Gender differences in brain activations while playing video games (Hoeft et al., 2008)

gamepolitics.com had posted a study that was mentioned by a news radio about how men are more likely to be addicted to video games than women. Following the comments in gamepolitics.com, it seems that again we need someone to read the article directly in order to present all the information to prevent any misinformation. More details can be found in the news release from Stanford’s School of medicine.

Abstract

Little is known about the underlying neural processes of playing computer/video games, despite the high prevalence of its gaming behavior, especially in males. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging study contrasting a space-infringement game with a control task, males showed greater activation and functional connectivity compared to females in the mesocorticolimbic system. These findings may be attributable to higher motivational states in males, as well as gender differences in reward prediction, learning reward values and cognitive state during computer video games. These gender differences may help explain why males are more attracted to, and more likely to become “hooked” on video games than females.

Fumiko Hoeft, initially misspelled as Fumiko Hayft, and colleagues conducted a study to look into gender differences in brain activations while playing a simple video game.

Now in their short literature review, they described studies that have found that addiction to video games are more likely to occur among men than women. (Griffiths & Hunt, 1998). Along with other brain scan studies that show brain activations while playing video games. So they decided to look at specific areas of the brain, the mesocorticolimbic system, and see whether there are gender differences.

Affective response to video games: effects of personality, gender and in-game reinforcement (Chumbley & Griffiths, 2006)

I am getting the impression that American and European psychologists have differing views on video game effects.

Abstract

Previous research on computer games has tended to concentrate on their more negative effects (e.g., addiction, increased aggression). This study departs from the traditional clinical and social learning explanations for these behavioral phenomena and examines the effect of personality, in-game reinforcement characteristics, gender, and skill on the emotional state of the game-player. Results demonstrated that in-game reinforcement characteristics and skill significantly effect a number of affective measures (most notably excitement and frustration). The implications of the impact of game-play on affect are discussed with reference to the concepts of “addiction” and “aggression.”

Differences between playing a lot and addiction in MMOs (Charlton & Danforth, 2007)

This study is at least 3 years old now, it was published online in 2005 and only recently “officially” published in paper just last year. It’s really hard on me since I have to keep my library references up to date. Also, I haven’t counted the exact number of article published for 2007 that relates to video games from psychology and related fields, such as communications. But, I stopped counting at 20 articles. It’s really hard on me… Well on to an article, this time something for MMOs.

Abstract

This study considered whether the distinction between core and peripheral criteria for behavioral addiction, previously drawn with respect to computing activities in general, applies in the specific area of Massively Multiplayer Online Game playing. Questionnaire items were administered over the Internet to 442 game players. Factor-analysis of the data supported the previous findings for computing in general. An addiction factor loaded on items tapping previously identified core criteria (conflict, withdrawal symptoms, relapse and reinstatement and behavioral salience) and a (non-pathological) engagement factor loaded on items tapping previously identified peripheral criteria (cognitive salience, tolerance and euphoria). Analysis of response frequencies supported the existence of a developmental process whereby peripheral criteria are met before core criteria. Players who might be considered addicted using a monothetic classification system involving only the core criteria were shown to spend a significantly greater amount of time playing per week than those endorsing only the peripheral criteria. It is concluded that the study supports the idea that it is inappropriate to use some of the previously used criteria for addiction when researching or diagnosing computer-related addictions. Implications of the present findings for Internet-mediated data collection methodologies are also discussed.

I seemed to recall of having read this article before starting my blog, oh well.

Addiction and aggression within the MMO context (Grusser, Thalemann & Griffiths, 2007)

So we have some researchers asking whether there’s a connection between aggression and addiction within video games. Mark Griffiths is someone I recognize in the psych literature who has done extensive research on addiction, especially gambling.

A simple reasoning from the authors is that according to the lit.: violent video games increase aggression in players, while the addiction part is something that is now recognized amongst MMOG players. So two negative components of video games are now under the psychology microscope. However, their findings suggest that there is no or little connection between aggression and addiction

Method

The study is quite simple really: an online survey of players (7069 players, age average= 21.11, SD=6.35) who completed 2 questionnaires of which they related to gaming behaviours and aggression-related and violent-related variables. Of the gaming behaviours, in order to classify someone as addicted they used criteria based from the ICD-10 for dependence. I don’t know which specific one.

They analyzed the data using chi-square and a one-way ANOVA.

Results

11.9% of players fulfill the criteria for addiction. That’s quite a high number, but I do wonder the percentage of people who are alcoholics or those who are compulsive gamblers? But remember the criteria are adapted from existing diagnostic criteria, so the percentage mark is uncertain, but it should not be ignored because it is judged to be the best criteria under the present circumstances. i.e. video game addiction resembles very much to gambling addiction, even though there are marked differences, but it’s all we have for now.