THE EFFECTS OF DIGITAL GAMES CONSUMPTION

Authors

  • Creţu CĂLIN PhD Candidate, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: calincretuubb@gmail.com.

Keywords:

digital games, effects, media consumption, social skills, violence

Abstract

The paper The effects of digital games consumption is a literature review of existing studies conducted by scholars from multiple fields that have studied the effects of digital games on the audience’s physical and psychological lives as well as the ways digital games influence social groups and the relations between individuals. While the effects of other, more traditional media, such as television or radio, have been thoroughly studied by scholars from domains such as medicine, psychology, communication and sociology, the digital game industry has remained myth ridden for a long time before scholars started treating digital games as a media product that has effects on their target audience. The present paper aims to show how in time, scholars have proven or disproven claims, myths and theories regarding the effect of digital games consumption. Among these theories, we can find those supporting claims such as: violent digital games create violent behavior in children, digital game consumption leads to non-social behavior in youth or the ill-effects of long-term digital game consumption on player’s health.

References

Brown, Governor of California, Et Al. V. Entertainment Merchants Association et al., 08–1448 (Supreme Court of the United States 7 27, 2011).

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2000, 7 26). Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children Congressional Public Health Summit. Retrieved 15 5, 2016, from http://www2.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm.

American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Computer Vision Syndrome. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/protecting-your-vision/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y.

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). DSM-IV-TR. Arlington.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. Washington: American Psychiatric Association.

Anderson, C.A. (2009). FAQs on Violent Video Games and Other Media Violence. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://public.psych.iastate.edu/caa/video_game_faqs.html

Arendt, S. (2008, 1 30). Man Convicted of Killing Daughter Over Xbox Accident. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://www.wired.com/2008/01/man-convicted-o/.

Baranowski, T., Abdelsamad, D., Baranowski, J., O’Connor, T., Thompson, D., Barnett, A., et al. (2012 ). Impact of an Active Video Game on Healthy Children’s Physical Activity. American Academy of Pediatrics.

Birdwell, A.F. (2011, 12 13). Gamers, take care of your thumbs. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://news.health.ufl.edu/2011/18037/multimedia/health-in-a-heartbeat/gamers-take-care-of-your-thumbs/.

Bushman, B. (2013, 2 18). Why do people deny violent media effects? Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/get-psyched/201302/why-do-people-deny-violent-media-effects.

Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous. (2016). Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://cgaa.info/gaming-withdrawal-symptoms/.

Dempsey, J., Lucassen, B., Gilley, W., & Rasmussen, K. (1993). Since Malone's Theory of Intrinsically Motivating Instruction: What's the Score in the Gaming Literature? Journal of Educational Technology Systems.

Elkin, T. (2011, 11 17). Stress-Busting Game Play. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tobi-elkin/stress-busting-game-play_b_139915.html.

Entertainment Software Association. (2016). Essential facts about the computer and video game industry. Entertainment Software Association.

Feng, J., & Spence, I. (2010). Video Games and Spatial Cognition. Review of General Psychology.

Greenfield, D.N. (2013, 9 20). The Grand Theft Auto Generation Grows Up. (R. Camilleri, Interviewer)

Griffiths, M.D. (2010). Computer game playing and. Revista de Psicologia, Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport.

Hakala, P., Saarni, L., Punamäki, R.-L., Wallenius, M., Nygård , C.-H., & Rimpelä, A. (2012). Musculoskeletal symptoms and computer use among Finnish adolescents - pain intensity and inconvenience to everyday life: a cross-sectional study.

Herwees, T. (2013, 7 7). Playstation Thumb: Here's What To Do About Your Unhealthy Gaming Addiction. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from https://www.good.is/articles/playstation-thumb-here-s-what-to-do-about-your-unhealthy-gaming-addiction.

Hoffman, H., Patterson, D., Seibel, E., Soltani, M., Jewett-Leahy, L., & Sharar, S. (2008). Virtual Reality Pain Control During Burn Wound. Clinical Journal of Pain, 299-304.

Hsien-Cheng, L., Burbridge, H., & Wong, C. (2013, 12 10). Extensive Deep Vein Thrombosis Following Prolonged Gaming ('Gamer's Thrombosis').

Jackson, L., von Eye, A., Fitzgerald, H., Witt, E., & Zhao, Y. (2011). Internet use, videogame playing and cell phone use as predictors of children’s body mass index (BMI), body weight, academic performance, and social and overall self-esteem. Computers in Human Behavior.

Jackson, L., Witt, E., Games, A., Fitzgerald, H., von Eye, A., & Zhao, Y. (2011). Information technology use and creativity: Findings from the Children. Computers in Human Behavior.

Jenkins, B. (2012, 11 23). 10 Shocking Medical Conditions Caused By Gaming. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.oddee.com/item_98407.aspx.

Jenkins, H. (2004). Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html.

Klawe, M. (1994). Can electronic games make a positive contribution to the learning . World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia. Vancouver: ED-MEDIA 94.

Kovess-Masfety, V., Keyes, K., Hamilton, A., Hanson, G., Bitfoi, A., Golitz, D., et al. (2016). Is time spent playing video games associated with mental health,. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.

Kulman, R. (2015). My Son Would Rather Have Video Games Than Friends. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from My Son Would Rather Have Video Games Than Friends

Lidhen, D.J. (2011, 10 25). Video Games Can Activate the Brain's Pleasure Circuits. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-compass-pleasure/201110/video-games-can-activate-the-brains-pleasure-circuits-0.

Lush, T. (2011, 8 29). At war with World of Warcraft: an addict tells his story. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/aug/29/world-of-warcraft-video-game-addict

Macgregor, D. (2000 , 10). Nintendonitis? A case report of repetitive strain injury in a child as a result of playing computer games. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11130299.

Markey, P., & Markey, C. (2014). Violent Video Games and Real-World Violence: Rhetroic Versus Data. Psychology of Popular Media Culture.

McMurray, R.G., Joanne, H., Harell, J., Deng, S., Bradley, C., Shrikant, B., et al. (2000). The Influence of Physical Activity,Socioeconomic Status, and Ethnicity on theWeight Status of Adolescents.

Moser, J.S., Moran, T., & Leber, A. (2015). Manipulating Attention to Nonemotional Distractors Influences State Anxiety: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Low- and High-Anxious College Students .

Nash, J., & Calonico, J. (1996). The meaning of Social Interaction. Oxford: General Hall.

NIH. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from https://easyread.drugabuse.gov/content/what-addiction.

Nixon, R. (2012, 4 25). Tetris-PTSD Study Suggests Video Game Curbs Flashbacks, Other Symptoms. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/tetris-ptsd-study-flashbacks_n_1453465.html

Nizza, M. (2007, 7 5). Tying Columbine to Video Games. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/05/tieing-columbine-to-video-games/?_r=0.

Prundaru, G. (2013). Comunicarea prin jocuri video. Cluj Napoca.

PsychGuides. (2016). Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-game-addiction-treatment-program-options/.

Redd, W., Jacobsen, P., Die-Trill, m., Dermatis, H., McEvoy, M., & Holland, J. (1987). Cognitive/Attentional Distraction in the Control of Conditioned Nausea. Journal of Consulting and Clinica] Psychology.

Rehabs.com. (2016). Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.rehabs.com/about/video-game-addiction-rehabs/.

Ricci, K. (1994). The Use of Computer-Based Videogames in Knowledge Acquisition and Retention. Journal of Interactive Instruction Development.

Rogers, E., & Larsen, J. (1984). Silicon Valley fever: frowth of high technology culture.

Smyth, J. (2007). Beyond Self-Selection in Video Game Play: An Experimental Examination of the Consequences of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game Play. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR.

Sterlicchi, J. (2007, 10 10). Nintendo's Wii console captures new game market. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/oct/10/usnews.internationalnews.

Strasburger, V., & Donnerstein, E. (2013). The New Media of Violent Video Games: Yet Same Old Media Problems? Clinical Pediatrics.

Tran, M. (2010, 3 5). Girl starved to death while parents raised virtual child in online game. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/05/korean-girl-starved-online-game.

Tyrrell, A. (2016, 1 20). Video game research shows promise for autism. Retrieved 5 15, 2016, from http://news.wisc.edu/video-game-research-shows-promise-for-autism/.

Vandewater, E., Shim, M.-s., & Caplovitz, A. (2004). Linking obesity and activity level with children’s television. Journal of Adolescence.

Wang, X. ,., & Perry, A. (2006). Metabolic and Physiologic Responses to Video Game Play in 7- to 10-Year-Old Boys. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

World Health Organization. (2016). ICD-10 Version:2016. Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from ICD-10 Version:2016: http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2016/en.

WoW Forums. (2015, 1 30). Should I feel guilty for not wanting to play? Retrieved 5 14, 2016, from http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/16202340206.

Yee, N. (2006). Motivations for Play in Online Games. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR.

Downloads

Published

2016-12-20

How to Cite

CĂLIN, C. . (2016). THE EFFECTS OF DIGITAL GAMES CONSUMPTION. Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Ephemerides, 61(2), 33–50. Retrieved from http://193.231.18.162/index.php/subbephemerides/article/view/4567

Issue

Section

Articles