Research Report Student Examples

  Research Report student examples

Note: The following are sample reports meeting average to slightly above average expectations.

When a Video Game Is No Longer Just a Game

It all started when my 14 year old friend got the new game, 'World of Warcraft', on his computer. Suddenly, I never saw him anymore. He stopped going to hockey practice and hanging out with us after school. In school he always looked tired and he started getting kind of skinny. Later, my mom said that his parents took away his computer because he started staying awake all night. It was then that I heard the term, "addiction" in relation to video games. In today's reality, this is not an uncommon plight for many video gamers to encounter. People can get addicted to playing video games just as they can to gambling or drugs. Studies have shown that up to 12% of the world's video game playing population consists of addicted video gamers. Research of important aspects of this issue includes what video game addiction looks like, what its psychological effects are, what its physical effects are, and what kind of rehabilitation is available. For an overview of the scope of video game addiction, view this infographic on Zoom.It: zoom.it/uCr1

An addiction is defined as a condition of having a dependency on a thing or substance. To understand what the addictive qualities of a video game are requires knowledge of how video games work. Most video games hook their players by a reward system. This can be a high score, sought after items, prestige within the game or other rewards, based on their progress in the game. Many argue that this is attractive enough to be addictive. Journalist Jack Flanagan explains this lure further, saying, "Video games are built to exploit this part of our brain. Kill monster, get points. Complete level, get happy music. Win game, feel satisfied. It's a very simple and primitive part of who we are. We react the same way to everything...." Flanagan says positive reinforcement keeps players plugged in. That said, the Video Addiction organization cites numerous causes of video game addiction. Role-playing games sometimes are addictive simply because of the emotional investment in their created character. Players may achieve great accomplishments and be well-known "in-game" whereas their reality pales in comparison. Players may have a close-knit game level and personal level online team, with great camaraderie. Lastly, video games offer a player an attractive escape from the ordinary. Each game represents a whole new world of rules, challenges, environments, and potentially new relationships or communities. In some "sandbox" games, the possibilities for discovery are endless in created worlds.

These characteristics of Internet addiction are confirmed on the official page in the American Journal of Psychiatry. "Gaming" is listed as one lesser form of Internet addiction, sharing "common symptoms of other addictions, including cravings, urges, withdrawal and tolerance." The psychological effects of video game addiction are varied. Addicted players can be aggressive if their perceived need to play for extended periods of time is threatened or challenged. Personal relationships can become unstable or neglected. In severe cases, other responsibilities such as jobs or school are pushed aside to increase the amount of time available for gaming. Honest people may begin to lie to extend playing time or cover up the addiction. If unable to play, psychological signs of withdrawal such as irritability or depression might appear (Organization for Video Game Addiction). Addicted teen gamers experienced similar pitfalls as older addicts, but with different onset and recovery. Doctor Catharine Paddock found that gaming addictions in teens usually accompanied other mental disturbances, and that "only when children stopped being addicted—depression, anxiety and social phobias decreased as well." The Organization for Video Game Addiction also found that teens who beat the addiction, suffered delayed or stalled social skills and coping mechanisms, depending how long their addiction lasted. The psychological realm of this particular addiction is not easily shortened. Many mentally related connections, possibly even post-traumatic stress disorder, are still being explored today.

As if the psychological effects of gaming are not brutal enough, the physical side of this addiction is most damaging and may even lead to death for an addict. In 2005, a man passed away from exhaustion after gaming for 50 hours straight. Video games have a number of adverse physical effects, many of which are still being further explored. Well known symptoms for gamers in general (not just addicts) are migraines or back aches from constant sitting and visual over-stimulation, as well as dry eyes, or carpal tunnel syndrome. As a player slides into an addiction, the physical signs get more dangerous. Addicts will "forget" to eat for long periods of time or eat convenient foods, which are not healthy. As a result, game addicts are often severely malnourished or dehydrated, whether they are starving or obese, because proper dietary requirements are not being met. Addicts also forget to sleep or may sleep irregularly, confusing their sleep cycle and contributing to exhaustion. The physical aspect of addiction also shows itself here through the chemicals in the brain. Dr. Paddock states that the "science behind the pleasure in that reward is the addictive qualities behind a rush of dopamine to the brain's pleasure center; as a result, the brain craves more". Thus, gaming addicts experience very real physical withdrawal symptoms while on the road to recovery.

Rehabilitation for video gaming addicts is not as simple as removing the game system and Internet connection from the home. The need for rehabilitation has grown in the last ten years, as well as knowledge of what it involves. Research has shown that this type of addiction develops as a coping mechanism in people who struggle with abuse, bullying, anxiety, or depression. The most significant aspect of rehabilitation is to teach former addicts how to cope with the perils of reality. Gamers are weaned from their dependency and taught to examine their habits. They are also taught the 12 steps of abstinence in all addiction programs. Participants in rehabilitation are coached on how to reconnect socially with their friends and family. Some rehabilitation centers offer wilderness therapy retreat programs with similar instruction and coaching, but participants initially are taken away from gaming "cold turkey", to "create a reality that you're happy to be in." Centres for rehabilitation can be found in China, South Korea, the Netherlands, and the U.S.A.

Video game addictions are complicated, making this topic challenging within the confines of a research report. This detailed overview of video game addiction mentions only briefly its psychological and physical effects and the means to rehabilitate. Addiction affects each individual uniquely, despite shared symptoms. A person with an addiction cannot behave normally, which may be easy to forget. Recognizing symptoms and getting help for a gaming addict may lead him or her back to health and prosperity.

Bibliography

Battaglia, Emily. "Video Game Addiction." Organization for Video Game Addiction, 2009.
Web. 20 Jun. 2014. http://www.video-game-addiction.org/
Flanagan, Jack. "The Psychology of Video Game Addiction." The Kernel, 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Jun. 2014. http://theweek.com/article/index/255964/the-psychology-of-video-game-addiction
Lester, Paul. "Gaming Addiction: Psychological Problem or Social Disorder?" Gizmag, 3 Dec. 2009. Web. 20 Jun. 2014. http://www.gizmag.com/special-report-gaming-addiction/13297
Paddock, Catharine (PhD). "Video Game Addiction Tied to Depression, Social Problems and Poorer Grades in School." Ohio State University, 16 Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Jun. 2014.   http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213929.php
United Kingdom; Video Game Addiction Help; Addicted to Video Games; ADT Healthcare, UK, 2014; Web; 20 Jun. 2014; infographic link. zoom.it/uCr1