Effects of Playing Online Games to Senior High School Students in RTPM - DSHS

Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial – Dumaguete Science High School

S.Y. 2017 – 2018

Title: “Effects of Playing Online Games to Senior High School Students in RTPM – DSHS”

Background of the Study

inseparable part of human life. It also became the source of entertainment to humans such as

watching videos, surfing the net, using social media sites, and playing games. Although most

of the teenagers today, mostly boys, use technology, such as computers, to play games. There

are actually two types of games you could play; offline games and online games. Both of

them can be played using the computers or any gadgets. The difference between the two,

however, is that offline games does not need internet while online games need fast internet

connection. One of the most played game categories that became famous is MOBA or

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. Defense of the Ancients or also known as DOTA is the

most popular and addictive game under the said genre.

League of Legends, DOTA, Counter Strike etc. are just some of the computer games that

were played by students. Due to online games, a vast number of computer shops suddenly

appeared. Computer shops located nearby schools are commonly occupied even during class

hours which now became a problem.

Effects of video games towards the students, excessive amounts of time spent on playing

online video games can be severely disruptive to school; it also affects the overall academic

performance of a student. It seems that online games, especially multiplayer online role

playing games such as Dota 2, are more often associated with video game addiction. Drawing

parallel to other industries such as gambling which are heavily regulated, the issue of social

responsibility of the video game industry is explored. Presently, online video game publishers

provide neither referral services nor customer care with regards to video game addiction and

these can trigger violence and disruption in the academic performance of the student.

Disruption in the academic performance of the student can cause chaos towards their future.

This study aims to help the individuals manage their time in video games to overcome their

encountered problems regarding to their academic performance.

this rise has also led to the rise of online gaming. Online gaming can refer to any type of

game that someone can play through the internet or over a computer network. Most of the

time, online gaming refers to the video games played over the internet, where multiple

players are in different locations around the world. In most cases, online games are freeware

programs that can be used for an unlimited time and are available for free. Most percentage

of web games available nowadays is written in Flash, Shockwave and Java languages.

Because of that, they feature more primitive game play than downloadable games. Having an

online gaming experience typically requires a high-speed internet connection. Proper

hardware will also be required whether it’s a computer or a gaming console, such as Xbox or

Play station that’s connected to the internet. Some online games require a specific piece of

controlling hardware such as a joystick or a game controller, but these days, gaming

technology has progressed to an amazing extent. Things like streaming 3-D animation

graphics with superb surround sound stereo now have the ability to make all addicted to

gaming. In terms of video games, online gaming is growing in popularity for variety of

reasons. Gamers can easily find opponents of a similar skill level when playing a head-to-

head game over the internet. Players also can compete in massively multiplayer games, where

dozens of players play an ongoing game in a virtual world. Some online games change a

monthly fee for access to the video game software. Today, one can see the impact of

computer and video games in politics, television, popular music and Hollywood. A lot of

research is conducted to study its effect on lifestyle and behavior of the wow power leveling

gamer especially kids. Online game is the most sought leisure activity followed by kids

nowadays. Computers play a major role in shaping the future of the kids. Days are gone when

children loved to indulge in outdoor activities, rather than running or playing outside,

children spend most of their time playing online games. Online games surely have an impact
on minds of kids. Taking into consideration, it is positively a great mind exercise and helps

kids explore many new things. It includes improvement in recursive and proactive thinking,

increased sociability and improved interpretive skills. Some research shows that the children

who play online games are more active and have sharper minds than their other counterparts.

However, computers and video games also receive much more negative critics, because

games are often coined with issue such as mindless entertainment, enhanced social recluse,

sexism and consumerism. Research shows that kids who play violent video games showed on

increased in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas

involving self-control, inhabitation and attention. Everyone who plays video games has a

different reason for playing, and the usage of the game leads to different effects for each

individual. Childhood up bringing peer influences, pressures at school and family issues are

all factors that have a strong connection with the effects of gaming on individuals. Video

games maybe therapeutic for some people, but the small amount of people who are

negatively affected by gaming impact are many.

Review of Related Literature

Related Theories and Studies

During our search, we have found a lot of new information about online gaming, different

kinds of online games, and that online gaming has made a huge impact on today’s society.

Online games has evolved during the years, the very first video game was invented during the

1960’s and now the latest PlayStation 4 console in the newest statistics of 2017 they have

confirmed an estimated 1.8 billion online gamers and 1.2 are playing on the PC. Since

everything is mostly online now some people especially teens communicate in social media

and even from games online. It is a fast growing industry where gaming companies and
developers like Valve which own STEAM that also bought World of Warcraft (Dota

Allstars). In this chapter of our research we are trying to find the effects of the addiction

of online games to students of today but during our deep exploration we have found similar

and coherent information on its negative effects in particular. We are trying to explain a brief

representation of different from literatures, articles, and past researches or studies about

online gaming addiction.

History of Online Games and Online Game Addiction

Online games are video games that are either played through the internet or any other

computer networks available. There are a large variety of online games on modern gaming

platforms, including in pc’s, consoles and mobile devices, and span many genres, including

first-person shooters, strategy games, and massively multiplayer online role-playing

games (MMORPG). Online games were first invented in 1973 by German-American inventor

Ralph Baer also known as the “Father of Video Games”, died at age 92.

Computer online games are usually for fun and entertainment in modern societies and target a

variety of people with different ages. For some gamers they do it for fun, some for

competitive reasons and rivalry so they are one of the most common recreational programs

especially for teens of today, just like in sports they train and play a lot so that they can get

better and better.

There are many kinds of modes, levels, bosses, and other players which you fight with.

Challenging them increases your rank, level, badge, or whatever the ranking system of your

games has but the greatest feeling in playing online games are in PVP where you get to play

or fight with other players online especially after beating them which gets their rank down

while you slowly get on top. But what makes this online games so addicting is that there is no
end you strive hard just to get to the top players and losing makes you really anxious which

makes you even play more and then maybe lose a couple of games and then stresses you out

so basically you think you are the one playing the game but actually now the game is playing

you.

These online games could be very be bad if you get addicted to it because it can cause

very bad side effects not only mentally but also physically, socially, and psychologically. A

study of Payne et al (2000) studied and researched the effects of computer games on poor

social communications, low self-esteem, poor health and even violence from these games.

The results show poor social communications because most of the gamers don’t go out and

socialize with people except for only other online gamers. Low self-esteem was also a

problem because these people didn’t really have confidence because it felt like they were

having their own world. These people also suffer health related issues because they were

lacking exercise ad proper diet because they are too fed up playing. Lastly is that violence

because most of these games are rated PG which deals with death, sex, drugs, and others

which they mostly encounter during the game that messes up their head and which is very

unhealthy for the mind which makes them do or act it real life because of all the amounts of

stress. He conducted this study because he himself was also once addicted to video games

and he understood the feeling and is now on the verge of change.

Chapter 2 Literature Review

So are online games really bad for you? For some people online gaming is a way to relax

and relive stress but too much can be addicting. There are a lot of studies about the negative

effects of addiction of online games but still some people take it for granted and continue to

play too much. Teens today are really different from before they do a lot of activities from

sports, to different recreational activities. Then, why are teens of today fed off playing online
games when there are a lot of other things to do. Fun fact, do you know it takes about 2 hours

for 1 Dota 2 game to end, to come to think of it if you sleep for about 6-7 hours at night so

you could play 9-10 games for the day to end. These online games are such a time consuming

activity. However, people will still sacrifice their time and money just to play online games

and forget all their responsibilities in life and rather live in their online game world and

escape reality because this is what addiction leads you. Some experts say addiction is a

disease, mental illness, choice and even genetic.

Previous research of Azad Fallah and Ahmadi studied the effects of computer addiction

which affects mental and physical health, social skills, and causes so much stress to the body.

Their research study is so much similar to Payne et al which are low confidence, violence and

aggression, and poor health condition. But they conducted and experiment on 5 participants

their which were also their own students who play online games. They made them play online

games for 1 whole day and the following day gave them a written test that they already took

but the numbers where scrambled and the results show a down in their scores. The

researchers concluded that online gaming can be a source of poor and memory loss. Just like

getting addicted to vices computer addiction could be very unhealthy and may ruin your life

and stop you from achieving your other goals and ambitions which Mr. Rice says.

CONSEQUENCES

Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) have received considerable attention in

news headlines describing gamers who have died while engaging in excessive play. However,

more common physical and psychosocial effects attributed to online video gaming are social

isolation, increased aggression, and negative academic and occupational consequences. In

consideration of the bias in reporting negative consequences of video gaming, a systematic

review was conducted to evaluate the evidence of the effects of MMOGs on those who play
them. In the sixteen studies that met the inclusion criteria, analysis revealed that only those

players who were classified as “addicted” or engaged in “problematic game play”

experienced significant negative consequences, with many gamers finding positive aspects to

video gaming such as enjoyment, feelings of achievement, friendship, and a sense of

community. However, significant limitations in the studies point to the need for further

research so that appropriate treatments and interventions can be developed for problematic

game play.

TRUST AND ENJOYNMENT

In the past decade, the business of online games has grown rapidly due to advances in

personal computing and the remarkable penetration of the high-speed Internet. DFC

Intelligence (2006) estimates that the total revenue of the online game industry will grow

from $3.4 billion in 2005 to over $13 billion in 2011. The market research firm also estimates

that the number of global online game players will increase from 124 million in 2005 to 376

million by 2009. The rapid growth of online gaming businesses calls for an investigation to

discover what key factors motivate players to play games online. Little empirical study,

however, has been conducted on the determinants of player behavior.

Online games are played through the Internet (Hilton 2006). Unlike traditional PC or

console games where one or two players play a game on a personal computer, online games

allow many players around the world to play together on a game server via the Internet. With

a monthly subscription fee of about $15, players can now play online almost all popular PC

titles such as Battlefield, Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty.

Meanwhile, a new breed of online game titles such as Star Wars Galaxies, EverQuest, and

Dark Age of Camelot, known as massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), are

available through the Internet only. MMOGs allow hundreds of thousands of players to
simultaneously interact in a virtual game world. Online gaming websites, such as Yahoo!

Games, MSN Zone, and Pogo, attract tens of millions of registered players and have 150,000

to 200,000 simultaneous users at any given time (DFC Intelligence 2004).

Players’ intention to play online games is of considerable interest because creators,

sponsors, and operators of online games can benefit greatly from improved understandings of

the driving factors behind players’ intention. Understanding player intention is also an

important first step for industry vendors in their quest to motivate players to visit online game

websites more often and to develop customer loyalty. Moreover, other segments of the online

entertainment industry, such as IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and Podcast, may also

benefit from improved understandings of player intention in online gaming settings.

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In this study, it shows the students’ insights towards computer games, effects of

computer games and performance in school and how computer game would affects the

students’ performance in school will be investigated in depth. The three variables will

distinguish the role of computer games in improving students’ performance in school.

addition to their performance in school. In other studies, computer games affect the students

in a negative way but in this study it is possible to get something positive about playing

computer games.

Statement of the Problem

This research is formulated to answer the following questions:

1.) What are the positive and negative effects in playing online games?

2.) How can online gaming affect the academic performance of the student?

3.) What are the possible illnesses or diseases could the students get in playing

online games?

4.) How can the relationship of parents and their child who indulge in playing online

games be affected?

Statement of Hypothesis

The researchers' hypothesis regarding this topic is that online games can have a huge

effect in students' lives. It could have negative effect on their health and academic

performance if they themselves doesn't know how to self-control. On the other hand, it could

have positive effect only if they know how to discipline themselves. Moreover, appropriate

measure must be taken such as proper guidance from the parents in order for the students not

to be addicted in playing online games.

Significance of the Study

The importance of this study is to further accumulate the positive and negative effects of

online gaming in the students’ health and academic performance. The researchers selected
this topic considering that most of the students nowadays are being addicted on playing with

online games to the point that it most of them made it as their priority and neglected their

other responsibilities.

This research can not only limit the benefits to those who are addicted on playing online

games but also to parents. The finding of this research aims to give knowledge to parents on

how online gaming can really affect their children’s life. This topic is suitable for many

people nowadays because online gaming world wild and many are involved in doing such

things. When conducting the result, the researchers did not just gain information to support

their research but the researcher learned things that parents can understand through their kids.

This research also aims to give understanding to parents on the reasons why their child is

addicted on online gaming.

Scope and Delimitations

This study targets the Grade 12 students in RTPM-DSHS which stands for Ramon Teves

Pastor Memorial Dumaguete Science High School, who are studying the strands of STEM

and ABM. This study aims to know how online games can affect the lives of the RTPM-

DSHS students. How the students manage to balance their studies and their hubby.

Thus, the result of this study can help those students who are having some hard time on

balancing their school life, their personal life and for the readers that they may also know the

benefits and damages of playing online games can do to their lives.