Attentional bias in excessive Internet gamers: Experimental investigations using an addiction Stroop and a visual probe

Abstract

Background and aimsInternet Gaming Disorder is included in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th edition) as a disorder that merits further research. The diagnostic criteria are based on those for Substance Use Disorder and Gambling Disorder. Excessive gamblers and persons with Substance Use Disorder show attentional biases towards stimuli related to their addictions. We investigated whether excessive Internet gamers show a similar attentional bias, by using two established experimental paradigms.MethodsWe measured reaction times of excessive Internet gamers and non-gamers (N = 51, 23.7 ± 2.7 years) by using an addiction Stroop with computer-related and neutral words, as well as a visual probe with computer-related and neutral pictures. Mixed design analyses of variance with the between-subjects factor group (gamer/non-gamer) and the within-subjects factor stimulus type (computer-related/neutral) were calculated for the reaction times as well as for valence and familiarity ratings of the stimulus material.ResultsIn the addiction Stroop, an interaction for group × word type was found: Only gamers showed longer reaction times to computer-related words compared to neutral words, thus exhibiting an attentional bias. In the visual probe, no differences in reaction time between computer-related and neutral pictures were found in either group, but the gamers were faster overall.ConclusionsAn attentional bias towards computer-related stimuli was found in excessive Internet gamers, by using an addiction Stroop but not by using a visual probe. A possible explanation for the discrepancy could lie in the fact that the visual probe may have been too easy for the gamers.

Using two web-based addiction Stroops to measure the attentional bias in adults with Internet Gaming Disorder

“…Gamers displayed an attentional bias toward gaming stimuli in two experiments (Lorenz et al., 2013; Metcalf & Pammer, 2011), but not in two others (Van Holst et al., 2012). Jeromin, Nyenhuis, and Barke (2016) extended these findings and found that in an addiction Stroop, gamers with IGD show an attentional bias not only toward gaming stimuli but also toward computer stimuli in general.…”

“…This result contrasts with a study by Jeromin, Nyenhuis, et al. (2016), where the same addiction Stroop was used and an attentional bias was detected in gamers with IGD. Waters, Feyerabend, Paton, and Petroskey (2000) found that smokers displayed an attentional bias in an addiction Stroop when alternating blocks of neutral and smoking-related words were used, but not when the word order was randomized.…”

“…Our aim was to replicate Jeromin, Nyenhuis, et al.’s (2016) study using a larger sample that consisted of gamers from the general population. In so doing, we used addiction Stroops with a randomized and a block design to investigate the attentional bias in gamers with IGD.…”

“…The studies reported here employed the same words as our previous study (Jeromin, Nyenhuis, et al., 2016), in which an attention bias was found; the main difference between the studies being the mode of administration (laboratory vs. Internet). Therefore, it is important to consider whether we failed to find an attentional bias in gamers with IGD due to the web-based experimental design.…”

A brief update on videogame play and flow experience: From addiction to healthy gaming

“…Although for the most part videogame play is a healthy and beneficial activity associated with numerous psychological and social perks [3][4][5][6], there is growing evidence suggesting that a minority of gamers experience a wide range of adverse consequences due to excessive and dysregulated gaming that impairs daily functioning and overall psychological health [7][8][9][10][11]. Some of the negative consequences associated with addictive videogame play involve poor work [12] and academic performance [13], alterations of the stress response systems [14], decreased psychosocial wellbeing and greater incidence of depressive symptoms [15], reduced life satisfaction, increased levels of anxiety, greater motor and attentional impulsivity [16], attention deficit and hyperactive disorder, hostility [17], and sleep deprivation [18].…”