Motivation of MMORPG Players with Addictive Behaviour in Relation to Internet Use
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Adiktologie |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Psychology |
| Keywords | INTERNET – MMORPG – ONLINE GAMES – INTERNET ADDICTION – ONLINE ADDICTION |
| Description | OBJECTIVES: To describe the motives for playing online. games (MMORPG) in players whose behaviour shows symptoms of addiction to the Internet, the reasons which lead the players to reduce their playing, and how such a reduction takes place. DESIGN: Qualitative study. METHOD: Content analysis of semi-structured interviews focused on the motivation for and the development of online playing. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen players of online games (4 women and 12 men) aged 15 to 33 years whose behaviour shows symptoms of addiction to the Internet. RESULTS: The motives for online gaming reported by the players included escapism, self-realisation, socialisation, and coping with boredom. The motivation for online playing changed dynamically with time. The motives for the reduction of online playing reported by participants included their realising that they have been absorbed by the game, health problems, impulses from their environment, and impulses from the game. Strategies that the players chose to reduce online gaming were divided into two basic groups: a gradual reduction with replacement by another online application with a “safer profile” and uninstalling the game from the user’s computer. CONCLUSION: The results of motivation for online playing confirm the findings of foreign studies and expand the category with the completely new motive of playing online games for professional growth. This study also maps out new reasons for limiting online gaming and how such reductions occurred. |
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