Youth Culture in a Digital World: Gaming (Lecture 3)

Youth culture in a digital world Gaming Dr. Margot Peeters Today’s learning goals ✓ Understanding the relationship between gaming behavior and adolescent development ✓ Understanding of the reasons why adolescents play games ✓ Understanding of the fine line between fun and problematic gami...

Youth culture in a digital world Gaming Dr. Margot Peeters Today’s learning goals ✓ Understanding the relationship between gaming behavior and adolescent development ✓ Understanding of the reasons why adolescents play games ✓ Understanding of the fine line between fun and problematic gaming ✓ Understanding the relation between gaming and youth (digital) culture The first computer game William Higinbotham (1958) “Pong” or “tennis for two” (1972 introduced by Atari (but not the first!) What is youth culture “A groups’ distinctive way of live, including it’s beliefs and values, it’s customs, and it’s art and technologies” (Arnett & Hughes, 2012; p 311) Youth culture?  2017 (HBSC) BOYS/GIR 2019 (PEIL) 2021 (HBSC) EDUCATION GAMING LS BOYS/GIRLS BOYS/GIRLS Primary HBSC education More than 11.7 / 2.4 19.3 / 9.6 24 hours study Problematic gaming 3.2 / 1.7 5.4 / 1.1 Secondary The Dutch Youth 2017-2021 education More than 13.5/ 1.8 13.5 /2.3 19.8 /4.9 24 hours In bold significant difference between previous wave Problematic 4.4 / 0.5 4.1 / 0.9 5.6 / 1.2 gaming In bold de Boer et al., (2021). Report of the HBSC study  Addiction care Percentage (N = 1014) Cannabis 49,2 % Stimulantia (cocaine, amfetamine, MDMA) 10,7% Youth addiction care numbers Gaming 10,5% Intake 2019-2020 Alcohol 9,5% Brijder Gambling 4,9% addiction care Other substances 5,4% Van der Schee E., Spijkerman R., Hendriks VM. (2021), PG Jeugdverslavingszorg: beschrijving populatie 2020, Den Haag  Self determination theory (Ryan & Deci; Ferguson & Olson, 2013) Why do Gaming to satisfy basic psychological needs; adolescents play games….? ✓ Competence needs (“be good at something”) ✓ Autonomy needs (“in control”) ✓ Socialization needs (“connecting to others”) And….. Identity formation (see also Sawyer, 2019) Competence needs; need to be good at something Competence needs = to be good at something Increasing skills/meta-achievement Become a famous e-sport player (future orientation) Belonging to the team (only accepted when you good enough) suppressing unpleasant symptoms (“state of flow” or hyperfocus, immersion) Suppressing unpleasant symptoms (sustained attention) Ferguson & Ceranoglu, 2014 Suppressing unpleasant symptoms (sustained attention) 5 Gaming addiction symptoms 4,5 4 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 good attention poor attention Peeters et al., 2018 Socialization needs; need to belong Social relationships and gaming Playing games Strengthen already Status increasing/ to connect to existing popularity others relationships Need to belong sometimes not fulfilled in real life therefore search in the virtual world Peeters et al., 2019; Who is vulnerable? Boys: Peeters et al., 2019; Who is vulnerable? Girls:  5 Gaming addiction symptoms 4,5 4 3,5 3 2,5 2 good social competence 1,5 moderate social competence 1 poor social competence 0,5 0 good attention poor attention Peeters et al., 2018  Feelings of belonging Only among the problematic adolescent gamer! Gaming can decrease: Feelings of social competence Satisfaction with life Van den Eijnden et al (2018) Games and online communities Over games In games Feelings of belonginess Micro transactions Discussion forums Identity formation Sirola et al., 2021 Online communities Construct and or extend identity Shared norms and values Peer influence (e.g. modeling microtransactions) Improving performance (providing tips, feedback etc) Sirola et al., 2019 Gaming and social relationships Gaming can support in Collaboration (mutual goals) Social support Social identity Feelings of acceptance (by shared values/norms) But also can amplify already existing social problems autonomy needs; need to be in control  Building your own game Autonomy needs; gaming and in control Building your own avater Autonomy needs; gaming and in control But what about losing control…? Games and rewards Sirola et al., 2019; Pironne et al., 2023 Pavlov and Skinner Loot boxes Reward --> more play higher chance - But you can also buy it - Not all boxes are equally rewarding (random chance = gambling?)  Types of Random rewards (finding a valuable sword) Contingencies rewards (log-in bonus) rewards in Social rewards (teamplay/building guilds) specific games Meta-achievements (leaderboard scores) Pironne et al., 2023 Results (2 cohort studies; 2017 / 2018) games and type of rewards Attention/hyperactivity Impulsivity Social problems problems Contingencies reward Contingencies reward Social rewards random contingencies and social rewards = more problematic gaming Differences in game play Engaged/ recreational gaming The Fling: Training behavioral control Boendemaker et al., 2017 The Fling: Training behavioral control Serious games; an example Boendemaker et al., 2017  Experiment: Condition 1: game without training (placebo) Condition 2: traditional (long and boring) behavioral control training Condition 3: serious game training 185 students between 13-17 years Serious games; Beat-it Project Boendemaker et al., 2017  Serious games; Beat-it Project Boendemaker et al., 2017 Today’s learning goals Understanding the relationship between gaming behavior and adolescent development Understanding of the needs and reasons for game play (self determination theory) Understanding of the fine line between fun and problematic gaming Understanding of the relation between gaming and youth (digital) culture For question: [email protected]