An empirical examination of factors associated with Game Transfer Phenomena severity

Abstract

Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP) (i.e. altered perceptions, spontaneous thoughts and behaviors with game content) occur on a continuum from mild to severe. This study examined the differences between mild, moderate and severe levels of GTP. A total of 2,362 gamers' participated in an online survey. The majority of gamers experienced mild levels of GTP. The factors significantly associated with severe levels of GTP were: (i) being students,(ii) being aged 18 to 22, (iii) being professional gamers, (iv) playing videogames every day in sessions of 6 hours or more, (iv) playing to escape from the real world, (v) recalling dreams always or very often, (vi) having a sleep disorder, mental disorder or reported dysfunctional gaming, and (vii) having experienced distress or dysfunction due to GTP. In addition, having used drugs and experiencing flashbacks as side-effects of drug use were significantly less likely to be reported by those with mild levels of GTP. In general, the findings suggest that those with higher levels of GTP share characteristics with profiles of gamers with dysfunctional gaming (e.g., problematic and/or addictive gaming).Keywords: Game Transfer Phenomena; excessive gaming; dysfunctional gaming; gaming addiction; psychiatric comorbidity; escapism IntroductionUnderstanding the effects virtual immersion has on the individual has been at the core of numerous studies concerning the effects of videogame playing. These studies have been conducted to either identify individuals 'at risk' to aversive effects of playing games or to identify which individuals get the most benefits from therapeutic interventions using virtual reality (Ling, Nefs, Brinkman, Qu, & Heynderickx, 2013). Other studies have attempted to distinguish between problematic and non-problematic gamers who invest substantial amounts of time playing (Király, Urbán, Griffiths et al., 2015;Pontes, Király, Demetrovics & Griffiths, 2014). For instance, brain differences such as variations in grey matter volume in the left anterior cingulate gyrus have been reported between pathological gamers and professional gamers. Disrupting functions in the anterior cingulate may affect individuals competence to monitor and inhibit improper behavior (Han, Lyoo, & Renshaw, 2012). It has also been demonstrated that problematic gaming leads to negative outcomes as a consequence of excessive videogame play (e.g., social problems, relationship problems, occupational problems, educational problems, etc.) and sleep disturbances (e.g., daytime sleepiness, insomnia) (Achab et al., 2011;Fossum, Nordnes, Storemark, Bjorvatn, & Pallesen, 2014;Lam, 2014;Van Rooij, Kuss, Shorter, Schoenmakers, & Van de Mheen, 2014). Such players may also have comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, substance use, ADHD, etc.) (Ferguson, Coulson, & Barnett, 2011;Gentile et al., 2011;Király et al., 2015;Kuss & Griffiths, 2012;Walther, Morgenstern, & Hanewinkel, 2012), and specific personality traits (e.g., neuroticism, schizoid traits, lower self-control, etc.) (Alliso...

Problematic Facebook use and problematic video gaming as mediators of relationship between impulsivity and life satisfaction among female and male gamers

“…Consequently, it can be cautiously assumed that individuals with high cognitive instability may have more difficulty in refraining from thinking about the videogame despite doing other things. In this context, previous research [127] reported that GTP are associated with PVG. However, it should be noted that GTP are a broader issue related not only to the negative aspects of videogames playing but also to the positive aspects [128].…”

The Physical, Emotional, and Identity User-Avatar Association with Disordered Gaming: A Pilot Study

“…Accordingly, GTP can be manifested as altered sensorial perceptions including the experience of bodily sensations within video games (Ortiz de Gortari and Griffiths 2015). Additionally, severe levels of GTP has been associated with long gaming sessions and dysfunctional patterns of gaming because those with severe levels of GTP share characteristics with profiles of disordered gamers (Ortiz de Gortari et al 2016). Although the regression models indicated overall SP, as well as its three sub-aspects, were significantly associated to IGD behaviors, the four LGM models calculated were not suggestive of either the overall SP or its three sub-dimensions (experienced) being significantly associated with IGD behaviors variations during the 3-month period examined.…”

Is video game addiction really an addiction?

“…In a 2015 study of 2,362 gamers, Ortiz de Gortari, now at the University of Liège in Belgium, and her coauthors reported that 97% of the gamers reported having experienced GTP (12). And in a study published in 2016, she and her colleagues found that people with severe GTP are more likely to have problematic or addictive gaming habits (13).…”