can
demonstrate that videogames may improve some cognitive functioning, perhaps we, as a
society, can embrace newer technology and media with the actual application." (Berard,
2015).

Related Studies

Foreign

In the study of Craton (2009), the physical consequences of online gaming

addiction include the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in which the primary nerve between the
forearm and hand-squeezed or pressed. Migraine headaches usually begin in a small spot
and slowly spreads and giving you more pain that can cause you to vomit. Sleep disturbance
which includes insomnia, narcolepsy, etc. Backache because the gamer stays in one
position for an extended period. Lack of movement can cause stiffness and soreness, or
worse, it can cause chronic back problems. Eating irregularities, addicted gamers cannot
exert time to eat, or they eat improperly. The physical consequences of a player depend on
the physical condition or status of the gamer. Yet the rigidness of the physical effects is
frequently parallel to the level of addiction, but this is not the constant instance.

Williams (2006), the results of his experiment, showed that school performance
increased after the participants dramatically decreased (limited time spent using technology
to 30 minutes per day) their usage of all technology, including video games. Other studies
of Jaruratanasirikul et al. (2009) found that the excessive playing of video games (five
hours or more per session) resulted in school grades that were below 3.00 average, and the
time spent playing was a predictor of academic performance. They also suggested that
video games indirectly lead to a decreased performance by promoting violence. Finally,
they noted that playing video games took time away from school activities and social
interaction.

However, there is also plenty of research to suggest that interactive videogames can
lead to increased academic performance. It also found that males were more prone to these
results than females because males tend to play video games more. The penetration of video
games into the United States alone is enormous, with at least 90% of homes having children
that have played (rented or owned) video games. This record level continues to increase.
55% of console players and 66% of online players are over 18. The college demographic
seems to be the major group of gamers simply because they have a lack of parental
supervision, and they have more flexible schedules, allowing for more playtime. The
studies and literature concerning the effects of online games on the academic performance
of the students are contradictory because some of them suggest that online games may lead
to negative outcomes. In contrast, others said that it gives positive benefits. The
relationship between the usage of computer games and academic performance has a
definitive answer to the question of whether computer games disrupt academic
performance (Anand, 2007).

In the research conducted by Ahn and Randall (2008), they were able to discover that
Massively-Multiplayer-Online Games or MMOG affects both the social and academic
lifestyles of students. Based on their surveyed data, students who are addicted to online
games registered more F grades as compared to non-addicted students. These statistics
correspond with the amount of playing time of addicted students on the MMOGs. Their
surveyed data also shows that approximately 50% of MMOG addicted students reported as
actively engaged in a physical altercation. Addicted students are mostly involved in
arguments with their teachers and as well as their friends.

The studies of Ko et al. (2005) and Yee (2006) revealed that lower self-esteem is
associated with online gaming. This was further supported by the study of Kardefelt-
Winther in 2014, which stated that people who play online games excessively and have
low self-esteem are more prone to experiencing negative outcomes in their lives because
they use online games to cope up with their real-world problems. People with lower self-
esteem were more likely to spend more time on online games due to their lack of social
skills and self-confidence, they would often use online games as a means for compensation
and avoidance with their everyday problems (Wan, & Chiou, 2006). In contrast to these
studies, people with high self-esteem do not play online games to satisfy basic needs (like
autonomy, social affiliation, and competence) they are also less prone to addiction because
they play online games as a means of recreation, not as a source of escapism (Billieux et
al., 2014).

Local

According to NIKO Media Research (2017), the projected number of online gamers
in the Philippines rose from 21 million in 2012 to 28.72 million in 2014. Meanwhile,
statistics from Juha Sompinmaki (2015) shows that about 409, of the gaming population
of the Philippines, is aged 18- 24 years old. Furthermore, many multiplayer games such as
DOTA or Defense of the Ancients and LOL or League of Legends involve cooperation
with other online players to win. These games encourage players to make the most of their
skills to contribute to the team.

In the article on Gameshogun (Cuneta,2011), addiction to Internet games,

particularly massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), has emerged as
a threat to public health - a new epidemic. Although they pose no direct physical danger,
they take a toll on the mental wellbeing of players. This disease is as equally debilitating
as an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The article also posed that the effects of gaming are not
that bad to consider as an addiction.

As stated in the Pinoy Gamer forum, "As gamers, gaming is a form of leisure, a
hobby or an escape from the harsh world we have in the Philippines. We are not saying
this is not a serious issue, but we feel as gamers that the media is biased with this. Instead
of saying gaming is an addiction, take a look at why people are getting addicted in the first
place."