An Overview of Structural Characteristics in Problematic Video Game Playing

Abstract

Purpose of ReviewThere are many different factors involved in how and why people develop problems with video game playing. One such set of factors concerns the structural characteristics of video games (i.e., the structure, elements, and components of the video games themselves). Much of the research examining the structural characteristics of video games was initially based on research and theorizing from the gambling studies field. The present review briefly overviews the key papers in the field to date.Recent FindingsThe paper examines a number of areas including (i) similarities in structural characteristics of gambling and video gaming, (ii) structural characteristics in video games, (iii) narrative and flow in video games, (iv) structural characteristic taxonomies for video games, and (v) video game structural characteristics and game design ethics. Many of the studies carried out to date are small-scale, and comprise self-selected convenience samples (typically using self-report surveys or non-ecologically valid laboratory experiments).SummaryBased on the small amount of empirical data, it appears that structural features that take a long time to achieve in-game are the ones most associated with problematic video game play (e.g., earning experience points, managing in-game resources, mastering the video game, getting 100% in-game). The study of video games from a structural characteristic perspective is of benefit to many different stakeholders including academic researchers, video game players, and video game designers, as well as those interested in prevention and policymaking by making the games more socially responsible. It is important that researchers understand and recognize the psycho-social effects and impacts that the structural characteristics of video games can have on players, both positive and negative.

Motivational processes and dysfunctional mechanisms of social media use among adolescents: A qualitative focus group study

“…The present study identified a control motive as driving adolescent social media that may be reinforced by FoMO, nomophobia and powerful emergent structural characteristics of SNS. Similarly to games, where the acquisition of artefacts or rewards reinforce the gamer into prolonging the gaming experience (Griffiths & Nuyens, 2017;King, Herd, & Delfabbro, 2018), SNSs exhibit a plethora of structural features that engage adolescents further in habitual behaviours (Griffiths, 2018;Turel & Osatuyi, 2018). SNS intensity and network size have been found as significant predictors of mobile SNS applications which are associated with smartphone addiction (Salehan & Negahban, 2013).…”

Relationship between the experience of online game genre and high risk of Internet gaming disorder in Korean adolescents

“…In future, a cohort study should be conducted to verify the causal association. 4 1,378(89.9) 1 Aggression score range : 27-135 2 Multiple answer available 3 High risk indicates 10 or higher scores in IGUESS 4…”

“…Yee (2006) reported that the factor driving the online role playing game (RPG) users towards gaming addiction was their immersion in the role they play in the game, through which they get a feeling of accomplishment when they win a match against someone else by creating increasingly stronger avatars throughout the game and feel satisfied with the social relationships formed in a virtual world [3]. Griffith et al (2017) defined the structural features of gaming addiction as sensory immersion, a feeling of accomplishment obtained from the game, and social interaction in a virtual world, and reported that the RPG genre had an association with gaming addiction [4].…”

Internet Gaming Disorder and Its Associated Personality Traits: A Systematic Review Using PRISMA Guidelines

“…The structural characteristics of the games (Griffiths and Nuyens 2017), as well as gamers' motivations such as coping with negative emotions, achievement (advancement and competition), socializing, and immersion (role-playing and escapism), are frequently cited as factors in the etiology of IGD (Kuss 2013). In addition, personality traits also appear to be important determinants in the enduring disposition of IGD and with controlling psychosocial, executive, and motivated behaviors (Kim et al 2016).…”