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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents conceptual literature about the Online Gaming. It

imparts related facts and evidence with reference to other studies which will

serve as partial basis for the Impact of Online gaming to Senior High School

(SHS) students.

I. Foreign Literature

In the research of Ahn and Randall (2008) on computer game

addiction, they define game addiction based on the definition used by the

Center for Addiction and Mental Health based in the US. The center

defines addiction as “a psychological or a physical dependence on

something”. Individual with game addiction can thus be said to have a

psychological dependence on Massive Multiplayer Online Games or to

exhibit excessive or compulsive use of computer and video games. Many

cases have been reported in which users play online games compulsively,

isolating themselves from social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-

game achievements rather than out-game life events such as academia,

socializing with family and friends, or sports. Out-game life should spend

times on academia, communicate with family members and sport etc. But
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game players see the in-game life as more important than out-game life.

This means they spent almost all the time to play online game.

The aim of the study by Wan and Chiou (2006) on why adolescents

are addicted to online gaming was to investigate the psychological

problems of addicts among adolescents in Taiwan and to discover the

motivation, both conscious and unconscious, of online game addicts.

During the research process they discovered that most of the adolescents

they interviewed stated that online gaming had become the focus on their

lives, and that life would become dark and bleak without these games.

From this point of view, we can channel our investigation to focus on why

young people become addicted to online games

Further literature reviews in this area revealed an emotional point of

view that aimed at explaining the reason. According to Diao (2003),

everyone needs to express their feelings and thoughts. As such, when a

person cannot express himself or herself adequately, he (or she) may get

depressed. Therefore, one way to release this depression or pressure

would be through playing online games, which enables gamers to chat and

play with other friends and players on the internet. Another explanation of

why young people become addicted to the internet was proposed in that

they were trying to avoid societal pressure. According to Diao, some young

people are naturally too shy to talk to stranger’s face to face in reality, but
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when surfing the Internet or playing online games, they can be whoever

they want to be. As such, they can chat with the people they met online

without feeling any of the regular social pressures that come with physical

meetings.

Internet addiction is a relatively new phenomenon in which social

workers and psychologists are unaware of and are thus unprepared to

treat at present. Mu (2006) points out that some of the main symptoms of

Internet and online game addictions, including the decrease in social friend

network and face-to-face interactions with others, become infrequent while

the member of friends in the virtual world exponentially increases.

Ultimately, the psychokinesis becomes weaker and weaker over time. This

means that after a long time of playing online games, the players begin to

realize the dangers of online gaming. At this point players generally try to

play less as they try to orient themselves back to the demands of society.

However, this is mostly unsuccessful as it almost always ends up failing.

Zhang (2007) and Zhuo (2007), who also researched on the same topic,

reported different results on the online game addiction and the finding

supported the same symptoms. With regards to undergraduate students

who were addicted to the Internet or online games, Zhang indicated that

most of these students had bad grades in their universities.

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In the research of Zhao & Yan (2014), several research have studied

the behavioral characteristics of severe online game players and factors

associated with online game addiction. They found that “entertainment and

leisure”, “emotional coping”, “excitement and challenge seeking” and

“escape from reality” may be the major factors that motivate people to play

online games.

II. Local Literature

According to the quarterly assessment of Global Games Market

Report, as of 2017, the Philippines ranked 29 worldwide in terms of game

revenues with a total of 29.9million of gamers nationwide. In the survey

conducted by Philippine Consumer Gamer Insights on the same year, 18%

of male and 16% of female in the age group 10-20years old are active

mobile players.

In the article on Gameshogun (Cuneta,2011), addictions 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 wellbeing 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. While in the

article of Center Courses (2016), they listed the top online games listed as;
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DOTA 2, LOL, WOW, Crossfire, Counterstrike, Hon, Dragon Nest, and

Bandmaster. These games are the ones who are so popular for the

gamers in the Philippines.

Review of Related Studies

I. Foreign Studies

In the study of Wittek, Finseras, et. al. (2015), Video gaming is one

of the most popular contemporary recreational activities. It has been

shown that 59 % of all Americans play video games (Ipsos Media CT

2014). An average of 48 % of Europeanshas played video games (Ipsos

Media CT 2012), and that 56 % of young adult Norwegians (aged 16 – 40

years) play video games regularly (Mentzoni et al. 2011). Among

adolescents, the proportion of players is even higher, as demonstrated in a

survey showing that 97 % of Americans aged 12 – 17 years play video

games (Lenhart et al. 2008).

Also, in the study of Ko, Yen, et.al. (2005), Adolescents in Taiwan

have been encouraged to use the Internet to increase academic

competitiveness. However, Lin and Tsai (2002) reported that 11.7% of high

school students have developed addiction to Internet use, which can

impair academic performance, psychological well-being, and interaction

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with peers and family members (Whang et al., 2003). Adolescent

psychosocial development may also be impeded.

II. Local Studies

Playing video games is often associated in our society with poor

academic performance. This anecdotal idea is supported by some

research. The effect that interactive digital media has on the learning

process is not completely negative. It is not that the medium itself is

inherently flawed, but much of the information that gets transmitted through

it may be. As was noted in 2008 study on media attention and cognitive

abilities, “content appears to be crucial” Rivera, 2008, p. 63. if the content

being consumed is positive, then positive results can be expected. if the

content is negative, then negative results can be expected. The study

examined research from many sources in arriving at this conclusion.

In the Philippines, a study by Rayo (2012), 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.

Research on the social effects of video games is also mixed

Oliveros, R. P., and M. T. Sapio. 2007). Some studies have found that
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video games are like addictions such as gambling which create negative

social effects. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games

(MMORPGs) have been called “heroin ware” because they are

“simultaneously competitive and highly social” (Galvan, 2006, p. 383).

Other studies have noted positive aspects of the games such as the ability

to experiment with aspects of individual identity which do not come out in

public.

One measure of this which has significant research is that of

prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior is defined as when one person acts

to help another. while research on this topic is mixed, there is evidence

that games which focus on prosocial behavior led to prosocial results

(Sanchez, 1997).

According to Psychologists in the Philippines (2005) because there

is no official diagnosis of computer game addiction, there is obviously no

universally agreed upon list of symptoms. Other mental health

professionals initially adapted the diagnostic criteria for gambling addiction

and used this as a rough assessment tool for computer game addiction.

This classification approach is rarely used today and for better or for

worse, it is essentially up to the individual researcher or clinician to define

the symptoms of computer addiction. Still, there are some signs and

behaviors that are almost always included in definitions of computer

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addiction, such as: Significant interference with school, work, or

relationships. Often avoiding other commitments to keep playing,

frequently turning down social invitations in favor of gaming, using most or

all of one’s free time for gaming, regularly playing late into the night and

which results in poor sleep habits, Loss of interest in previously enjoyed

activities, Regular gaming “binges” of 8 hours or more nonstop.

Synthesis

The reviewed literatures and studies both local and foreign

disclosed findings that are parallel or run counter with one another.

The differences with their findings have been explored in the process

of review. The current study involved a different respondent and

approach with focus on the impact of Online gaming to Senior High

School (SHS) students.