My research question is: Does the incorporation of gambling mechanics in video games contribute to an increased risk of gambling addiction among players? This topic interests me because I have dabbled in some online gambling whether it’s lootboxes or gacha games and have made a pretty penny of doing so. I opened tons of loot boxes and received various cosmetics from various games and the contents I’ve collected could be worth a few hundred to possibly a few thousand. I also have a good understanding of some of the online marketplaces and the high demand for coveted items that many players would pay a lot just to have. I know about the psychological impacts it has such as the intermittent reinforcement, operant conditioning, and the allure of chance. FOMO (Fear of missing out) and how individuals feel pressured to participate in an activity or obtain something due to a perceived scarcity or limited time offer. I want to find out about player demographics to which group of players are most affected. I want to know any risk factors and how they could be mitigated. Lastly, I want to know how prevalent gambling mechanics have become.
Relevant sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30121839/
(December 11, 2022, Sunday). From loot boxes to gambling addiction: experts warn video games open door to betting. WA Today. https://advance-lexis-com.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:672J-WPC1-DY19-C16K-00000-00&context=1516831.
This is a very unique and interesting research question I wouldn’t have thought to ask my self this in a million years. As a gamer myself I’ve also fallen victim to of spending lots of money on games because of sales. I wonder how real life challenges might effect overconsumption on games.
You are working on re-thinking the research question, right? We talked in class today about this. WHat is your revised Research Question?