A Reflection on Addiction to Video Games

The possibility of an addiction to video games might seem foreign to someone that has never picked up a controller. They might ask questions like how could anyone get addicted to video games? Why does the video game industry make billions each year? Why do gamers wait hours outside of stores for new releases? This source does a fantastic job of explaining the different reasons that people choose to play video games and how these games effect you psychologically It talks about how a lot of game mechanics have a common goal of rewarding the player through incentives like fun, leveling, high scores, and competition.

Someone that hasn’t played a game before could probably look at this list and understand the driving incentive to play. I remember taking psychology in high school and learning about mental conditioning with rewards and punishments. These techniques are almost always simple examples using animals and food.

Game companies have become experts at applying these strategies, turning us into piLiful animals that will continue to exhibit good behavior if we make the right decisions.

Our analytical thought processes and complex brains submit to simple rewards like positive beeps and increasing of levels. Another popular incentive is competition; with yourself, amongst friends, and even against the entire world. Increase in gaming addictions positively correlates with the advancement of technology, because we can now play online with anyone in the world instead of just a person sitting next to you. There are worldwide leaderboards that every garner can view, which makes the player want to level up and get their name on the list, Although the author does not give a name, his website claims to “give insight into different theoretical and practical aspects of different IT based topics.

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The article does this by being entirely non-biased and filled with pure facts from universities, journals, and the American Psychological Association. This author creates a valuable source through analysis of scientific research and quoting experts on their work, which explains not only how video games attract players but why they are so attractive. So does this mean that video games turn us into simple-minded creatures? Or are the games designed so well that the rewards and punishments are craftier, so that we stay entertained and challenged? Whatever your IQ is, these successful video game companies know how to draw you in and keep you around.