Today’s Culture of Gaming and its Impact on Youth Videogame Use & Abuse November-20-18
Objectives Provide an overview of videogame types and design Examine context of videogames and addiction Outline resources, strategies and available services November-20-18
Setting the Scene November-20-18
Canadian video game industry • Canada ranks third in the world in video game development • A focus industry in the national economic strategy • In 2017, the Video Game Industry: • Employed 21,700 people • Operated 596 studios across Canada • Added 3.7 billion to Canada’s GDP November-20-18
Setting the Scene – Canada 2018 Average age – 61% define self 39 years as gamers 64% are actually Over 23 million gamers Canadians are gamers Average 10 50/50 split between hours per week male and female of game play gamers November-20-18
Single player games • Requires a console or computer only • No internet needed • Ex. Tetris, Pac-Man, Candy Crush • Considerably below average addictive potential November-20-18
Real time strategy games • Competitive • Resource gathering/resource building game • Economics system – acquisition and expenditure of stores of value • Above average addictive potential November-20-18
Massively multiplayer online games – MMOGs • 100s or 1000s (or more) play simultaneously • Requires internet connection • Persistent virtual “world” • Compete and interact meaningfully • Achieve objectives with other players (collaborative) • Requires players to invest hours of time • Very much above average addictive potential November-20-18
Role playing games • Persistent, preset virtual world with 1000s/millions of players • Open to player development • Primary purpose: build up characters in terms of experience, abilities, wealth • Game objectives: quests, exploring how your character interacts and furthers the game narrative • Very much above average addictive potential November-20-18
First person shooter games – FPS or Shooter • Individual or team based • Themed around competitive objectives (build empire, win war) • Fast paced • World persistent as long as team member(s) are still in the game • May not be acceptable to leave game • Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto • Above average addictive potential November-20-18
Life simulators • Can be multi-platform • Can be persistent • Non-competitive • Creative and social context – create characters, places, activities, etc. • Player-created objectives • Player controls intricate details of appearance and behaviour November-20-18
Social and casual games • Social games: Web-based, played on social media platform • Casual, multi-player, turn-based • Lack of rules, commitment • Can play spontaneously/infrequently • Few controls, low learning curve • Below average potential for addiction November-20-18
Fortnite • Sandbox, shooter, multiplayer game • Two games: Save the World and Battle Royale • Battle Royale free to play, but… • Hone skills in practice mode • Cartoony/violent • Cooperation/leadership • Online chat feature November-20-18
Ratings • Early Childhood • Everyone • Everyone 10+ • Teen • Mature • Adults only • Rating pending November-20-18
What‘s the catch? November-20-18
Operant conditioning • A process of behavior modification in which the likelihood of a specific behavior is increased or decreased through positive or negative reinforcement each time the behavior is exhibited, so that the subject comes to associate the pleasure or displeasure of the reinforcement with the behavior. November-20-18
Behavioral psychology How hooked you get depends on… Rewards that are: Investment of : • Frequent • Time • Large • Effort • Random • Attention • No rewards, but • Activity punishment November-20-18
Motives for gaming Escape Fantasy Potential for problem Coping behavior Social Competition Skill development Recreation November-20-18
What makes games addictive? • Happiness • Heightened levels of a sense of time being altered – flow state • Social element -- socialization through gaming • Friends who also spend time gaming lead to superficial relationships are still rewarding and reinforcing • In-game achievement and respect – kudos from companions contributes to self-worth • Excessive play leads to normalizing of behaviors within videogaming populations social world November-20-18
Fertile soil • As powerful as these strategies are, you are much more likely to experience a problem if you are already experiencing mental health stressors – at work, at school, or at home. November-20-18
Major life areas Social/Peers School/Work Relationships Home/Family Legal Finances Mental/Emotional Physical Health Health November-20-18
Distinguishing between two different issues Attachment Content • Are the hours of play • Does the content excessive? Late into violate household the night? Impeding values, norms, or school or other rules? MLAs? • Violent and/or cruel • Will the young person content may impair play despite being emotional and social bored? development November-20-18
Interactive factors for risk of gaming addiction Increased risk • Pre-aggressive • Poor social skills Gaming seems to solve these problems • Anti-social or in the short term…. violent But it may exacerbate them over time • ADHD • Conduct disorder November-20-18
Interactive factors for risk of gaming addiction Decreased risk • Non-aggressive youth • Pro-social tendencies • Positive developed ethical frameworks • Good focus in social and academic spheres • Kids with boundaries set with/by parents/adults November-20-18
Harmful involvement/excessive play might look like: Poor social Time away from: • skills Family Isolation Work • Study Lower grades • Other interests Reading less • Inactivity • Insomnia Aggressive: • Obesity Thoughts • Evasiveness Behaviors • November-20-18
Getting clinical • Preoccupation • Stealing • Escalation • Skipping chores • Failure to stop • Skipping • Restless/Irritable homework • Escape • Poorer grades • Lying about time • Needing money 8% met criteria for pathological use (6 or more) November-20-18
Benefits of play • Pain management • Social connection • Narrative development • Fine motor skills • Cognitive development • Fun • Improved social skills – collaboration, strategy, team play • Stress and anger management • Flow state • Language skills • Next, the Olympics? November-20-18
Benefits of play How can you tell for sure? • No one sign alone indicates a problem • Different signs manifest for different people • People who know the person best should trust their instincts • Changes in behaviour may be due to other reasons, but still worthy of attention November-20-18
Taking a balanced approach Core Issue Examples of a Problem What Games Provide CONTROL Environment is Shelter overwhelming SELF-ESTEEM and Lack feeling valued, not Achievement and online COMMUNITY contributing community IDENTITY No direction, no sense of Growth self MASTERY Difficulty succeeding, Skills difficulty practicing Adapted from K. Dini, “Video Game Play and Addiction: A Guide for Parents” (2008) November-20-18
Effective interventions • Limit type/duration • Play AFTER work is done • Promote social skills • Promote social activity • Promote physical activity • Know child’s friends November-20-18
Effective interventions • Monitor play • Monitor bullying • Monitor grades • Put the wifi on a timer (ie. Ends at 10pm) • Ask questions/start conversations November-20-18
Media Smarts/American Academy of Pediatrics • Choose games that model • No screens in bedrooms good interpersonal skills • Screen time – • View age appropriate dessert/reward content • Set a media curfew and • Control video screens – stick to it gaming console in public • Limit screen time to less area than 1 – 2 hours per day • Set family viewing time • Co-view • Pay attention to family’s programs/games and media diet: discuss values www.healthychildren.org November-20-18
How to start the conversation • What game(s) are you playing? • What do you like most about that game? • What do you like least about that game? • Who do you play with? • Do you know them personally or just through the game? • Do you have a role with your online friends in the game? November-20-18
How to start the conversation • If you don’t play, do your online friends get mad at you? • Do you think the time you play is not enough or too much? • What similarities and differences are there between online and offline worlds? • What kind of lessons do you learn from gaming that you can use offline? • Where do you see gaming taking you in life? November-20-18
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