Prevalence and Characteristics of Game Transfer Phenomena: A Descriptive Survey Study

Abstract

Previous qualitative studies suggest that gamers experience Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP), a variety of non-volitional phenomena related to playing videogames including thoughts, urges, images, sounds when not playing. To investigate (i) which types of GTP were more common and (ii) their general characteristics, the present study surveyed a total of 2,362 gamers via an online survey. The majority of the participants were male, students, aged between 18 and 27 years, and 'hard-core' gamers. Most participants reported having experienced at least one type of GTP at some point (96.6%), the majority having experienced GTP more than once with many reporting 6 to 10 different types of GTP. Results demonstrated that videogame players experienced (i) altered visual perceptions (ii) altered auditory perceptions (iii) altered body perceptions (iv) automated mental processes, and (v) behaviors. In most cases, GTP could not be explained by being under the influence of a psychoactive substance. The GTP experiences were usually shortlived, tended to occur after videogame playing rather than during play, occurred recurrently, and usually occurred while doing day-to-day activities. One in five gamers had experienced some A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 2 type of distress or dysfunction due to GTP. Many experienced GTP as pleasant and some wanted GTP to happen again.

The Game Transfer Phenomena Scale: An Instrument for Investigating the Nonvolitional Effects of Video Game Playing

“…A first descriptive analysis using the GTPS showed very high prevalence of GTP (97%) when using the criteria to endorse at least one of the 20 GTPS items, and most participants endorsed six to ten different types of GTP (95%) 44 . When interpreting the GTPS' scores it is recommended that researchers take into consideration the frequency of the number of GTP experiences for assessing the level of GTP strength, as well as correlating with variables that assess distress or impairment in areas of functioning for understanding the effects of videogames.…”

“…It has been suggested that the content of the game, the frequency of GTP and the circumstances where GTP were experienced play a role in the consequences of GTP 26,44 . Further research should be undertaken to better understand why some gamers experience distress due to GTP experiences while others do not".…”

An empirical examination of factors associated with Game Transfer Phenomena severity

“…GTP appear to be experienced by gamers in different ways (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile) and with or without further consequences (Ortiz de Gortari & Griffiths, 2016) Consequently, the main aim of the present study was to examine if there are differences between those gamers who have experienced mild, moderate or severe levels of GTP. The present study explored the relationship between GTP severity and (i) sociodemographic characteristics, (ii) gaming habits and gamer profile, (iii) appraisal of GTP and impact of GTP on gamers' lives (iv) medical conditions, drug use, flashbacks, and dream recall, (v) motivation for videogame playing, and (vi) specific game genres.…”

“…This can includes such things as seeing game tags above peoples' heads, seeing maps in the corner of the eye, hearing music coming from the console when it is turned off, hearing voices in the head or coming from objects associated with the game, Previous analysis of survey data concerning GTP reported that 97% of gamers had experienced GTP at some point during their playing careers (Ortiz de Gortari & Griffiths, 2016) and those that had experienced GTP in comparison to those that had never experienced GTP were more likely to be students, have a pre-existing medical condition, play sessions of 3 to 6 hours, and play for immersion, exploration, customization, mechanics and escape from the real world, while those that had never experienced GTP were significantly more likely to be aged 33 to 38 years old, play sessions of less than one hour, be a professional player, be self-employed, and never recall dreams . However, it is not known which factors are more prevalent among those gamers that experience high levels of GTP (i.e., experience GTP many times and/or have experience of two or more types of GTP) and what factors predict the severity levels of GTP.GTP appear to be experienced by gamers in different ways (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile) and with or without further consequences (Ortiz de Gortari & Griffiths, 2016) Consequently, the main aim of the present study was to examine if there are differences between those gamers who have experienced mild, moderate or severe levels of GTP. The present study explored the relationship between GTP severity and (i) sociodemographic characteristics, (ii) gaming habits and gamer profile, (iii) appraisal of GTP and impact of GTP on gamers' lives (iv) medical conditions, drug use, flashbacks, and dream recall, (v) motivation for videogame playing, and (vi) specific game genres.…”

Game Transfer Phenomena and its associated factors: An exploratory empirical online survey study

“…The majority experienced GTP more than once (95.3%) and most of the gamers in the sample had experienced six or more different types of GTP at some point (78.9%) (Ortiz de Gortari & Griffiths, 2015). More specifically, GTP manifested as altered sensorial perceptions mostly as visualizations of videogame images or seeing videogame images with closed eyes (76.8%), hearing the music from the videogame after playing (73.9%), and experiencing bodily sensations of movement as in the videogame (50.9%).…”