CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

With the rationale of developing deep understanding and scrutiny of the current study, the

researchers gathered and accumulated related literature and studies from online media related to

the definite concern of the study.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES AND SOCIAL FACTORS

A number of studies have examined the role of personality factors, comorbidity factors,

and biological factors, and their association with online gaming addiction. In relation to

personality traits, gaming addiction has been shown to be associated with neuroticism,

aggression and hostility, avoidant and schizoid interpersonal tendencies, loneliness and

introversion, social inhibition, boredom inclination, sensation seeking, diminished agreeableness,

diminished self-control and narcissistic personally traits, low self-esteem, state and trait anxiety,

and low emotional intelligence (Griffiths et.al., 2019).

Considering the relatively high frequency of co-occurring personality, comorbidity, and

biological factors, it is hard to assess the etiological significance of these associations with online

gaming addiction as they may not be unique to the disorder and further research is needed.

Research has also shown online gaming addiction to be associated with a variety of comorbid

disorders. These include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, symptoms of generalized

anxiety disorder, panic disorder, depression, social phobia, school phobia, and various

psychosomatic symptoms (Griffiths et.al., 2019)

In an experiment by William (2017), school performance increased after the participants

dramatically decreased their usage of all technology, including online games.

excessive playing of online games resulted in low school grades and that time spent playing was

a predictor of academic performance. They also suggested that video games indirectly lead to

decreased performance through promoting violence. Finally, they noted that playing video games

took time away from school activities, homework, social interaction, etc.

INTELLIGENCE BENEFITS OF ONLINE GAMING

According to Anand, (2017) and Jackson et.al., (2017), the usage of games is casually

related to an increase in visual-spatial skills, which often come in handy in the fields of science,

mathematics, technology, and engineering.

A study done with Kindergartens by Din & Calao, (2019), showed that students who

played educational online games on the Sony Lightspan, which is a game system similar to the

Sony Playstation One, made significant increases over the control group in the learning of

spelling and reading; however, no significant gain was made over the control group in math. This

suggests a facilitative role of playing online games in developing verbal skills (2019).

Smyth (2018) suggested that complex games may lead to academic success by engaging

players in problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

Skoric et.al., (2019) found that while game addiction leads to negative academic

performance, moderate engagement in gaming can lead to improved performance in an academic

setting. They found a positive correlation between game play and English test scores, which

suggests that gaming can actually lead to a better test score.

According to Angeles, M. L., (2017), playing computer games may not be that bad for

your children. Palma states that educational games can be effective assisting tools in the

educational areas of management, medicine, and science. If you choose the right educational
computer games, your child may learn better problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination.

Your child may also get the ability to think fast and think of multiple things all at once. Skills

obtained from playing computer games may help your child learn quickly when it comes to his

studies.

IMPACTS OF ONLINE GAMING

According to the USA Today Network (2018), the World Health Organization says that

compulsively playing video games now qualifies as a new mental health condition; in a movie

that some critics warn may risk stigmatizing too many young players.

In the article of Kimberly Young (2019), excessive gaming has been identified as a

specific subtype of internet addiction (Block, 2018). “Video games may look innocent, but they

can be addictive as gambling or drugs and just as hard to kick.” explained by Keith Bakker,

director of Amsterdam-based Smith and Jones Addiction Consultants and founder of the center.

Another worthy article by The Guardian (Przybyliski and Orben, 2018), video games

played on smart phones, tablets, computers, and consoles have been a popular form of leisure for

some time now. In Europe, recent figures indicate that games are played by more than two thirds

of children and adolescents, and a substantial number of adults now play games – 38% in the

UK, 64% in France, 56%in Germany and 44% in Spain.

According to Helsingin Salomat, a cross-national World Health Organization study

carried out in 2017 and published in 2018 shows that around 20% of Finnish boys between the

ages of 13 and 15 spend more than three hours a day at the computer playing online games. The

figures for “heavy user” girls in the same age group are only between 2% and 3%. In terms of the

large gender difference, Finland was among the most striking examples in the entire study.
 Based on the facts of J.A Jacko in 2019, according to empirical evidence, researchers

found out a sense of presence, commonly defined as, “sense of being there” is an important

factor for the online game users. Both studies stated that online games are addictive to anyone

who is hooked here.

FACTORS RESULTING TO ONLINE GAME ADDICTION

In the article on Gameshogun (Cuneta, 2019), addiction to internet games, particularly

massive multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGs), have emerged as a threat to public

health – a new epidemic. Although they pose no direct physical danger, they take a toll on the

mental well-being of players. This disease is as equally debilitating as an addiction to drugs or

alcohol. The article also posed that the effect of the gaming is not that bad to be considered as an

addiction.

According in the Pinoy Gamer forum, “As gamers; gaming is form of leisure, a hobby or

an escape from the harsh world we have in the Philippines. We are not saying that this is not a

serious issue, but we feel as gamers that the media is being biased with this. So instead of saying

gaming is an addiction, take a look at why people are getting addicted from the first place”.

While in the article of Center Courses (2017), they listed the top online games: DOTA 2,

LOL, WOW, crossfire, Counterstrike, Hon, Dragon Nest, and Band Master. These games are the

ones who are popular for the gamers in the Philippines.

According to (Maslog C. 2017), one social problem that has been observed is that the

internet cafés has become a main game center. About one-half to two-thirds of the computer in a

typical internet café, according to one study, are devoted to games (violent and gory games). The

use of the remaining computers was roughly split between browsing, email, online chat, word
processing and research. The internet cafes have become not just game centers but centers of

addiction among the youth, mostly boys, including elementary school pupils.

According to one concerned internet café entrepreneur, “Internet cafes are seducing

youths to a new form of addiction, one which may not destroy their bodies as drugs do, but

which is certainly twisting their minds. To the young, play is reality and reality is play.”

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF VIDEO GAME ADDICTION

Like any other compulsive disorder, video game addiction can have severe negative

consequences. Though most of the symptoms listed above have short-term effects, they can lead

to more severe long-term repercussions if not addressed properly. For example, someone

addicted to video games will often avoid sleeping or eating proper meals to continue gaming.

While the short-term effects of this may include hunger and fatigue, it could eventually lead to a

sleep-disorder or diet-related health issues. Similarly, those who isolate themselves from others

to play video games, may miss out family events, outings with friends, or other events. If this

continues to be a pattern for a long period of time, however, addicts might find themselves

without any friends at all.

Other long-term effects of video game addiction to consider according to Lim, (2018) are

the financial, academic, and occupational consequences involved. Video games and video game

equipment can be very expensive, especially when factoring in recurring costs such as the high-

speed internet connection required for online multiplayer gamers. These games can also be very

time-consuming, leaving addicted gamers with less time to focus on their education or career.

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES

According to the study of Ko, Yen, et. al. (2018), “Adolescents’ response to Online

Gaming”. Adolescents in Taiwan have been encouraged to use the internet to increase academic
competitiveness. However, Lin and Tsai (2017) reported that 11.7% of high school students have

developed addiction to Internet use, which can impair academic performance, psychological

well-being, and interaction with peers and family members (Whang et. al., 2020). Adolescent’s

psychological development may also be impaired.

Also, in the study of Wittek, Finseras, et. al. (2019) “Video Gaming: One of the most

Popular Contemporary Recreational Activities. It has been shown that 59% of all Americans play

video games (Ipsos MediaCT 2017). An average of 48% of Europeans has played video games

(Ipsos MediaCT 2018), and that 6% of young adult Norwegians (aged 16-40 years) play video

games regularly (Mentzoni et. al. 2019). Among adolescents, proportion of players is even

higher, as demonstrated in survey showing that 97% of Americans aged 12-17 years play video

games (Lenhart et. al. 2018).

Another noteworthy study to review by Ng and Wiemer-Hastings (2019), “Problems of

online gaming”. Users who tried to cutback the time they spent on the internet to avoid these

addiction-related problems could not. Young concluded that users do become addicted and that

there is a potential for more addictive applications in the future. With the ability of three-

dimensional (3D) graphics in games, it became possible to build 3D visual representations of the

once text-only MUDS. Now, users are able to see and interact with others in visual world. These

massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs), such as “Everquest ’and

“Ultima Online”, have been categorized as “heroinware” by many of its users, as they contain all

the addictive elements of IRC and MUDS. MMORPGs, which are run continuously in real time,

feature social and competitive aspects, makig devotion to the game mandatory. While traditional

video games end at some point or become repetitive and boring, MMORPGs are endless,

because the main feature of MMORPGs is its system of goals and achievement.
 As of today, most people relate online games to low academic performance. Through the

years, studies have yielded different results. Some of them say that they are co-related when

some say they are not.

According to Anderson and Dill (2019), there is a negative correlation between the two.

Thus meaning, that there is no relation between the number of hours played by a player and his

grades.

In the Philippines, a study by Rayo (2017), “Frequently played Online Games”. Majority

of the gamers of the country are playing DOTA and regarding it as their specialty compared to

playing games like Ragnarok, Tantra, etc. These factors make playing DOTA to become a

‘booming’ culture here in the country, and it continues to flourish since 2003.

In the study of Lumbay et. al. (2017), “When did players engaged themselves in Online

Gaming?”. Majority of the computer gamers had already been playing computer games while

they were still a junior high school student, and most of them plays DOTA. This result strongly

suggests that computer gaming exists not only among college students but also amongst high

school students. Most of the gamers were good performers in the academe, this supports the

belief of Prensky (2018), that video and computer game playing, done appropriately, is actually

very beneficial to today’s “Digital Native” kids, who use them to prepare for life in the 21 st

century. The rest of the results compliments with the results of the previous studies cited in the

review of related studies in this study (e.g., all the gamers were males, most the gamers were

adolescents).

Also, according in the study of Cortes et. al. (2019), “Positive effects of Online Gaming”.

Studies indicate that children who play computer games can improve visual intelligence skills.

Parents believed that computer use is related to better academic performance of the children. It
was found that high school students who used educational software at home scored significantly

higher on computer literacy tests than other students. Computer use at home is also associated

with improvements in general academic performance. Other studies also found that students who

own computers at home had higher over-all grades, particularly in Math and English, than those

without home computers.

Based on “Online Gaming: Why is it hard to resist?” of Justin Visda, Heinson Tan and

Bryan Yaranon. Online games are hard to resist, particularly if it’s only around our environment.

Students find it happy and enjoyable and they eventually forget their tasks and problems, but it

does a bad effect to them, which is called addiction. According to them, addiction is too much

playing, and it cannot be resisted because most of the youth tells that they are bored with their

everyday lives, especially to their studies. That’s why online games are addictive, and it gives

them enjoyment.

At times, the students defend the games they are playing by saying that they do learn

something from it. A paper from Ginintuang Pahina backs these students up by suggesting that

the faculty learn and know about these games so as to help students in class learning experience

(Duncano, 2018).

REFERENCES

Electronic Gaming and Psychosocial Adjustment. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.

aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2014/07/29/peds.201 3-4021.full.pdf

Ray, J.F. (n.d). The Culture of DOTA in the Philippines (revised). Retrieved

from: http://www.academia.edu/22222828/The_Culture_of_DOTA_in_the_Philippines_ revised

Philippines PNP-CIDG: Addiction to Online Gaming is a Disease. Retrieved from:

Weekly Gaming Update: GameCon PH and Gaming Addiction Disorder. Retrieved

from: https://pinoygamer.ph/threads/weekly-gaming-update-gamecon-ph-and-gaming- addiction-

disorder.4340/

Kids on Computer Game Addiction in the Philippines. Retrieved from: https://

centrecources.blogspot.com/2016/03/kids-on-computer-game-addiction- in.html?m=1

Why it's too soon to classify gaming addiction as a mental disorder. Retrieved from:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2018/feb/14/gaming- addiction-as-a-mental-

disorder-its-premature-to-pathologise-players

It's time to stop running from gaming addiction. Retrieved from: https://www.

eurogamer.net/articles/2018-06-27-gaming-addiction

World Health Organization: Video Game Addiction is a Mental Health Disorder.

Retrieved from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2018/06/18/gaming-

disorder- who-classifies-video-game-addiction-health-disorder/709574002/

The Effect of Online Games to the Academic Performance of Student’s. (2018, February

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performance- of-students/