Research Article Review #1

Last year, I embarked on what I’m hoping will be a lifetime of learning. Media Psychology is what I am passionate about, and I have done research in my specific focus of interest; gaming. Part of the challenge of research into gaming psychology, is the plentiful research into gaming and aggression (more on that eventually), and a lack of much else. I decided I was interested into possible correlations between gaming habits (e.g., game choice, online vs. local play, content, etc.) and personality (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) or motivation. My first study conducted measured online vs. local game play preferences as a function of level of extroversion. I will post that study soon.

As part of that research, I looked at a wide variety of previous research on gaming and came across some very interesting research. One of the articles that helped me the most was this one by Mark D. Griffiths, Ph.D., Mark N.O. Davies, Ph.D., and Darren Chappell, B.Sc.. It gives demographic information about gamers and some other variables. Though this study is only done with EQ gamers, and computer gaming (not necessarily console gaming), it provides a good blueprint for further research into demographics.

This article presents research conducted via online questionnaire. Questions were asked measuring how much time gamers spent playing, whether they had to give anything up (like sleep or school focus), whether gamers were married, how old they are, gender, etc. What they came up with may or may not surprise you. Though the article is definitely worth a read because it provides insight into the specific methods and materials used for the research, as well as the reasoning behind the research, I will quickly summarize their findings, but you can find the full article here.

Gender

81% male
19% female
.01% unspecified

Age

8% 12-17 years
59% 18-30 years
22% 31-40
8% 41-50
3% over 50

Player Nationality

77% North American (US and Canada)
20% European (12% overall from UK)

Marital Status

55.5% single
1.5% separated
3% divorced
30% married
10% living with partner

Education

29% current or recently graduated undergrad student
13% postgraduate qualifications
23.5% some college
20% schooling through 16 years (high school)
.5% no schooling after age 11

Occupation

28.7% IT related
20% students
6.9% unemployed
remained in various fields including (but not limited to) armed forces, lawyers, tradesmen, unlisted, etc.

Playing History

average playing history 27.2 months
Playing Frequency
average frequency per week 25 hrs

Favorite Online Gaming Features

24% social game
10.2% grouping together
10% guild membership
6.9% assisting noobs (my term, not theirs)
6.5% playing solo
5.7% magic use
5.4% hand to hand combat
5.2% role playing
3.3% pvp
12.2% other

Least Favorite Online Gaming Features

18.7% immaturity of other players
15.4% selfishness of other players
14.8% camping
13.3% slow levelling
13.1% pvp
5.9% loss of experience after death
4.4% hand to hand combat
3.7% solo play
1.9% role playing
1.7% team play
1.7% assisting noobs
.2% magic use
5.2% other

Activities Sacrificed to Play

22.8% nothing
25.6% other hobbies
18.1% sleep
9.6% work/education
10.4% socializing with friends
5.4% socializing with partner
4.6% family time

The author suggests further research may include studies including players of other games, as demographics reported here may be specific to type of game and medium used for playing. In other words, this study was done specifically with EQ players, and doesn’t necessarily generalize to all kinds of gamers. It is a stepping stone.

I chose this article because Dr. Griffiths has done a lot of research into different gaming related variables, and I appreciate that his research is objective. There are those who are pining for the death of gaming, while several studies have shown it is not the seeming evil and aggression CAUSING (ugh) hobby it has previously been labeled. There are benefits to game use, and since we cannot (and some of us don’t want to) get rid of it, I believe understanding more about those who play, and their reasons for doing so, will help us mold it into the tool it could be.