Psychological aspects of the influence of gaming activity, mediated by the using of information technology, on the individual’s personal characteristics

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Vol. 34 Iss. 2 pp. 61–67 | St. Petersburg State Institute of Psychology and Social Work | ISSN: 1993-8101
2020 • Issue 2 • Volume 34Research in applied psychology

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Abstract

The article considers the theoretical and methodological foundations of the study of the personal characteristics of people who continuously play computer games (gamers)) and people who do not play computer games. Such concepts as "game", "gamer", "Internet addiction" are revealed. The article presents the results of the authors' own research, in which an attempt was made to find and then interpret the personality traits of computer game players (“gamers”). The empirical data collected by the authors allows to make a detailed characteristic of personal qualities of gamers and persons who do not play computer games. Not only differences, but also common features in representatives of the experimental and control groups are highlighted. The results of the comparative analysis obtained by studying a group of subjects suggests that a passion for computer games can lead to not only destructive addiction and personal disharmony, but also can introduce a certain cognitive constructivism for personality development. Based on the data obtained in the course of the study, it can be concluded that the game activity mediated by the use of information technologies, initially aimed mainly at meeting the needs of a person in leisure, has not only negative consequences on the formation of the individual’s personality, but also favorable, such as, for example, development of independence, positive impact on the increase in the IQ of the player. Due to the scenario generated by the game of repeated inevitable “victories and defeats”, respectively, the increased stress resistance of the individual and his subsequent quieter overcoming of failures in real life outside the virtual space are formed.

Keywords

gamer, personality skills, computer games, cognitive abilities, emotional behavior, stress resistance

Citation

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References

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