How do passion for video games and needs frustration explain time spent gaming?

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) explain how video games can fulfill psychological needs.
• Obsessive Passion (OP) involves overreliance on a passion for need satisfaction, potentially exacerbated by daily Needs Frustration (NF).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between NF, harmonious passion, OP, and time spent gaming among university students.
• To explore how NF and OP contribute to excessive video gaming behavior.

Main Methods:

• The study utilized SDT and DMP frameworks to analyze university students' gaming habits.
• Statistical analyses were performed to examine the associations between NF, OP, and gaming duration.

Main Results:

• No significant overall association was found between NF and time spent gaming.
• A significant negative association between NF and gaming time was observed for students with low OP.
• A reciprocal relationship was identified: higher OP predicted greater NF, and vice versa, forming a detrimental cycle.

Conclusions:

• NF's impact on gaming time is moderated by the level of OP.
• A vicious cycle exists between NF and OP in gaming, highlighting the risks of obsessive passion.
• Interventions should focus on mitigating OP to promote healthier engagement with video games.