A PhD student at the Australian National University has reportedly documented some of the first scientific evidence that video game addiction has a fundamental affect on the attention system of sufferers, a phenomenon seen in heroin, nicotine, alcohol and gambling addictions.

Reports by SMH, and ABC (which predictably ran with the sensationalised headlines Video game craving 'bad as alcohol', and Video games as addictive as gambling: study) explain that ANU student Olivia Metcalf studied excessive World of Warcraft players, and discovered that some of the participants demonstrated "attentional bias", a symptom theorised as a major factor in the development of addiction. The research appears to have been presented to the public for the first time at a recent Australian Government-sponsored event hosted by Fresh Science (via: fresh science.org.au):

Olivia presented about 20 video gaming “addicts” with different words and asked them to respond to the colour of the word, not the meaning. They were significantly slower to name the colour of gaming-related words compared to words which had nothing to do with gaming. Non-addicted gamers showed no difference in response times.

“We found that the attention system of an excessive gamer gives top priority to gaming information. Even if they don’t want to think about gaming, they are unable to stop themselves. This likely makes stopping or cutting back on gaming even more difficult,” Olivia says.

“This phenomenon, known as attentional bias, is found across heroin, nicotine, alcohol and gambling addictions, and is thought to be a significant factor in the development of an addiction.”

The affect was reportedly not found in people who play games but don't experience negative symptoms, and Ms Metcalf is quoted clarifying that researchers are not out to restrict or ban gaming with the findings:

"We're really just focusing on helping this minority of individuals who are experiencing negative problems and to make sure that video games stay fun for them," she said.

"We want video games to stay fun and enjoyable and entertaining for everybody."

The research hopes to assist psychologists to "develop effective treatments for gamers who are unable to stop".

There was research at QUT a while ago ( http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1952281 ) that found that people more likely to go nutty were also more likely to play RPGs or Adventure Games. People that played FPS and racing games were less so - but it was still early work.

I bet if you showed words that was related to someones career they'd take longer to respond too.

I am addicted to my job, can the government pay me to give it up ?

What a silly study.

I bet if you showed words that was related to someones career they'd take longer to respond too.
I would dare say most people aren't addicted to work.

Hrm, I was fine with it until I read that summary of their methodology.People who spend a lot of time around a topic require more brain time dedicated to sorting all their information about it? Not my field, but it sounds like an entirely expected result, just as if you asked me to define the colour of the words "public" or "private" I'd have to dig through my memories of the common colouring codings used in programming IDEs.

Wat? I haven't read the paper but the article says they were presented with a word (i.e red) and where asked to name the colour the word was written in (i.e bue). It's a classic study to measure attention.

What the fuck are you two talking about?

lol... WoW fans... seems legit

they are unable to stop themselves

Sounds about right for a world of warcraft player particularly if they have been playing since its release or even BC for that matter.

Now when they start diagnosing 'internet addiction' as a thing, that's when the lols will start

last edited by Phooks at 11:03:08 27/Nov/12

Same reason people use the words "Communist", "Socialist", "Nazi" and "un-Australian"/"un-American" - because it grabs attention. It doesn't have to be remotely true, of course...

Nah there's a mac wow client, it's legit.

What rubbish, of course I would ponder longer on a word/subject I'm familiar with. Having an interest in something is now a factor in becoming addicted... you don't say!

I was listening to the ABC Radio and I heard them changing the 'view' and twisting it.

There was a really good TED talk about video gaming and world problem solving and how we'd need 2 billion hours of game time. With initiatives like "Folding At Home" we're going to need a lot more of this:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508122520.htm

To solve things with visual, perceptual or even cognitive problems (but not limited to).

While we let the monsters run amok.
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/bre8at109-us-gm-journal/

Let alone start ups of the 1990s or the idea of Cyber Diversion Theory.


Just problematic that the likes of MPlayer, Heat.NET and TEN (The Entertainment Network). If anyone remembers the advertisements for Wireplay and Total Annihilation started up in the dot.com bust of 20-01 and that the technology, didn't have time to mature like it is, these days with Twitch TV, Youtube and or Steam and maybe Twitter & Facebook.

Jesse Schell: Visions of the Gamepocalypse from The Long Now Foundation on FORA.tv
I keep looking at this talk on FORA TV.

Especially THIS ONE!



Maybe ABC should re-check its verdict.