Failure to utilize feedback causes decision-making deficits among excessive Internet gamers

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Mental Health

Background:

• Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is a growing global concern.
• Previous research indicates decision-making impairments in excessive Internet gamers (EIGs).
• The specific role of feedback processing in these deficits remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how feedback processing affects decision-making under risk in EIGs.
• To compare EIGs with occasional Internet gamers (OIGs) in feedback utilization.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Game of Dice Task (GDT) and a no-feedback GDT variant.
• Recruited 26 EIGs and 26 matched OIGs.
• Assessed performance and feedback utilization in both conditions.

Main Results:

• EIGs performed similarly across both GDT versions, unlike OIGs who improved with feedback.
• EIGs made more disadvantageous choices than OIGs on the original GDT.
• EIGs demonstrated significantly less feedback utilization compared to OIGs.

Conclusions:

• EIGs exhibit impaired decision-making under risk, particularly in utilizing feedback.
• The inability to effectively process feedback may contribute to the decision-making deficits observed in EIGs.
• This highlights a potential target for interventions addressing Internet gaming addiction.