A Study into Social Functioning in Video Game Fanatics

Here, I will explore the social behavior of people who play video games from a rare to moderate basis. I wanted to look into this because video games within the past two decades have slowly, but surely, become the mainstream, and they have recently erupted into a $20 billion industry within the U.S. economy.

I, myself, am a gamer, and have been playing World of Warcraft and Guild Wars, as well as solo adventure games in both console and PC. I consider myself rather sociable, but I do admit to some measure of further introversion rather than extroversion among crowd settings. I also admit to having a more of a dual personality when in game, and have at times find myself playing as someone else, and not really me in real life. Even though I play with characters that I try making as much as similar to me as feasibly possible in both self portrayal and actual physical image in real life. My behavior, I don't attribute totally to video games, but I can see how it has hindered me at some level.

And having witnessed some of my friends play video games on a near consistent basis, I came to believe that it is needed to be seen and understood how simple one-player games to multi-online-role-players affect people in real life, in terms of how it may hinder and retard their interaction with the real world and those people that make up their lives outside of a game. And how this sort of past-time activity can affect people in society as a whole, where this is the real case for everyone whose ever played an interactive to multi-player game.

It was my belief that video games didn't hinder any social ability in anyone, but I've come to hypothesize that in reality, people that play video games have more of a tendency to less sociable to their own peers when outside of their "game-world".

Prior Research:

Recently, more and more people have been going out and purchasing video games, rather than just the core target group of males between ages eight and thirty-four, as mentioned in the Nielson Entertainment survey. It's then found that 40% of US homes have a PC, console, or hand-held device. Around 23% of this same group owns all three system types. And of all the people that do have these devices, they spend around 89% more time playing on a console than of the other device types. On average, people will spend 5.2 hours playing per week by themselves, and 3.07 hours playing against friends and family. It's also now coming to light that more and more older folks are taking up game-playing, both men and women. Although, the men of an older age group will play 79% more playing alone, whereas with women, who are apparently more sociable, will play more with other people. Women, from ages 13 to 17, were found to spend more time playing against friends and family in around 57% of the time. Whereas for women, from ages 23 to 37, manage to split their time equally between social and solo play with video games. Breaking it down to ethnic groups, African-American and Hispanic-American people have been noted to spend a great deal more n video game entertainment and any other form of electronic consumer entertainment category. (BBC News 2005)

There are pros and cons when it comes to playing video games. This can be argued either way as a big "con" or a big "pro", depending on what side of the fence you're on. Beginning with the "cons", video games do have an addictive nature to them, and can have the tendency of incapacitating and even deteriorate the ability to relate to other people, as well as decrease the interest in other areas of a person's life. In addition to this, video game play can result in the person becoming compulsive in behavior, have withdrawal, and attain a level of irritability when not permitted to play a video game. (Hostetter 2004)

Another area of concern is of how children, who are exposed to violent video games, would become affected. A researcher, by the name of Murray, found that through such exposure, activated the amygdale, a thumb sized area in the brain. Its known as the "flight or fight" organ, where it will assess a situation that has been deemed dangerous, and will instinctively lead you to either stand ready to go to battle or run away. You will become hyper-aware of movements within your surroundings, your breathing will slow down, and blood will circulate directly to the core of your brain, among other effects that will occur at moments where danger is present. This also has the likelihood of increasing your blood pressure as well. (Sohn 2004)

There were reasons noted in conducted research that lead to video game addiction, which were four in total. The first reason was that people who become addicted tended to have very little or poor imaginations, and required playing video games to facilitate for them an imagination and fantasy. The second reason given involves the rise and fall of emotions in the player of the video game, as they become immersed in the character they are playing. The third and fourth reasons why players of video games become addicted cited inner personality factors and immediate gratification. (Hostetter 2004) There is also the problem of physical inactivity, as already mentioned before, and it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what would be a result for someone who doesn't even exercise. (Hostetter 2004)

Then there are the "pros", in that video games are not as bad as some may have alleged. Benefits range and mostly deal with mental abilities, or cognitive thought processes. A good deal of these processes differ a good deal from what was known before as a normal process of thought and understanding discerning information. They are listed off as follows:

• Twitch speed versus conventional speed
• Parallel processing versus linear processing
• Graphics or visual image first versus read-text first
• Random access memory recall versus step-by-step memory recall
• Connected versus stand-alone access to information
• Active versus passive learning
• Play versus work oriented objectives
• Immediate payoff versus acquired patience in completing tasks
• Fantasy minded orientation versus reality minded orientation
• Technology-as-friend versus technology-as-enemy

It's needed to be understood what each of these aspects of benefit mean to us. Many people who have grown up playing video games have become accustomed to working at a rapid thought process, rather than discerning something in a step-by-step methodology. This is mostly due to the fact that people who use a "twitch speed" in their thinking have had access and used e-mail, typing programs, chat clients, music player programs, and the internet, in any combination. (Hostetter 2004)

Parallel processing versus linear processing has only to deal with in the order how information is disseminated and absorbed, and not on the speed that information is taken in. People, who have played games, have learned to cope and register information that they see in the game first, in visual cues. They will randomly look in areas seen in the game, trying to figure out a puzzle and piecing it together. A better example is when people who use a computer surf for information, they won't spend time reading line-by-line, from left to right, but will randomly jump around on a viewed page, reading bits of information here and there and all over, and have pieced together the meaning of the page within only seconds. (Hostetter 2004)

The graphics first before reading text idea comes from the fact that most of these computer-using, game-playing people will look at an image and from looking at it, then read what the image is supposed to mean, rather than read the text first, and look at the image second, as a solidifying idea of what the text is describing.(Hostetter 2004)

Random access memory recall versus step-by-step memory recall involves how a person whose used to looking or "jumping around" for random patterns and trying by trial-and-error method due to playing a game where as someone that follows a method from a book or from an instructor. (Hostetter 2004)

Then there is the connected versus stand-alone access to information, where a person with a computer can get help through e-mail, a chat room, a message board, or simply search for it on the internet. And they manage to get their answers within a couple of hours. (Hostetter 2004)

People, who have access to a computer, usually don't bother reading the manual, and simply figure out a new software out by trying it out and seeing what happens next. This is indicative to active learning, where they'll immerse themselves and try discovering new things on their own by experimenting and using their available resources, rather than through a book. (Hostetter 2004)

The play versus work idea is often a misunderstood statement. The fact is that to work, it has to be enjoyable, and not simply "work". The best ideas and the best productivity made were done possible because "work" was equated to "play" in the minds for those people successful at it. If you can't enjoy what you do, then you will always do mediocre work. A lot of things can be learned by simply making it fun, and many company's now are coming to understand that to best teach staff isn't by lecture alone, but also by games that can engage the staff being taught, rather than being merely just lecture. (Hostetter 2004)

This is somehow still a little bit of a drawback, but it does help people who have come accustomed to video games and computers by prioritizing the easiest task needed to be done to be finished first, and completing every task after that. Rather than focusing on one hard task first and spending a great deal of time trying to solve for it. (Hostetter 2004)

Despite what could be considered a draw-back, being fantasy versus reality, isn't really, and it does introduce some level of inspiration in terms of creativity in both writing and art.

And lastly, technology-as-friend versus technology-as-foe, in that being exposed to a computer, or even the activity of game play helps a person become accustomed to how a machine, like the computer, can both be used as a toy, as well as a tool. People who have been exposed to games and computers enjoy playing, experimenting, learning, and watching technology work in its full potential. (Hostetter 2004)

And many of these people who play these video games do live productive lives outside of them, such as Seang Rak Choi, whose a professor in public policy and law, and whom of which plays as Uroo Ahs in the Massive Multi-Online Game Lineage 2. (Robbie Cooper)

Despite these good numbered benefits, the detrimental effects still weigh a good deal equal to these supposed "pros".

Method:

The method used to accumulate information was done over a period of a week, taking random notes, involving sex, physical description, ethnicity, age, form of dress (subculture preference or economic status by appearance), and their dialogue/demeanor at the time when they, being the clients of the store, spoke to any one of my fellow associates in my place of work, namely EB Games. The noted descriptions for each person observed are all considered variables, but two will only be considered actual "variables", and all others as "controls". Controls are variables or factors that are noted, but not considered or measured as part of this study. All unwitting participants were observed for between five minutes to thirty minutes. So there won't be too many real concrete observational notes on a good number of people that were noted down.

Operational definitions are as follows:

· AiA: Asian-Indian American; a person who is from India or is from the region southeast of Asia, i.e. Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.

· AfA: African-American; a person who is of African ancestry.and lives here in the United States.

· AsA: Asian-American; a person from Asia (i.e. China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Burma) and lives here in the United States.

· AngA: Anglo-American; a person who is Causaian (European origins) and lives here in the United States.

· NatA: Native American; a person whose ancestry are the native inhabitants of the Northern or Southern Continental Americas, but this name is referring only to the ones found in the United States.

· MidEA: Middle-Eastern American; a person whose from countries found in Asia Minor (i.e. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Israel, etc) and lives here in the United States.

· LatA: Latin-American; a person whose origins are from countries that use Latin rooted languages, i.e. Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, France, Cuba, etc.

· NomExtrovert (NE): sociable and exhibiting some introversion, but not any other real anti-social behavior.

· NomIntrovert (NI): somewhat anti-social or exhibiting some introversion, but not a form of serious anti-social behavior in nature.

· OddExtrovert (OE): interactive with other people, but seems eccentric in nature, and somehow, it bears some anti-social qualities.

· OddIntrovert (OI): does not interact well with others and carries himself in a very unusual manner, and bears some anti-social qualities.

Other descriptions will be self explanatory in nature and will note their behavior/demeanor only, ethnicity, and gender, as they are the measured variables. Also it must be noted, a good number of people in this study that have been selected were mostly male, and there were very few females that have ever come into the store and were under the age of twenty-five and above the age of thirteen. Another problem is that there weren't any Native Americans found within the store within the allotted time, so they may very well be under represented in this study, and may be in due part of the demographics within the area where I was in.

Observational Results:

· Subject 1:

Gender: male

Age Range: 19 - 23

Ethnicity: AfA

Build: thin to muscular

Demeanor/Behavior: excessive, eccentric

Form of Dress: name brand clothes

Social Type: OddExtrovert

· Subject 2:

Gender: female

Age Range: 30 - 35

Ethnicity: AngA

Build: slightly fat

Demeanor/Behavior: reserved, nonchalant, brief

Form of Dress: name brand clothing

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 3:

Gender: male

Age Range: 10 - 13

Ethnicity: AngA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: quiet, itchy, anticipating

Form of Dress: normal for a kid his age, worn down

Social Type: NomIntrovert

· Subject 4:

Gender: male

Age Range: 30 - 50

Ethnicity: AngA

Build: slightly over weight

Demeanor/Behavior: talkative, quick witted, accusatory

Form of Dress: formal attire (Sunday)

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 5:

Gender: male

Age Range: 13 - 16

Ethnicity: LatA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: quiet, self assured, "tough guy" facade

Form of Dress: name brand clothing

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 6:

Gender: female

Age Range: 19 - 26

Ethnicity: LatA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: sincere, conversational, good-humored

Form of Dress: dressed provocatively

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 7:

Gender: female

Age Range: 20 - 25

Ethnicity: AsA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: flighty, haughty, staunch

Form of Dress: dressed provocatively

Social Type: NomIntrovert

· Subject 8:

Gender: female

Age Range: 19 - 26

Ethnicity: AsA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: flighty, staunch, as-matter-of-fact, high air

Form of Dress: dressed provocatively

Social Type: NomIntrovert

· Subject 9:

Gender: male

Age Range: 20 - 25

Ethnicity: AsA

Build: thin muscular

Demeanor/Behavior: very conversive, swagger, good-natured

Form of Dress: wore a muscle shirt

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 10:

Gender: female

Age Range: 30 - 40

Ethnicity: AiA

Build: moderate to slightly over weight

Demeanor/Behavior: meek, conversive, bargaining, demanding

Form of Dress: westernized form of dress

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 11:

Gender: male

Age Range: 8 - 11

Ethnicity: AiA

Build: slightly pudgy

Demeanor/Behavior: intrusive, over-bearing, authoritative, interrupting, rhetorical, states the obvious, talks like he's the adult, obnoxious to a fault, abrasive

Form of Dress: westernized dress, except for a turbin

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 12:

Gender: female

Age Range: 11 - 14

Ethnicity: AiA

Build: pudgy to thin

Demeanor/Behavior: intrusive, over-bearing, authoritative, interrupting, states the obvious

Form of Dress: westernized form of dress

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 13:

Gender: male

Age Range: 19 - 23

Ethnicity: AngA

Build: thin to moderately pudgy or muscular

Demeanor/Behavior: quiet, tight lipped, only nods or shakes head, stares you down

Form of Dress: black gothic wear

Social Type: OddIntrovert

· Subject 14:

Gender: female

Age Range: 40 - 60

Ethnicity: AngA

Build: average build

Demeanor/Behavior: conversational, matter-of-factly, sincere, direct

Form of Dress: AngA form of westernized dress, very typical, semi-formal

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject15:

Gender: male

Age Range: 19 - 21

Ethnicity: LatA

Build: thin muscular

Demeanor/Behavior: brief, conversational, simple

Form of Dress: black shirt and baggy pants

Social Type: NomIntrovert

· Subject 16:

Gender: male

Age Range: 30 - 40

Ethnicity: MidEA

Build: moderately fat for his age

Demeanor/Behavior: brief, friendly, accommodating, direct

Form of Dress: westernized form of dress, normal for out here, formal

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 17:

Gender: female

Age Range: 30 - 40

Ethnicity: AfA

Build: average to well over weight

Demeanor/Behavior: gruff, quick witted, snappish, dignified, and respectful

Form of Dress: loosely dressed, as though cobbled together and worn

Social Type: OddExtrovert

· Subject 18:

Gender: male

Age Range: 18 - 25

Ethnicity: AfA

Build: large sized heavy set

Demeanor/Behavior: mumbling, skittish, not very conversive, argumentative

Form of Dress: black shirt, and black shorts

Social Type: OddIntrovert

· Subject 19:

Gender: female

Age Range: 40 - 60

Ethnicity: AfA

Build: large sized

Demeanor/Behavior: readily conversive, considerate, mellow, and meek

Form of Dress: dresses normally for someone her age

Social Type: NomExtrovert

· Subject 20:

Gender: female

Age Range: 10-15

Ethnicity: LatA

Build: thin

Demeanor/Behavior: quiet, though somewhat conversive, considerate

Form of Dress: old clothes and looks worn down

Social Type: NomIntrovert

Analysis:

From what was gathered, there are:

10 males

10 females

2 LatA (Latin)

2 AfA (African American)

1 AsA (Asian American)

1 MidEA (Middle-Eastern American)

3 AngA (Anglo American)

1 AiA (Asian-Indian American)

0 NatA (Native American)

2 LatA

2 AfA

2 AsA

0 MidEA

2 AngA

1 AiA

0 NatA

3 anti-social

1 anti-social

From the given information, it's seen that anti-social behavior may not be a result from people playing video games. It may be that people who exhibit anti-social behavior will more than likely play video games as a means of escape, and not the other way around.

It's also seen that male game players tend to be 3 times more likely to be anti-social than female game players. And that Caucasian males predominantly play more video games than the other ethnic groups, and that Latin males and African males are second to Caucasians in terms of playing a video game. Women, on the other hand, play as many video-games as the males almost in overall, but not as higher in numbers as the males.

Summary:

My findings clearly show that despite the hours spent by people playing video games as a past time, rather than undergo any sort of physical activity, do not suffer into becoming more anti-social. In reality, they may practice social behavior when playing with others in their own home or over the internet, much in the same way if they were doing a physical activity. And perhaps for some people, they gain more through this or the gains are just about the same.

It's seen that from the results, males of European origin will play a bit more video games than African males or Latin males, but both Latin and African males combined will play more than Caucasian males. Asian and Middle-Eastern males will follow in numbers of them playing video games.

Females, on the other hand, don't show as high a frequency interest in this activity, and in general, all play video games in equal numbers in the Latin, African, Asian, and Caucasian ethnic groups. And play almost as many video games as do the males, but not in such higher numbers.

As for the issue of anti-social behavior due to video games, it seems that there was only a handful overall from the entire sample group of twenty people. It is safe to conclude that the hypothesis of people who play video games tend to become anti-social is rather debunked.

The findings produced by me in comparison with the findings of the other researchers has proven that, though of well founded concerns and risks indicated playing too many video games or any at all, it isn't as serious a problem as first thought. Despite of possible compulsive behavior, withdrawal, and irritability when not permitted to play a video game. And the likelihood of said person losing all interest in other parts of his or her own life, it isn't at epidemic levels to where it is an all too real a problem.(Obe Hostetter 2004)

But it still does not prove that playing video games will not be detrimental in some ways, and a person with an addictive personality can still very well be hooked all too easily. Also, if other variables were considered in this study, such as physical build, its easily seen that the general health of these consumers are not at its best, and could be further looked into in terms of physical activity.

Of course, as part of my recommendation, there is need for a larger sample of people to further elaborate on the effects of video games on sociability in people, as well as their physical well being. Another recommendation is to perhaps look into the types of purchases made by these consumers and their ages as to what they buy as entertainment.

Reference Page:

· BBC News, "'Games Over take Music' for US Men"; April 8^th, 2005; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4423365.stm

· Robbie Cooper, "Online Gamers Unmasked", photos; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/technology_online_gamers_unmasked/html/1.stm

· Obe Hostetter, "Video Games- The Necessity of Incorporating Video Games as part of Constructivist Learning"; March 23^rd, 2003; http://www.game-research.com/art_games_contructivist.asp

· Emily Sohn, "The Violent Side of Video Games"; January 14^th, 2004; http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040114/Feature1.asp