Relationship between Game Addiction and Gamification User Types

Abstract

The study focuses on exploring the effects of three variables — gender, age, and gamification user types — on digital game addiction. The study enrolled a total of 422 first-year students – freshman- of a Turkish university in the Fall semester of the 2018–2019. The study employed two scales: The Turkish version of the “Gamification User Types Hexad Scale” (GUTHS) and the “Computer Game Addiction Scale” (CGAS). Data were analyzed by means of hierarchical regression analysis. In the first model, gender was found to be a significant predictor of digital game addiction. In the second model it was found that gender and being a “philanthropist” or a “player” according to the GUTHS were the significant predictors of digital game addiction. Being a male and being a “player” positively predicted digital game addition whereas being a “philanthropist” negatively predicted digital game addiction. In brief, males and “players” are more prone to digital game addiction than females and “philanthropists.”. Further research is needed to investigate the persistence or variation of these profiles in people, the sub-variables associated or not associated with game addiction, the relationship of these variables with gaming addiction and positive psychological factors such as socialization, and the impact of career or other environmental variables on these relationships.