Video Gaming Addicition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Video Gaming Addicition - Research Paper Example Video game addiction usually begins with the child wanting to relax and enjoy in his life but as the game moves forward, the child becomes addicted to a point that games take over the majority of the time of the individual. Aim of the Research In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the term â€Å"video game addiction† and the issues related to this type of addiction. This will be done by going through the existing literature on video game addiction and coming up with a suitable means to deal with the issue in the light of the knowledge gained. Review of Literature For the review of literature, the following experts have been consulted. Griffith, in his book Gambling and gaming addictions in adolescence defines addiction as a condition whereby a person becomes so involved in an activity that it negatively impacts other arenas of his life including social, personal and academic life. In this light, video game addiction has been defined by Griffith as an addiction whereby an individual is a) compulsively involved; b) develops connections with other addicts; c) develops a lack of interest in other spheres of his life; and d) exhibits mental and physical symptoms when taken out of the gaming environment. According to Griffith, Video game addiction is a growing phenomenon around the world as gaming companies bring in more innovation and technology in their games. Also with the advent of Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), there has been a substantial increase in video game addiction. ... The most pressing complaint of the parents of addicted children as found out by Griffith is that video games tend to seclude the children from their real life which includes their academic life and their social life. Griffith also believes that the cause of video game addiction is the personality of the gamer. Research has shown that certain individuals are more likely to become addicts as compared to the rest of the population. A control study developed by Griffith and managed on a group of video game addicts revealed that these gamers are highly intelligent and achievement-oriented; and this could be linked as a source for their addiction towards games. Games, both online and otherwise, fulfill the basic psychological needs of these gamers, such as their need for achievement, their room for relaxation and their freedom for daily anxieties and tensions. Griffith also goes on to state that there are certain individuals that become addicts because of the environment around them. We kn ow that people take on drugs when they wish to run away from the anxieties of their lives and in a similar way, video game addiction provides the same escape to such individuals. Griffith believes that when these individuals find it difficult to cope up with their problems, they seek solace in the virtual world of games where they can confront their enemies head on without any repercussions and without being afraid. Marko Skoric, from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Linda Ching Teo from Shriro Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore and Rachel Lijie Neo from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information are of the view that children within their academic lives, are unable to manage their home work and