Video Games Research Articles

The Implications of Video Games on Social Behaviors of Adolescents in China

This paper uses an online survey method based on 54 Chinese adolescents aged 10 to 19, semi-structured interviews with 4 girls from middle school and high school, and a secondary literature study to examine the potential impacts of playing electronic games on Chinese adolescents’ social behaviors. The paper mainly focuses on three representative components of social behaviors from the perspective of a teenager: relationship with their peers and family members, as well as aggression. The research reveals that playing video games can lead to the formation of friendship, and will not necessarily result in aggressive behaviors, because it could be influenced and controlled by other factors, with proper family education being the most important one. Most Chinese parents regard playing electronic games as a bad habit for young people, and the result found that video games could trigger family quarrels and put certain psychological burdens on adolescents, though the reasons behind are vary under different circumstances.

Guiding Teenagers to Use Video Games Properly

With the increasing popularity of video games, some problems have arisen. For some people, video games can be said to be “destructive”, causing irreparable harm; For others, however, teenagers’ use of video games has produced some positive results. The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of video games on young people and how the community should guide young people to use video games to achieve positive effects and avoid negative effects. Through the analysis of literature and cases, this paper analyzes the positive and negative effects of electronic games on teenagers from the perspectives of society, psychology, and science, and studies the feasible ways for parents, schools, governments, and other groups to correctly guide teenagers to use electronic games. It is found that electronic games can have different effects on teenagers, both positive and negative, depending on the situation. Overall, the study reported more negative effects than positive ones. Among them, the negative aspects include addiction, affecting academic performance, causing psychological disorders, leading to suicide, affecting family relations, leading to social problems, leading to negative emotions, etc. The positive effects include cultivating prosocial behavior and satisfying psychological needs that are difficult to achieve in real life. To properly guide teenagers to use electronic games, all sectors of society, including parents, schools, and governments, can take some actions to achieve the goal.

Negative Impact of Digital Technology on Children's Health

Digital technologies are being used widely by children and increased rapidly over the past decade. Digital Technology in all its forms (such as computers, smartphone, video games, and the interne) can hold a person’s attention for long periods. It seems that can negatively affect on eye, sleep, critical thinking, physical activity, musculoskeletal impacts for people of any age, children and adolescents is especially vulnerable. Children's incorrect use of technology in terms of content, duration, frequency, and posture when using it can lead to a number of health risks. The objective of this paper is an overview of negative effect of digital technology on children's health. And in order to achieve our goal, we addressed the following questions: Does overuse of digital technology have a negative effect on children health? Does using digital technology can make children’s developmental problems, musculoskeletal problems, physical inactivity, obesity, and inadequate sleep quality? It is great to monitor the time, frequency, and content viewed while using technological devices and to certify that children have or develop adequate physical activity opportunities, healthy eating habits, proper sleep cycles, and a nurturing social environment. This study is based on qualitative research methods, using literature review by a specific keywords and search items, in order to obtain as many relevant papers as possible. All collected papers are used to recognize and develop a paper based on the research questions. This research includes articles published between 2015 and 2023, articles published prior to 2015 are not included.

The Impact of Character Creation and Customization on Self-Expression and Identity in RPGs

While a large of research investigates the importance of character creation and customization in role-playing games (RPGs) on players’ motivation and enjoyment to play, little is known about the impact of character creation and customization on players’ self-expression and identity exploration. Video games have been a venue for both developers and gamers to explore complex stories and ideas. Role-playing games (RPGs) are a type of video game in which players can take the role of a character in a fictional setting and interact with the game’s narrative. This paper is part of a larger research on the construction of individual identities using RPG character creation and customization. Building upon existing research on identity adaptation theory, queer theory, the proteus effect theory, and the performance of identity, this paper finds that players’ choices of character creation and customization contribute to opportunities for self-expression and individual agency. This paper also examines the character Creation and Customization preferences among different demographic groups and the association between in-game identity and real-life self-perception and social behaviors of players.

Investigating immersion and migration decisions for agent-based modelling: Acautionary tale.

Agent-based modelling provides an appealing methodological choice for simulating human behaviour and decisions. The currently dominant approaches based on static transition rates or unverified assumptions are restrictive, and could be enhanced with insights from cognitive experiments on actual decision making. Here, one common concern is that standard surveys or experiments may lack ecological validity, limiting the extent to which research findings can be generalised to real-life settings. For complex, highly emotive decision-making scenarios, such as those related to irregular migration, the typically used short, methodical survey questions may not appropriately map onto complex real-world decisions of interest. Immersive contexts may offer more accurate representations of reality, potentially enhancing the usefulness of experimental information in multi-disciplinary modelling endeavours. This preregistered study, aimed directly at examining the effect of immersion on risk-taking in the context of migration decisions, and indirectly at informing a multi-disciplinary construction of an agent-based model of migration, presents a choice-based interactive fiction game in which players make migration decisions to advance through a story. (N = 1000 Prolific users) took part in one of four experimental conditions, three involving different renditions of the game attempting to create immersion, with the last condition presenting the decisions in standard survey format. Although addressing the lack of ecological validity in survey data is important for improving agent-based modelling methodology, the experimental design used to tackle this issue, while responding directly to modelling needs, proved too complex. The created experimental conditions ended up too distinct from each other, involving stimuli that differed in quantity and content. This introduced several unintended and uncontrolled confounds, making it impossible to meaningfully interpret the results of this experiment on its own. Our results act as a cautionary tale for agent-based modellers, highlighting that the modelling needs should not override the principles of experimental design, and provide motivation for more rigorous research on this topic.

Dark patterns: Can criminal law remedy the shortcomings of antitrust law?

Antitrust laws' remedies to address Big Tech's anticompetitive business models have often been questionable. Since the fundamental design choices of business models pose significant challenges, due to dark patterns, Austrian criminal law may compensate for antitrust laws' enforcement limits. It is argued that Amazon's Prime and BuyBox, Google's Search and its AI Bard, Activision Blizzard's lootboxes, and Engagement Optimised Matchmaking (EOMM) algorithms contain dark patterns that may constitute (commercial) fraud within the meaning of §§ 146, 148 StGB. This is because these business models are designed to deceive consumers to unlawfully enrich Big Tech and video game publishers.

How do different game genres impact adolescent players’ problematic game use?

This study investigates the influence of video game genres on adolescent behavior, focusing on tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and impaired control. With the increasing prevalence of gaming among adolescents, understanding the specific impacts of game genres becomes crucial. This research aims to identify how different genres affect adolescent gamers and to provide insights for educators, parents, and policymakers on managing gaming-related behaviors. Using ANOVA and Sidak post-hoc test to analyze responses from a sample size of 60,029 adolescents, the study found significant differences in tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and impaired control across various game genres. RPG and AOS games were associated with higher levels of tolerance and withdrawal symptoms compared to sports and casual games, suggesting a genre-specific influence on these behaviors. The findings underscore the need for targeted strategies in educational and parental guidance to address game genre-related issues among adolescents. The implications of this research are vital for developing effective interventions and supports that cater to the specific needs of adolescent gamers, aiming to foster healthier gaming habits and mitigate potential negative outcomes.

Digital creativity and ecolinguistics

Abstract This study explores the intersection of digital creativity and ecolinguistics through an analysis of ecological framings in the acclaimed video game Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (FF7R_inter). Given the rise of ecocentric games during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research examines how FF7R_inter incorporates environmental themes and the potential impact of these themes on players’ ecological awareness. Utilizing an ecolinguistic discourse analysis approach, the study investigates the linguistic and multimodal resources used in the game to frame environmental issues such as fossil fuel dependency and eco-terrorism from a multiversal inter-reality perspective. The findings reveal that FF7R_inter employs specific rhetorical strategies, including differences in ecological framings and semantic choices, to convey ecological messages, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on environmental sustainability in pop culture. This research highlights the significant role that digital games can play in shaping public perceptions of environmental issues and underscores the importance of integrating ecolinguistic perspectives into the analysis of digital media.

Downloading Creativity Mods: Improving Our Problem-Solving Skill Transfer

Gaming has become ingrained in our modern culture, with many students playing more than 10,000 hours of video games by the time they graduate from high school (McGonigal, 2011). One hundred and 54 participants were randomly assigned to one of three game conditions: perspective-shift game, puzzle game, or video. Our findings suggested that only 30-min of game play that required strategic perspective-shifting significantly increased creativity, however, these results were not driven by participants self-identifying themselves as either gamers or non-gamers. This study directly addresses the gap in evaluating the far transfer of skill sets developed during gameplay to other tasks or contexts.

The Influence of Anime Culture on Consumers’ Consumption Habits

With the continuous development of anime culture, many anime enthusiasts have transferred their focus of consumption from video game recharge to animation goods consumption. At the same time, the number of merchants is also increasing day by day. In addition to selling through channels such as Taobao, XianYu, and WeChat stores, many merchants have also chosen to open offline goods stores. These animation goods have penetrated into various fields, not only badges and standing signages with high viewing value, but also many daily necessities such as umbrellas, bottles, and clothes. Therefore, the author tries to study the influence of anime goods culture on fans’ consumption habits and their psychology when consuming. Through questionnaire surveys and interviews, it was found that purchasing these goods not only satisfies consumers’ collection preferences, but also gives them a strong sense of identity. According to statistics, the majority of consumers are teenagers aged 15 to 18, who have a great passion for this culture in addition to their studies. In the future, anime goods industries have a very considerable development prospect.

Exploring the Impact of Short Videos on Adolescents: The Case of Video Game Promotion

In the digital era, the development of media in the adolescent population is an academic issue that is seriously taking into account. Depending on the type of media that one accesses, short videos nowadays have a key role in their lives, and a number of them cannot afford to do without them. The use of electronic games has not diminished as a recreational activity among youths. The main focus of this project is on the impact of media sources, especially on the behavior of adolescents, because this is crucial for competent personnel and their well-being. The article aims to interrogate the multiple ways the short videos operate, particularly among adolescents, using electronic games as a significant case. The examination of the consequences of the new media in the area of cognition, emotion, and behavior will be the key purpose of this work. It aims to look at the current problems and suggest how they can be solved to help teenagers grow up healthy and successful.

A Study of Game Localization Translation under the Perspective of Skopos Theory--Taking the Game Red Dead Redemption 2 as an Example

As economic globalization continues to advance, the international market for video games is rapidly growing. For game companies aiming to expand their business globally, the localization of game translations is a crucial aspect. A well-executed localization can greatly boost a game’s international sales and appeal, attracting players from diverse regions. Thus, game localization is a vital strategy for companies seeking success on the global stage. Skopos theory, a key framework in translation studies, offers valuable insights for different types of translation work. This paper applies the principles of Skopos theory to examine the Chinese localization of various texts in the large-scale single-player game Red Dead Redemption 2. The analysis reveals that, under the guidance of Skopos theory, the localization enhances both the gaming experience and the sense of immersion for Chinese players. During the localization process, the translation, adaptation, or even rewriting of the original text is performed with the goal of aligning the final product with the cultural and linguistic preferences of local players.

The Rehabilitation of Texter’s Thumb with Virtual Reality Headsets - A Systematic Review

Rationale– In this day and age, it has become a troublesome task for one to resist video games or avoid texting on computers, tablets and cell phones. The continuous use of cell phones for texting and gaming leads to various injuries and one such injury is the Texter’s thumb. Aim- The aim of this systematic literature review was to determine the effectiveness of using virtual reality headsets for Texter’s thumb rehabilitation. Objective- To discuss the causes, symptoms, conventional treatment options and the latest alternatives provided by Artificial Intelligence (AI), i.e., virtual reality headsets, for the rehabilitation of Texter’s thumb. Methods- The present systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 statement in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar databases and was limited to the title and keywords. The initial electronic search yielded 105 articles and 41 articles were eventually included in the final review. Results- The analysis of the reviewed articles revealed that patients used virtual reality headsets for the rehabilitation of Texter’s thumb. Many subjects found these headsets easy to understand, easy to use, interesting, motivating, engaging, along with an improvement in hand and thumb function, a reduction in pain and an increase in the pinch and grip strength. A few of the users experienced other problems such as headache and visual disturbances. Discussion- Evaluation of the articles included in the review showed that virtual reality headsets ultimately help to make thumb rehabilitation less painful. They follow the attention-distraction method as the patient gets distracted by the vastness of the virtual world and his attention is shifted from the discomfort caused by the injury to his surroundings in the virtual world. This makes VR, one of the simplest psychological therapies for the treatment of pain. Conclusion- To conclude this systematic review, it can be stated that virtual reality headsets have indeed proved to be a boon for all the youngsters out there as the injury caused by strenuous texting can be rehabilitated through the use of AI. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to further enhance our knowledge and study in this field. Keywords: artificial intelligence; virtual reality; texting injuries; Texter’s thumb; hand rehabilitation

Easter eggs: Signaling quality via intrinsic motivation

AbstractEaster eggs are initially hidden elements of a consumer experience that have little direct commercial benefit for the brand. While Easter eggs may have been present in video games and software since the 1970s, they are now found in more and more consumer products such as cars, fashion, and fast food. This work explores the possible motivations for brands to include Easter eggs in their experiences by testing their effects on consumers during the post-purchase experience. It is found that Easter eggs serve as a new type of quality signal and positively affect perceived quality. The positive effect of Easter eggs on perceived product quality appears to be mediated by increased perceived intrinsic motivation of the brand’s employees. One study on Amazon.com reviews data on video games, and three online experiments on fashion, candy, and cars lend support to these hypotheses.

NLP Applications in Vocabulary Acquisition

This paper examines the transformative role of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in vocabulary acquisition for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. With advancements in NLP technologies, innovative applications have emerged that foster effective vocabulary learning through personalized and context-rich experiences. The study explores various NLP-driven tools, such as context-aware learning systems, personalized vocabulary lists, and interactive games, that enhance engagement and retention. By analyzing the effectiveness of these tools, this research underscores the limitations of traditional vocabulary teaching methods and illustrates how NLP can provide dynamic, tailored support to meet individual learners’ needs. Furthermore, the paper highlights the significance of real-time feedback mechanisms, such as speech recognition, in promoting accurate pronunciation. Ultimately, this investigation aims to demonstrate that NLP technologies offer a more engaging, efficient, and effective approach to vocabulary acquisition, significantly improving ESL learners’ language proficiency and overall communicative competence.

Health promotion interventions for children and adolescents using e-health: a systematic review

Abstract Background The utilization of e-health in healthcare interventions has become increasingly prevalent due to its cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the use of e-health in children, as the majority of e-health interventions are focused on adults. This study aimed to identify the components and effects of e-health intervention for the promotion of children’s health and to suggest strategies for their implementation. Methods A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A literature review of relevant studies published between January 2013 and November 2023 was conducted. A search of databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Review Library was conducted using a combination of medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords. A qualitative appraisal of the studies was conducted using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). Results Sixteen studies were selected. Most studies showed good methodological quality. The majority of studies (n = 15) focused on improving children’s physical health, while only one study focused on mental health. There were a variety of components to the intervention, including internet education, web-based home-exercise, serious games, mobile apps, email counseling, and active video games, and only one type of intervention was provided, or a combination with additional methods such as phone calls and counseling. A review of the literature indicates that e-health interventions have been effective in increasing children’s physical activity, reducing weight, relieving stress, and reducing depression. Conclusions This study identified the effectiveness of e-health interventions for improving children’s physical and mental health. The use of e-health to promote children’s health should be actively developed and implemented in a variety of clinical and community settings. Key messages • E-health interventions have been demonstrated to be an effective means of improving the physical and mental health of children and adolescents. • It is recommended that health promotion interventions utilizing e-health be developed and tested in a variety of communities and settings for children and adolescents.

Video game play impacts on biological regulation

The current study sought to explain the connection between biological control and video game usage. Specifically, the study examined video game usage at three levels to determine if there were differences in the ability to control biological responses such as heart rate variability to complete different biofeedback activities. A biological feedback software package, ALIVE, was used to measure “heart rate smoothness” and time task completion during a tutorial training, autopilot control video game car race, and manual control video game car race. Participants were instructed to use biological control techniques including breathing and heart rate “smoothness” to complete the biofeedback video games. Results found that there were significant differences in average heart rate smoothness in autopilot and manual car races and the amount of time it took for participants to complete the manual car race between three levels of video game usage. Implications for individuals’ biological control on behaviors such as relaxation and emotions were discussed.

Advancing Methodological Approaches in Affect-Adaptive Video Game Design: Empirical Validation of Emotion-Driven Gameplay Modification

Affect-adaptive video games are increasingly concerned with changing game material based on the emotional states of player to best elicit the optimal experience. However, conceptual uncertainties and unreliable methodologies make this process currently difficult and results inconclusive. Here we present a methodological approach to explicitly test mapping assumptions between in-game variables, player input, and subjective experience to build affect-adaptive video games. In Experiment 1, 161 participants played through a newly developed 2D action arcade game. Their data was used to identify associations between game input, presented material, and affective valence. Results made it possible to identify two potential pathways for emotion adaptation which were implemented and evaluated in Experiment 2 (N = 158) against a non-adaptive version of the same game. The player-based emotional adaptation showed a significant increase in self-reported valence compared to the control condition, providing evidence for the utility of the process.

The Impact of Interactive Video Games Training on the Quality of Life of Children Treated for Leukemia.

The study aimed to assess the impact of interactive video games (IVGs) as a form of physical activity (PA) on the quality of life. The study used a quality-of-life questionnaire (KIDSCREEN-10) and the HBSC questionnaire. In order to determine individual IVGs training parameters, an initial assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness level was performed, using the Cardio Pulmonary Exercise Test-Godfrey's progressive protocol. Children in the intervention group participated in 12 interval training sessions using IVGs (Microsoft's Xbox 360 S console with Kinect,). The study included 21 patients (7-13 years old; 12 boys and 9 girls) treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 13) and acute myeloid leukemia (n = 8). Before the IVGs, all children had insufficient PA levels (90% of children in the intervention group and 90.91% of children in the control group did not engage in any PA during the last 7 days). After the intervention, 80% of the children in the IVGs group undertook PA lasting at least 60 min a day, three times a week. They exhibited better well-being, a subjective feeling of improved physical fitness (p < 0.0001), a greater subjective sense of strength and energy (p < 0.0001), and less feeling of sadness (p = 0.0016) than the children from the control group (p = 0.0205). The results of our study confirmed that an attractive form of virtual game or sport is willingly undertaken by children undergoing cancer treatment, and has significant benefits in improving the quality-of-life parameters. There is a clear need to create specific recommendations and rehabilitation models for children with cancer.

The ninth art, tells the story of cultural China and the world: Cultural interaction in cross-cultural video game communication-based on 'Genshin Impact' YouTube comments.

China has attached increasing importance to the overseas dissemination of traditional culture as it continues to strengthen its comprehensive national strength and develop globalization initiatives. The electronic game, as the 'ninth art', with its booming development and inherent cross-cultural communication platform attributes, has taken on the important task of taking culture abroad. This study selects 'Genshin Impact', a game highly praised and well-received globally, which contains an abundance of Chinese cultural elements and cultural elements from various regions of the world, to study cultural interaction in cross-cultural communication of electronic games. This study conducts text sentiment analysis and semantic network analysis on the comments of 'Genshin Impact' videos on the overseas video platform YouTube and studies the cultural interaction in the cross-cultural communication of the 'ninth art', telling the cultural stories of China and the world from a multicultural perspective. The study found that games and derivative videos triggered positive emotional responses from audiences both at home and abroad. While experiencing pleasure and surprise, audiences also arouse deeper emotions such as admiration, identification, and expectation. Meanwhile, in the complex art form of the 'ninth art', audiences can absorb the cultural elements of different cultures, resonate with the elements of their cultural circle, and even trigger further profound thinking. Finally, this study provides constructive suggestions on using the 'ninth art' to better 'tell China's stories and disseminate China's voice'.