Social Game Research Articles

Exploring the Complex Dynamics: Examining the Influence of Deviant Personas in Online Gambling.

The widespread use of computers and the Internet has substantially changed the gaming environment during the past ten years. The gambling industry is no longer exclusive to land-based gaming establishments (such as casinos and racetracks). Today, a few keystrokes on a computer are all it takes to access gaming operations. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and various other platforms constitute a particular form of access that has drawn more attention from academics in gambling studies. This increasing focus is partially attributable to the fact that social media sites have gained popularity as a means of accessing online gambling websites via hyperlinks hidden inside adverts. Users of social networking platforms can play free-to-play virtual gambling games using programmes. Virtual gaming platforms are the new name for these free-to-play simulation games of gambling. However, there is evidence to suggest that playing social casino games may serve as a "gateway" to real money gambling. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of deviant personas on online gambling behavior. By examining the relationship between deviant personas and online gambling, we seek to enhance our understanding of the factors that contribute to problematic gambling behaviors in virtual environments. Employing a robust methodological approach, this research amalgamates the analytical power of PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling) to explore the factors influencing the intention to adopt online gambling services. The data for this study were obtained by administering an online survey questionnaire to a sample of 325 aware customers of online gambling. The study's discerning insights have notable implications for the academic community, brand strategists, online game designers, and online gambling platform providers, offering valuable guidance for decision-making and strategy formulation within the burgeoning online gambling industry.

Parent social media use and gaming on mobile phones, technoference in family time, and parenting stress.

Parent social media use and gaming on mobile phones, technoference in family time, and parenting stress.

Metaverse gaming: analyzing the impact of self-expression, achievement, social interaction, violence, and difficulty

ABSTRACT In the burgeoning landscape of metaverse gaming, understanding player behaviour and preferences is crucial for both academic and practical applications. This study delves into the dynamic realm of metaverse gaming, exploring the influence of various factors on user satisfaction and continuance intention. The primary purpose was to examine the roles of self-expression, challenge and achievement, social interaction, violence catharsis, and game difficulty in shaping player experiences in the metaverse. Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) as the analytical method, the study analysed responses from 171 metaverse game users. The findings revealed intriguing patterns: while self-expression significantly impacts continuance intention, it does not affect immediate satisfaction. Challenge and achievement enhance satisfaction but not continuance intention, emphasizing the complex relationship between these constructs. Social interaction emerged as a critical factor positively influencing both satisfaction and continuance intention. Contrary to popular belief, violence catharsis did not significantly affect either satisfaction or continuance intention. Additionally, increased game difficulty was found to negatively impact both satisfaction and continuance intention. Satisfaction was shown to drive continuance intention. These insights bear significant implications for game developers and marketers, highlighting the need for nuanced game design strategies that emphasize social interaction and balanced challenges.

Influence of peer information and personality on social exclusion in a three‐person dictator game

AbstractWe study the conflict between financial interests and prosocial behavior in a new variant of a three‐person dictator game, which we refer to as “social exclusion game.” In this game, one person, the dictator, decides whether all three players (the dictator and two receivers) receive the fair outcome (equal payoffs) or an unfair outcome, which excludes one of the receivers and raises the dictator's payoff. We elicit the minimal payment necessary to induce the dictator to exclude the third person and investigate how this is influenced by peer information and the Big Five personality factor agreeableness. The data support our hypotheses.

Prediction of internet addiction among high school students in a rural Southern Karnataka, India-A cross-sectional study.

According to the World Health Organization, there is an explosion in the use of electronic devices, the internet, and gaming platforms. In many countries, it is a significant public health concern, prompting calls to identify adequate public policy. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of internet addiction (IA) among high school students and to assess the relationship between the internet addiction level of high school students and their demographic features with internet use. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 424 high school children studying in eighth standard-tenth standard. Among 121 public and private high schools listed by the BEO (Block Education Officer) Office in Kolar Taluk four high schools were selected by lottery method from July 2021 to August 2021. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Young was used to assess the intensity of internet usage. The mean IAT score of study participants was 29.6. The mean age of the study population was 14.4 ± 0.84 years. The odds of internet addiction among female students were 4.5 times higher than among male students. The majority (91.5%) of the students had used the internet for educational purpose and the other common reasons for internet usage is social media (43%), entertainment (43%), and gaming purpose (21%). The prevalence of IA among high school students is 14.6% with the moderate-risk population was 12.5% and the high-risk population was 2.1%. Students using the internet for both academic and non-academic purposes were more internet addicted. The real challenge is to have control over the usage of social sites-the amount of time being spent and the type of activities adolescents are doing online.

Influence of Online Gaming on Behavior of Gamers in Pakistan

This study reveals that online video games have emerged as a novel platform for social interaction, wherein numerous gaming options facilitate player’s competition and collective interaction within the virtual realm. Gamers have increasingly begun to form distinct virtual social communities due to the inherent capacity of these games to facilitate social networking in a multiplayer online setting. This phenomenon has given rise to a unique social dynamic among video game enthusiasts. The present study delves into an exploration of the social gaming behaviour exhibited by participants engaged in multiplayer online games. Additionally, it seeks to establish a correlation between virtual and real-world behaviours by examining the relationship between destructive and constructive social behaviours and the dominance and affiliation dimensions of social interaction. Purpose: Online gaming has become a unique phenomenon among the young players with a significant influence on them. The basic objective of this study was to determine the social interaction caused by online gaming among young game players. This study conducted in Pakistani perspective has achieved the objections set to analyze the influence of online gaming and increased level of social interaction. Design/Methodology/Approach: To conduct this investigation, an online survey was administered to individuals who regularly engage in multiplayer gaming activities and dedicate a substantial portion of their daily time to gaming. The study sample consisted of 200 gamers spanning an age range of 16 to 30 years. Findings: The results of this inquiry shed light on the prevalence of pro-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour, characterized by constructive and destructive actions among gamers, respectively. Furthermore, the study reveals that destructive behaviour negatively predicts affiliation, while constructive behaviour has a positive predictive influence on affiliation. Moreover, certain demographic variables, such as age and gender, exert a significant impact on the prediction of dominance within the gaming community. The findings of this study provide substantial support for the notion that virtual social interactions have a notable influence on real-world behaviours, underscoring the interconnectedness between the online gaming environment and broader social dynamics. Implications/Originality/Value: Online gaming has become a common practice not only among young adults but also among the minors. Thus, this phenomenon has reduced physical activities among the youth and even among the school going children. This study may provide an insight into the matter and possible appropriate recommendations as well.

Стереотипы межконфессиональных взаимодействий сибиряков

The successful term “stereotype” was substantiated by the journalist W. Lippman and became firmly established in scientific use. Researchers have studied the processes of stereotypes functioning. This is an important part ofthe collective consciousness, protecting a person from unfamiliar information. Stereotypes help save time and life resources for processing new information. But the negative side of stereotypes lies in the creation of mental templates for the perception of reality. It is easier for a group to simplify information than to waste time understanding the essence of another’s otherness. Information that contradicts stereotypical patterns is ignored, simplified, and distorted in terms of content. “We-group” begins to aggressively defend the meanings of its stereotypes from an alternative opinion. The opponent can be subjected to harassment and physical destruction. The structure of stereotypes and scenarios of stereotyping are considered by us from the standpoint of structuralism. “We-group” is socially differentiated. For extras and dominant members of the group, the rules of the social game are written. The meaning of the stereotype can turn into a tool for managing citizens, into a weapon against members of the “they-group”. The spontaneous part of the process of stereotyping lies in the routine existence of stereotypes, with the help of which people explain the complex phenomena of life. It is a routine practice of inventing and reinforcing language clichés. The manageable part of stereotyping is the use of these clichés for political gain. “We-group” is always in a state of stereotypical attitude. The group can choose a stereotyping scenario – a scenario of tolerant neighborhood or a scenario of negative solidarity. The first determines the path of development of a tolerant attitude towards non-Christians, the search for new knowledge about the culture of “outsiders”, the development of practices of new socio-cultural experience. The second is the way of intensifying intercultural and interfaith tension, leading to armed conflicts. The reason for interfaith conflicts is the use of creeds for personal gain. At the everyday level, conflicts arise due to cultural incompetence, the simplification of knowledge about the culture of “strangers”. In Siberia, despite the existence of stereotypes, interfaith relations are peaceful. This is emphasized by the heroes of in-depth interviews representing different confessions. Their perception of non-Christian neighbors is based on an understanding of personal merit, and not on a stereotyped understanding. Spiritual leaders confirm the idea of intercultural rapprochement of Siberians as members of a multi-confessional community. Tolerance is a social practice of neighborhood that develops the spiritual sphere of community life.

Substanzkonsum und Nutzung von sozialen Medien, Computerspielen und Glücksspielen unter Auszubildenden an beruflichen Schulen

ZusammenfassungHintergrundDas Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Erfassung der Verbreitung des (problematischen) Konsums von Alkohol, Tabak und Cannabis sowie der (problematischen) Nutzung sozialer Medien, von E‑Produkten, Computerspielen und Glücksspielen unter Auszubildenden.MethodeQuerschnittliche Befragung von 4591 Auszubildenden an 17 beruflichen Schulen in Bayern, Schleswig-Holstein und Hamburg. Die Datenerhebungen mittels Fragebogen erfolgten zwischen März 2021 und April 2022. Die primären Endpunkte waren die 30-Tages-Prävalenz und das problematische Konsum- und Nutzungsverhalten der genannten Substanzen/Verhaltensweisen auf Basis von Screening-Instrumenten.ErgebnisseSoziale Medien wurden mit einer 30-Tages-Prävalenz von 97,7 % am häufigsten von den Auszubildenden genutzt, gefolgt von Alkohol (64,3 %) und Computerspielen (55,8 %). Zigaretten wurden von 35,1 %, E‑Produkte von 17,9 % und Cannabis von 15,4 % konsumiert. Glücksspiele betrieben 12,2 % der Auszubildenden. Ein problematischer Konsum lag für Alkohol bei 47,4 %, für Tabak bei 18,0 %, für E‑Produkte bei 6,2 % und für Cannabis bei 1,6 % der Auszubildenden vor. Eine problematische Nutzung sozialer Medien wiesen 45,0 % der Auszubildenden auf, bei Glücksspiel waren 2,2 % und bei Computerspielen 0,7 % betroffen.DiskussionDie Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass es sich bei Auszubildenden um eine Risikogruppe für Suchtprobleme handelt, die erhöhten Interventionsbedarf aufweist. Vor allem Angebote der Sekundärprävention in den Bereichen Alkohol und soziale Medien sollten aufgrund ihrer weiten Verbreitung im Setting Berufsschule beachtet werden.

Mean-Field Multiagent Reinforcement Learning: A Decentralized Network Approach

One of the challenges for multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL) is designing efficient learning algorithms for a large system in which each agent has only limited or partial information of the entire system. Whereas exciting progress has been made to analyze decentralized MARL with the network of agents for social networks and team video games, little is known theoretically for decentralized MARL with the network of states for modeling self-driving vehicles, ride-sharing, and data and traffic routing. This paper proposes a framework of localized training and decentralized execution to study MARL with the network of states. Localized training means that agents only need to collect local information in their neighboring states during the training phase; decentralized execution implies that agents can execute afterward the learned decentralized policies, which depend only on agents’ current states. The theoretical analysis consists of three key components: the first is the reformulation of the MARL system as a networked Markov decision process with teams of agents, enabling updating the associated team Q-function in a localized fashion; the second is the Bellman equation for the value function and the appropriate Q-function on the probability measure space; and the third is the exponential decay property of the team Q-function, facilitating its approximation with efficient sample efficiency and controllable error. The theoretical analysis paves the way for a new algorithm LTDE-Neural-AC, in which the actor–critic approach with overparameterized neural networks is proposed. The convergence and sample complexity are established and shown to be scalable with respect to the sizes of both agents and states. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first neural network–based MARL algorithm with network structure and provable convergence guarantee. Funding: X. Wei is partially supported by NSFC no. 12201343. R. Xu is partially supported by the NSF CAREER award DMS-2339240.

Social Media, Mobile Payment, and Mobile Gaming for Intentional and Behavioral Recommendations

During the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Internet-based zero-contact economy model has increased people’s online social, entertainment, and business activities. Social media are social network platforms that support users’ social interaction to foster an information society. Mobile gaming refers to the use of mobile terminal devices for online entertainment. The combination of mobile payment and social media provides online users with an integrated information system platform for socializing, mobile gaming entertainment, and payment. A recommendation system filters information to predict a user’s rating or preference for a product/service. With recent advances in computer science, recommendation systems are gradually moving to develop intentional and behavioral recommendations. Thus, this study implements data mining analytics, including clustering analysis and association rules, to investigate mobile gaming, mobile payment, and social media preferences in Taiwanese gaming players. This study first finds several meaningful clusters/patterns/rules to present research findings and practical implications for intentional and behavioral recommendations (N = 2326).

A Conference Designathon to Spark Innovation: Actionable Ideas to Enhance Sexually Transmitted Disease Control.

Designathons can be used to enhance public health training and spur innovation. A designathon is a 3-stage participatory activity that includes preparation, intensive collaboration, and follow-up activities. We organized a designathon focused on developing actionable sexually transmitted disease (STD) control strategies and examined the content of ideas resulting from an STD designathon. For this designathon, we created four groups: early career researchers, silver group (people with >10 years of experience), travelers (people from low- and middle-income countries and those who received a conference scholarship) and a community group. Each group developed its own plan to consult members, iteratively develop ideas, and aggregate insights. Each group developed STD control strategies that were presented. Cross-cutting themes across these ideas were identified. Designathon participants included a subset of conference participants. Cross-cutting themes from final ideas included cocreating STD interventions with end-users, using sex-positive framing, enhancing open access digital STD resources, and reducing STD stigma. Early career researchers presented a call for community ideas focusing on ending STD epidemics by increasing accessibility to STD care services among all populations. The silver group proposed digital innovations, including an AI-powered tool for testing and treatment and a social game to promote sex positivity. The traveler group conceptualized an information hub to support implementation of STD programs. Community members underscored the importance of a more human-centered approach to STD control, which reduces stigma and normalizes sex and sexual pleasure. Sex positive campaigns and open access digital resources should be considered within STD programs. Implementation research studies are needed to evaluate these ideas.

Exploring motivations for social games in virtual reality for smart cities

The Metaverse is experiencing widespread adoption by organizations aiming to elevate brand engagement, particularly in computer engineering’s burgeoning field focused on virtual world gamification. This trend spans various sectors, including network science, smart cities, and online games. This study aims to reveal the motivations driving the use of virtual media, providing valuable insights into diverse user preferences. Integrating this information into smart city development holds promise for enhancing responsiveness to user needs, making our dataset relevant for both governmental and private entities seeking to create virtual media platforms or smart cities tailored to user demands. This research contributes to the ongoing evolution of smart city design, aligning with user motivations and adapting to evolving trends in user behavior. The findings offer a foundation for informed decision-making, promoting a user-centric and responsive approach in developing virtual experiences within the smart city context. Our research paper focuses on investigating the motivation and necessity of virtual reality (VR) games for potential integration into smart cities. Targeting a specific demographic of 40 individuals aged 18 to 24 in the capital of Thailand, we utilized correlational research methods to explore motivations and needs for VR games. Through the development of a socially virtual game-free asset using Unity, our experiments shed light on the significant motivations for Generation Z in Thailand, emphasizing convenience, product appearance, and game effects. The findings highlight the pivotal roles of social engagement and the motivation for self-disclosure in building relationships. Additionally, our study suggests that social connections and shared experiences strongly motivate individuals to participate in gaming activities. Notably, female players are significantly influenced by social connections, while branding has a minimal impact on their motivation and desire.

Can serious gaming tactics bolster spear-phishing and phishing resilience? : Securing the human hacking in Information Security

Context:In the digital age, there is a notable increase in fraudulent activities perpetrated by social engineers who exploit individuals’ limited knowledge of digital devices. These actors strategically manipulate human psychology, targeting IT devices to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. Objectives:Our study is centered around two distinct objectives to be accomplished through the utilization of a serious game: (i) The primary objective entails delivering training and educational content to participants with a focus on phishing attacks; (ii) The secondary objective aims to heighten participants’ awareness regarding the perils associated with divulging excessive information online. Methodology:To address these objectives, we have employed the following techniques and methods: (i) A comprehensive literature review was conducted to establish foundational knowledge in areas such as social engineering, game design, learning principles, human interaction, and game-based learning; (ii) We meticulously aligned the game design with the philosophical concept of social engineering attacks; (iii) We devised and crafted an advanced hybrid version of the game, incorporating the use of QR codes to generate game card data; (iv) We conducted an empirical evaluation encompassing surveys, observations, discussions, and URL assessments to assess the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid game version. Results:Quantitative data and qualitative observations suggest the “PhishDefend Quest” game successfully improved players’ comprehension of phishing threats and how to detect them through an interactive learning experience. The results highlight the potential of serious games to educate people about social engineering risks. Conclusion:Through the evaluation, we can readily arrive at the following conclusions: (i) Game-based learning proves to be a viable approach for educating participants about phishing awareness and the associated risks tied to the unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information online; (ii) Furthermore, game-based learning serves as an effective means of disseminating awareness among participants and players concerning prevalent phishing attacks.

Analysis of Tencent’s current business model and Why will it continue to Succeed in the Future

Tencent, a global technology giant headquartered in China, has emerged as a key player in the digital landscape, with a diverse portfolio ranging from social media and gaming to financial services. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Tencent’s current dominance and the market’s reasons through its business model, examining the key components that lead to its success in the future.The study begins by delving into Tencent’s core business and exploring how its massive user base has contributed to its success. Furthermore, the analysis underscores Tencent’s investment, including the importance of high technology and big data.Looking ahead, this paper proposes strategic pathways for Tencent’s future development. Recommendations include enhancing global partnerships--Tencent’s global expansion strategy and impact on the company’s growth, diversifying cooperation areas, and strengthening content innovation. Additionally, the study emphasizes the significance of investing in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality in Tencent’s corporate strategy.By synthesizing current research and market trends, this paper aims to provide valuable insights for business leaders, analysts, and stakeholders interested in understanding Tencent’s business model and the potential future directions the company may take.

Cooperation transitions in social games induced by aspiration-driven players.

Cooperation and defection are social traits whose evolutionary origin is still unresolved. Recent behavioral experiments with humans suggested that strategy changes are driven mainly by the individuals' expectations and not by imitation. This work theoretically analyzes and numerically explores an aspiration-driven strategy updating in a well-mixed population playing games. The payoffs of the game matrix and the aspiration are condensed into just two parameters that allow a comprehensive description of the dynamics. We find continuous and abrupt transitions in the cooperation density with excellent agreement between theory and the Gillespie simulations. Under strong selection, the system can display several levels of steady cooperation or get trapped into absorbing states. These states are still relevant for experiments even when irrational choices are made due to their prolonged relaxation times. Finally, we show that for the particular case of the prisoner dilemma, where defection is the dominant strategy under imitation mechanisms, the self-evaluation update instead favors cooperation nonlinearly with the level of aspiration. Thus, our work provides insights into the distinct role between imitation and self-evaluation with no learning dynamics.

The food and beverage cues in digital marketing model: special considerations of social media, gaming, and livestreaming environments for food marketing and eating behavior research.

Digital marketing to children, teens, and adults contributes to substantial exposure to cues and persuasive messages that drive the overconsumption of energy dense foods and sugary beverages. Previous food marketing research has focused on traditional media, but less is known about how marketing techniques translate within digital platforms, such as social media, livestreaming, and gaming. Building upon previous theories and models, we propose a new model entitled food and beverage cues in digital marketing (FBCDM). The FBCDM model specifies key marking elements and marketing integration strategies that are common on digital platforms and are hypothesized to enhance the effects of advertising and incentive sensitization process. FBCDM also categorizes measurable outcomes into three domains that include brand, food, and social outcomes. Additionally, repeated marketing exposure and the resulting outcomes are hypothesized to have long term consequences related to consumer markets, consumption behavior, culture, and health. We include a discussion of what is currently known about digital marketing exposure within the outcome domains, and we highlight gaps in research including the long-term consequences of digital marketing exposure. The FBCDM model provides a conceptual framework to guide future research to examine the digital marketing of food and beverages to children and adolescents in order to inform government and industry policies that restrict the aggressive marketing of products associated with obesity and adverse diet related outcomes.

Health impact of screen addiction: A cross-sectional comparative study.

Background Prevalence-based, non-comparative studies have been done to assess psychological and physical consequences of social media and gaming addiction. However, similar studies are lacking for binge-watching, especially in India. We compared the physical and psychological health impact between screen addicted and healthy screen users, by minimizing bias due to confounding factors. Methods We did this cross-sectional comparative study among 120 participants (60 cases and 60 matched controls) consisting of gamers, social media users and binge-watchers, who were recruited from schools and colleges of Mumbai based on their scores on the Digital Addiction Scale (DAS). Levels of depression, anxiety and stress; sleep quality; and dry eye disease were assessed using pre-validated scales such as DASS-21, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), respectively, while the other variables were assessed using a self-designed questionnaire with a content validity ratio (CVR) >0.65. Results The mean (SD) age of the participants was 19.3 (3.2) years, one-third were women; 68% were from medical colleges and 16% each from engineering colleges and high schools. The prevalence and scores of depression, anxiety and stress; poor sleep quality; and dry eye disease; and prevalence of loneliness, aggression and musculoskeletal pain in the wrist, thumb, neck and back were significantly higher in the screen addicted group (p<0.05). Conclusions There was a significant difference in the prevalence and levels of physical and psychological health impact between screen addicted and healthy screen users.

Analysis of Cyberbullying from a Pancasila Perspective

The rapid development in the field of technology has brought various positive and negative impacts. There are many typical crimes that occur, one of which is cyberbullying. These crimes take the form of oppression, insults, psychological violence or intimidation in cyberspace which is carried out repeatedly which is intended to embarrass, spread ugliness and hatred, intimidation which is directed directly or openly through digital devices and platforms such as social media, email, messaging applications, and gaming sites exist. Apart from that, there are several fundamental factors that form the background to the perpetrator's behavior and the impacts it causes. Cyberbullying cases are considered a violation of the 2nd and 5th principles of Pancasila. In responding to the problem of cyberbullying, Indonesia has sufficient laws and regulations to crack down on this criminal act of cyberbullying, one of which is Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE). By applying Pancasila values ??and understanding applicable laws, efforts to prevent and handle cyberbullying can be improved, creating a safer and more positive social media environment, especially for the nation's next generation. This research aims to determine the meaning, impact and ways to overcome it that are useful for provide knowledge to everyone. This research is research that uses a descriptive method in the type of literature study by describing, illustrating, explaining and analyzing the situation and conditions of the problem object from the researcher's perspective based on the results of the literature review.

Editorial: The impact of social media, gaming, and smartphone usage on mental health

Editorial: The impact of social media, gaming, and smartphone usage on mental health

Co-design of educational social games with newcomer children: a case study of arabic-speaking migrant tweens

ABSTRACT This article addresses the problem of newcomer children’s social adjustment through the use of educational games and co-design activities. While the adjustment process has been studied broadly, there are few studies on using computer games as a solution, especially the involvement of the children in the design process. This article is based on data collected from two studies aimed at understanding newcomer children’s social adjustment needs and involving them in designing game-based solutions. In the first study and as a pre-requisite to designing any effective solution, we conducted a survey of Arabic-speaking newcomer tweens (9–12 years old), parents, and teachers to understand and contextualise the social adjustment problems the children are experiencing. In the second study, we ran a series of co-design workshops and interviews to investigate what the children learn and which game-play ideas and features they use to promote solutions to the social adjustment problems identified in the first study. Corresponding to our two studies, this article has two main contributions: (1) identifying and confirming the most pressing social adjustment problems, and (2) offering new insights on running co-design workshops with children and the features and ideas that can be used in social adjustment games for newcomer children.