Study shows 12% of Online Gamers have signs of addiction

The British Science Museum has put on a series of lectures titled "Game On" covering -- you guessed it -- videogames. In one lecture, Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University is set to unveil results of a new survey of over 7000 online videogame players. The players tested vary and include many types of gamers -- from players of MMORPGs to First Person Shooters online.

The study, carried out in conjunction with members of the University of Medicine, Berlin has a sample of over 7000 and is one of the biggest ever conducted to investigate online gaming. Results show that one in nine of the gamers - 12% - show at least three signs of addiction to the games they play.

Professor Griffiths, the Director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University stated that the aim of the study was to investigate the addictive potential of videogames. The study used a sample of 7069 gamers, mostly male, with an average age of 21. Participants were asked to answer two online questionnaires. Of these, 840 showed signs that point to addiction to gaming.

As expected, the gamers who showed three or more signs of addiction spent a significantly longer amount of time playing than those who did not, and were more likely to have withdrawal symptoms or craving to get back in the game.

Professor Griffiths added: "Although these gamers show some signs of addiction normally found in other more traditional addictions, our results do not conclusively show that the gamers are genuinely addicted. Many gamers play excessively and display few negative consequences. However, the 24-hour a day never-ending online games may provide a potentially addictive medium for those with a predisposition for excessive game playing."

The research is set to be published in an issue of the US journal CyberPsychology and Behaviour. At the full event, Professor Griffiths will also talk about the positive benefits of playing computer games. He will argue that excessive gaming isn't always bad and that such gaming behaviour needs to be put into the context of the gamer's life.