I was listening to The Nerdist podcast and Paula Poundstone was on talking about electronics addiction. My first reaction was a scoff and I quickly dismissed her as someone from an older generation who really does not understand how we interact with our world. Once I finished my run it occurred to me I had absolutely no evidence to contradict anything that she had to say. This told me I needed to learn something about it. Because this is a blog about video games, I will focus primarily on video game addiction.
Video game addiction is defined as "a hypothetical behavioral addiction, characterized by excessive or compulsive use of computer games or video games, which interferes with a person's everyday life."(Wikipedia) Wikipedia, unfortunately, was the only place I could find a comprehensive definition. A lot of the literature that I found doesn't ask if its really an issue but more accept that it is and now it's about treating it, which feels incredibly dishonest and unscientific. Especially since a lot of sites who conclude it as a fact quickly follow with a number you can call for counseling.
There is one glaring issue before people can continue going on saying that this condition conclusively exists. The American Psychiatric Association has found insufficient evidence to conclude that this is a unique disorder. It was included in their section for additional study but has yet to be given its own distinct disorder.(Wikipedia) As argued in a paper to the Psychology Today by Peter Gray Ph.D. what people are pegging as video game addiction might be the side effect of other issues. He explains in a study by the University of Rochester that only a fraction of people playing games ever felt a need to play and those that did were missing critical needs in their life.(Peter Gray Ph.D)
The paper Peter referenced from the University of Rochester named "Having to versus wanting to play: background and consequences of harmonious versus obsessive engagement in video games" by Przybylski AK, Weinstein N, Ryan RM, Rigby CS delved into the underpinning of those who self-reported the need to play. Following along the model of self-determination theory, the need for self-satisfaction, they took a look the difference between "harmonious passion"(passion that works with your life) and "obsessive passion"(passion that interferes with your life). What it comes down to is that it doesn't matter the type of game you are interacting with or how you interact with it but how your needs are being met in the real world in relation to getting those needs from the game. Those who were "happier" played less yet still enjoyed their time more than those who were "not happy" who played more and had less enjoyment.
A more recent editorial titled "Internet Gaming Addiction: Disorder or Moral Panic?" by Patrick M. Markey, Ph.D., Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D state there is just far too much variance in what people are defining as gaming disorder to even come up with a strong definition. The underpinning symptom of just playing more games then everyone else isn't enough of a measure to be helpful. If there is indeed a disorder here there need to be more conclusive results and definite symptoms if there is ever any hope to address it.
Whether its video games themselves or some other external factor causing individuals to be "addicted" to video games, it holds that it could exist. While I think there is a natural eyebrow raise when the term video game addiction is introduced because this term is ripe for abuse for the masses, there are people that are struggling with their ability to control how much time they are putting into games. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's the games themselves that are the issue but the lack of needs being met in their day to day life.
Video game addiction is defined as "a hypothetical behavioral addiction, characterized by excessive or compulsive use of computer games or video games, which interferes with a person's everyday life."(Wikipedia) Wikipedia, unfortunately, was the only place I could find a comprehensive definition. A lot of the literature that I found doesn't ask if its really an issue but more accept that it is and now it's about treating it, which feels incredibly dishonest and unscientific. Especially since a lot of sites who conclude it as a fact quickly follow with a number you can call for counseling.
There is one glaring issue before people can continue going on saying that this condition conclusively exists. The American Psychiatric Association has found insufficient evidence to conclude that this is a unique disorder. It was included in their section for additional study but has yet to be given its own distinct disorder.(Wikipedia) As argued in a paper to the Psychology Today by Peter Gray Ph.D. what people are pegging as video game addiction might be the side effect of other issues. He explains in a study by the University of Rochester that only a fraction of people playing games ever felt a need to play and those that did were missing critical needs in their life.(Peter Gray Ph.D)
The paper Peter referenced from the University of Rochester named "Having to versus wanting to play: background and consequences of harmonious versus obsessive engagement in video games" by Przybylski AK, Weinstein N, Ryan RM, Rigby CS delved into the underpinning of those who self-reported the need to play. Following along the model of self-determination theory, the need for self-satisfaction, they took a look the difference between "harmonious passion"(passion that works with your life) and "obsessive passion"(passion that interferes with your life). What it comes down to is that it doesn't matter the type of game you are interacting with or how you interact with it but how your needs are being met in the real world in relation to getting those needs from the game. Those who were "happier" played less yet still enjoyed their time more than those who were "not happy" who played more and had less enjoyment.
A more recent editorial titled "Internet Gaming Addiction: Disorder or Moral Panic?" by Patrick M. Markey, Ph.D., Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D state there is just far too much variance in what people are defining as gaming disorder to even come up with a strong definition. The underpinning symptom of just playing more games then everyone else isn't enough of a measure to be helpful. If there is indeed a disorder here there need to be more conclusive results and definite symptoms if there is ever any hope to address it.
Whether its video games themselves or some other external factor causing individuals to be "addicted" to video games, it holds that it could exist. While I think there is a natural eyebrow raise when the term video game addiction is introduced because this term is ripe for abuse for the masses, there are people that are struggling with their ability to control how much time they are putting into games. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's the games themselves that are the issue but the lack of needs being met in their day to day life.
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