Characteristics of Internet use in relation to game genre in Korean adolescents.
As the number of internet users increases, a new game genre using the internet as a networking tool is emerging. Some game genres are regarded as having greater addiction potentials than others. Games and the internet are closely related. We investigated games frequently used by adolescents and classified each of them with the help of game professionals. We also examined internet use patterns to identify relationships between game genre and internet use patterns. 627 middle school and high school students (male 488, female 139) completed questionnaires concerning computer and game use patterns and Korean internet addiction scales. Game genres were divided into eight criteria (simulation, role playing game, web board, community, action, adventure, shooting, and sports). Using Korean internet addiction scales, 627 participants were divided into a normal group (474), a potential risk group (128), and a high-risk group (25). Each group showed significant differences in total internet addiction scores. We classified players into specific game users based upon the game types they most prefer. Role playing game users showed significantly higher internet addiction scores than web board and sports game users. Game and internet addictions are also connected with interpersonal relationship patterns. We suggest that users of some game genre have unique psychological addiction potentials that are different from others and that this influences both game selection and internet use.
Lee
Moon-Soo
MS
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ko
Young-Hoon
YH
Song
Hyoung-Seok
HS
Kwon
Ku-Hyung
KH
Lee
Hyeon-Soo
HS
Nam
Min
M
Jung
In-Kwa
IK
D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012306:Risk; D012381:Role Playing; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018910:Video Games