Video game addicts are not shy nerds

A new study claims that gaming doesn’t cause social problems or low self-esteem

SYDNEY: Playing video games for hours on end may be bad for your health, but, according to an Australian study, it doesn’t mean you are a lonely nerd and won’t damage your social skills.

The study, by Australian psychology graduate Daniel Loton, found that 15 per cent of 621 adult respondents to an online survey were identified as “problem gamers” who spend more than 50 hours a week playing games.

But only one per cent of those gamers appeared to have poor social skills, specifically shyness, Loton said, contradicting the stereotype that video game fans tend to be lonely, geeky, and addicted to gaming because they are unable to socialise. “Our findings strongly suggest that gaming doesn’t cause social problems, and social problems are not driving people to gaming,” Loton, from Victoria University, said.

“What is important to note is that even problem gamers did not exhibit significant signs of poor social skills or low self-esteem.” Loton said the characteristics that might define a problem gamer include an intrusive preoccupation with gaming —where the amount of time spent playing is affecting work, sleep, and close relationships — and an inability to stop playing.

Problem gamers were more likely to be involved in Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as the genre classic Ultima Online or World of Warcraft, which has some 10 million subscribers worldwide, the research found.
Loton, who admitted that he has always played video games, spent the last two years conducting the study, which was based on mainly Australian and mainly male respondents.

“My analysis showed only tiny relationships, that is less than 5 per cent of variation in problem play scores, was explained by social skills,” he said.

The findings come after widely reported statements made last year by the American Medical Association (AMA), which labelled MMORPG gamers as “somewhat marginalised socially, perhaps experiencing high levels of emotional loneliness and/or difficulty with real life social interactions.” Citing concerns of video game overuse, the AMA is likely to consider adding “video game addiction” to the Manual of Mental Disorders at its 2012 review.