The High School Students’ Perception Towards Video Games

Cayron, Anne Hailey

Sagales, Kiara Beatriz

Tangga-an, Kristine B.

November 2019

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale
 Video games can be defined as such: interactive pieces of media found in specialized

gaming devices or on computers, mobile devices, or just about anything that has a screen on it

that can support the code. Over the past few decades have, these video games have arisen from

simply being obscure pieces of technology to one of the major industries in the world- one that

has become a common fixture in both households and in popular entertainment. Due to this

growth in popularity and commonality, more and more children have been able to gain access to

and utilize these video games for their own entertainment. Naturally, with the many children and

adolescents turning to video games instead of what can be considered the “old fashioned” forms

of entertainment, like reading, there has also been a growing concern among parents as to the

sort of effects video games can have on their children. Over the years, many outspoken parents

and other such authority figures have lambasted video games, citing how it may lead to violent

behaviors in their children due to the graphic depictions. Many have gone on to say that it may

cause both physical and mental harm to the individuals to play them.

To further bolster these claims, studies have been published, citing everything that can go

wrong if one were to play video games: that it can cause violent behaviors, that it can lead to

social awkwardness. Along such studies, there have also been studies published that state the

contrary: that video games do not, in fact, cause harm to those who play them, but rather that

they have positive effects and benefits. It is clear, then, that video games have stirred up quite the

controversy, along with the varied discourses that come with such controversy. If anything, the

controversy is just as much of a fixture in households and popular entertainment as video games

themselves are. With the varied viewpoints and perceptions being thrown around, just about

anyone can be right just as much as anyone can be wrong.

 However, most of the discourse surrounding violence in video games heavily involves the

perception of adults. It does not put into consideration the perception of young individuals

regarding that matter. Because of this, it leaves the narrative primarily one-sided. The researchers

intend to bridge the gap between the adults’ perception of video games and the perception of

young individuals, particularly adolescents, towards video games. For the most part, the

perception of adolescents tend to be brushed aside by adults, who believe that adolescents cannot

possibly form a solid and cohesive opinion on things yet due to their age and lack of experience

in worldly matters.

The researchers do not intend to take any particular side in the video games discourse, so

there will be no discussions on whether video games are beneficial or if they are harmful, as that

is a whole other topic in and of itself. Instead, the focus will be on how young people,

particularly high school students, perceive video games. This is because, as was previously

mentioned, it is primarily the adults’ perspective that is given the primary focus; the perspective

of adolescents are usually brushed aside. Through this study, the researchers intend to shed light

on the perception that adolescents have towards video games, offering a different- and neutral-

take on how video games can affect people, without the added baggage of trying to prove

whether it is beneficial or not or attempting to push any sort of moral narrative about video

games. It is purely how high school students perceive video games in their day-to-day lives.

Review of Related Literature

A research that was conducted by Russoniello et al. (2009) talked about how video games

can be used as a platform in improving mood and decreasing stress; about how people use and
perceive video games in their lives. According to evidence and survey research, people turn to

video games for multiple reasons; these reasons include cognitive exercises, stress relief, and

mood boosting. Based on their study, video games have gotten to be more important than other

leisure activities. On their data finding, they have gathered that a majority of the respondents turn

to video games to relieve stress. With the use of psychophysiological measurement, this study

provides a method for understanding the mind/body effects of games. For instance, while a

person is being measured physiologically their reactions to different aspects of the games are

recorded. These can be relaxed, stressed or excited reactions. In summary, the research talks

about how video games can be stress relievers as well as mood boosters, depending on the

perception of users through the effects of these games. This is a correlation to the researchers’

study because it talks about the views of respondents on video games and how they are affected

by their own usage of video games.

In a research by Primack et al. (2013), the matter of discussion focused on whether or not

video games can help in the improvement of physical health. While video games have long been

associated with the acquiring of negative health consequences, there is still a possibility that

video games may also have health benefits. The acquiring of data began in February 2010, when

literature searches were conducted within six databases: the Center on Media and Child Health

Database of Research, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central

Register of Controlled Trial. Additional studies were conducted through the use of RCTs that test

the positive effects of video games on users. The study of the gathered data was conducted by

two researchers, independently of each other. Through the use of this strategy, from the 1452

articles that had been retrieved, 38 were eventually utilized for the research. Such articles
discussed the use of video games in providing the following health benefits: physical therapy,

psychological therapy, improved disease self-management, health education, distraction from

discomfort, increased physical activity, and skills training for clinicians. From these 38 studies,

there were 195 health outcomes that had been examined, as follows: improvement of of

psychological therapy, physical therapy, physical activity, clinician skills, health education, pain

distraction, and disease self-management. From this study, it can then be concluded that video

games show promise in being able to improve health, especially in the areas that deal with

psychological therapy and physical therapy. The way this particular research is correlated with

the one that is presently being conducted is in the way it shows that the playing of video games

can not only have an effect on the physical health of an individual, but also the mental health of

an individual.

In a study conducted by Ingram and Cangemi (2019), they discussed the possibility of

how self-esteem may be affected by the playing of video games, which they anchored in the

self-determination theory. The study further explores how video games can have a significant

effect on the psychological wellbeing of an individual- more specifically, it explores how it may

have an effect on a person’s self esteem. Previously, the exploration of such effects on

self-esteem from video games were not particularly given much consideration, despite how the

video game industry has faced exponential economic growth in the past decades; since becoming

easily accessible and affordable to the masses, video games have since become a mainstay in

everyday life. Furthermore, any studies conducted specifically surrounding video games have

been primarily focused on the more negative effects of playing video games, as opposed to the

study of their positive effects. Prior research has indicated that participating in physical activity,
more specifically, participating in sports, have been shown to have a positive effects to an

individual’s self-esteem; it should then follow that the playing of video games could also have a

similar boost to a person’s self-esteem. The study then concludes that the level of interactivity

required in video games- particularly within online PC games and multiplayer games by use of

voice communication further motivates people to continue playing video games- and its

goal-oriented objectives are what drives players to continue playing video games, and being able

to succeed in these objectives can bring about immense gratification in players, thus boosting

their self-esteem. This study connected with the current study, because it discusses how playing

video games can have a boost to the self-esteem of the player, or an effect to the player’s

self-esteem.

A study conducted by Etter et al. (2017), the relationship between the playing of military

first-person shooters and other such shooting games and the development of PTSD in members

of the military that are currently in active service, along with military veterans. In a protocol that

was approved by both the Stanford University and Palo Alto University Institutional Review

Boards, the participants for this study were recruited through social media. Among the 159

participants, on average, they were 36.65 years of age, and were predominantly male, along with

a majority of non-Hispanic white. A majority of the participants were veterans, followed by

those still in active duty, and lastly those in the reserves. The participants for this research were

measured based on the following: their video game-playing behavior, where they had to identify

up to five video games that they had played the most in the past six months by both name and

genre (taken from a list of genre categories); personality, which was assessed through the use of

the Mini-International Personality Item Poll (Mini-IPIP), which was modified to only cover the
Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness subclasses- all associated with PTSD

factors- using a 5-point Likert-type scale; combat exposure, which was assessed through the

Combat Exposure Scale, in a 7-item self report questionnaire, which assesses the level of

exposure to combat on a Likert-type scale; social support, where through the use of the Social

Support Questionnaire- Short Form (SSQ-6), the availability and satisfaction of emotional

support was measured in a 6-item self-report questionnaire; PTSD symptoms, assessed through

the PTSD Checklist- Military Version, which is a 17-item self-report questionnaire that measures

the severity of PTSD through a 5-point Likert-type scale. Based on the results, it was shown that

playing video games was common among veterans, with less than half reporting to have played

MFPS/other shooter games in the past six months. Those who have played shooter games have

reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms than those who don’t play shooter games and those

who don’t play video games at all. However, this does not put into account the following

variables: personality, combat exposure, and social support, so the first to variables alone do not

ultimately predict PTSD symptoms in all war veterans. The study that is presently being

conducted has a connection to this study in part because of how it assesses video games and its

effect within a certain demographic, which, in this case, are the military veterans, and its

connection to PTSD symptoms.

In a research that was conducted by Lis et al. (2015), it focused on how psychiatrists

perceive role-playing games, along with whether or not they play these role-playing games.

There has been plenty of focus over the years put on the mental health impact of games that are

technology-based, particularly video games, but the mental health impact of non-video
role-playing games such as the widely popular pen-and-paper RPG, Dungeons & Dragons, is not

as studied as their digital counterparts. However, within popular culture, it is commonly

stereotyped that those who play RPGs have some form of mental illness or are socially inept.

Within six hospitals within the McGill University hospital network, 48 out of 160 eligible

psychiatrists responded via email, with some of these respondents having played RPGs at least

once in their lifetime, in comparison to the minority of respondents who play MMORPGs, and

the vast majority who have played video games. From these respondents, a majority of the

respondents do not believe that there is a connection between playing RPGs and mental illness,

though less than half of the respondents do, in fact, believe that there is a connection between

playing RPGs and mental illness. This study is related to the current study in that it deals with

the perception of the given participants regarding their stance on a certain subject, which, in this

case, is the perception of psychiatrists towards role-playing games, which aren’t necessarily

played on a video game console.

In a study conducted by Alexander et al. (2016), the focus was on how people fulfill their

basic psychological needs while playing video games, particularly console-based video games.

According to William Glasser, people are An interview was conducted, with 11 participants,

ranging from the ages of 20 to 30. Along with the interviews, the participants had to also fill in a

demographic sheet with the following information: age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status,

number of children, employment status, education completed, gameplay hours per week, and

preferred video game genre. Among the respondents, the most common demographics are as

follows: male, non-Hispanic white, single, no children, employed, and currently

attending/completed a four-year college degree; the most common genres are reported to be
shooters, adventure, and role-playing games. Based on the findings, the respondents have all

stated that playing video games have met at least one of the four basic needs for them, due to the

following: being able to connect through the choices made in their digital and real identities,

having a sense of control, and having a safe space for experimentation that is normally not

possible within real life scenarios, but wholly possible within video games. The relation that this

study has to the current study is the discussion of how video games can have some form of effect

to the given respondents, which in this case, is how video games can help in the meeting of at

least one of the four basic psychological needs.

In another study conducted by Squire (2003), it was discussed how video games can be

perceived as a maturing medium or platform, catering to the intellectual capacities of people

through educational potentials of such games. For example, many educators tend to ignore video

games due to the overwhelming amount of negative social influences, without taking into

account the interaction of video games and players, and how these games help people who

through tools such as digital authorization, collaborative worlds and powerful new opportunities

for educational media (Squire, 2003). This research relates to the study as it covers the other uses

of video games and how it affects people in other ways, even through education. This

information helps the researchers identify different types of perspectives when it comes to video

gaming as well.
 Statement of the Problem

This study aims to identify the High School students’ perception towards video games.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the specific type of video games being played?

2. What is the student’s reason for playing video games

3. Why did they choose that specific video game?

 Theoretical Background

Herbert Blumer’s Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theory that places its focus on

the relationships among individuals within the confines of a given society. Communication,

which is the exchange of meaning through the use of language (both spoken and written) and

symbols, is believed to be the means by which people make sense of the workings of their social

worlds. Symbolic interactionism provides a theoretical framework for understanding people's

behavior and viewpoints, where the researcher provides descriptions of processes of human

interaction (Zeegers, 2015).

Humans naturally ascribe meaning to things, which influences the way in which they

interact with these things; ascribed meanings stem from an individual’s interactions with other

people and the society in which they are most well-integrated in. Such meanings of things are

then interpreted by a person when dealing with things in specific circumstances.

Through the use of this theory within this research, the researchers would be able to

identify the students’ perception of video games, based on this theory. This is done in terms of

how symbols can be utilized to see how different individuals can give different meanings to one
thing- which, in this case, is video games. With this approach, the researchers will then find out

about a student’s perspective through their own lived experiences with other people and society

in which they live, along with the specific situations in their daily lives

Constructivism, which is an extension of the symbolic interaction theory, proposes that

reality is what humans cognitively construct it to be. People develop social constructs based on

interactions with others, and those constructs that last over time are those that have meanings

which are widely agreed-upon or generally accepted by most within the society. This approach is

often used to understand what’s defined as deviant within a society. According to a study, “

There is no impartial, normative way of perceiving video game content but – according to the

individual player’s social experience, gaming skills, and state of mind – there do exist many

different perspectives in experiencing a video game and getting opinions and/or emotions out of

the experience,” (Glashüttner, 2006). Constructivism constructs a person’s response to social

interaction through the experiences that they have towards a specific phenomenon.

Significance of the Study

This study will provide information regarding how students perceive the effect that video

games can have on them. As was previously mentioned, the study will hold a great significance
towards students specifically, because this study intends to help them in the identifying of the use

of video games within the structure of their daily lives. It will focus on the way in which they

themselves can determine whether or not video games can help them, specifically in regards to

their academics as well as in their life outside the academic setting.

This research also holds significance to both parents and teachers, as it offers them

insight on how the students actually perceive video games, thus allowing them to see video

games from a fresh perspective that is different from theirs.

Definition of Terms
Video Games - are interactive games played using a specialized electronic gaming device or a

computer or mobile device and a television or other display screen, along with a means by which

to control graphic images.

Perception - a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something, also known as a

mental impression.

CHAPTER 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design
 This research will utilize a research design that is a combination of both a qualitative and

quantitative research design and is descriptive in its approach. It will serve to identify how the

high school students perceive video games. More specifically, it serves to identify the influences

in their day-to-day lives that lead to their perceptions.

Research Environment

The study will be conducted in a school that is located within the Cebu City area. It is a

non-sectarian private school and it caters to students that range from preschool all the way up to

the senior high school level.

Research Participants

Participating in this study will be selected high school students who are currently

attending classes within the academic year of 2019-2020. The researchers have decided on

selected high school students, specifically focusing on 20 students all in all who regularly play

video games as opposed to the students who don’t play video games- this is because those who

have played video games would be able to form a more solid perception of video games due to

familiarity with them. The researchers have decided on 20 students because the data that will be

gathered will be varied from different responses.

Research Instruments

The researchers utilized questionnaires for the participants.

 Research Procedures

a. Gathering of Data

A transmittal letter will be given to the school principal to acquire permission to give out

questionnaires to the students. Once the letter has been approved, prior to the answering of the

questionnaires, consent forms will be distributed to random selection of High School students

through their respective class advisers. After these consent forms have been signed and received

by the researchers, the questionnaires will then be sent out to the participants, which will again

be distributed by their class advisers; this will occur during the tail end of their lunch period.

When all the students have answered the questionnaires, their class advisers will collect the

papers and the researchers will, in turn, collect the papers from their class advisers. Henceforth,

the data will then be gathered based on the answers that have been provided by the High School

students from the answers they provided in the questionnaires.

b. Data Analysis

To begin with the data analysis, the researchers will first go through the steps of

validating the data. To do this, the researchers will check for fraud, ensuring that all the research

participants have been accounted for and that they completed the questionnaire and not an

outside party that does not fit within the set criteria for research participants; questionnaires that

are found to be fraudulent will therefore not be counted in the gathering of data. The researchers

will also be screening the research participants, as to make sure that all the respondents fit within

the bounds of research criteria; as with checking for fraud, questionnaires that do not pass up in
the screening process will not be counted. Along with this, the researchers will then go through

the procedure, and they will check whether or not the procedure of data collection was duly

followed or not; any questionnaires found to have only partially completed the procedure or not

at all will be considered invalid and will not be part of the gathered data. Finally, the researchers

will ensure the completeness of the questionnaires- whether the participants filled out all the

questions or not, rather than just filling out a select few (Humans of Data, 2018).

Once the validation of data is completed, the researchers will move forward to the editing

of the data. Here, the researchers will conduct basic data checks and check for any outliers within

the responses. Upon doing so, the researchers will then edit the raw research data, clearing out

any pieces of data that may only serve to derail the accuracy of the results that the researchers are

after (Humans of Data, 2018).

If the first two steps of data analysis have been followed through, the third step, which is

the coding of the data, will take place. This is when the researchers will group and assign values

to the responses from the questionnaires. This is done so that there is a cohesive and categorized

system from which the researchers can draw a conclusion from, as opposed to a wide range of

data, which may eventually prove to be disorganized and haphazard in the long run (Humans of

Data, 2018).

Statistical Treatment

The statistical treatment of data is significant in order to utilize the given data in the way

that best gives the most optimal results. The raw collection of data is but one aspect of any given
experiment; the organization of data is equally essential, as to be able to reach a proper

conclusion- this is the statistical treatment of data (Kalla, 2009). The researchers will then state

the data gathered from the questionnaires and provide statement for each indicator. As follows,

the gathered data will then be a likert scale and are to be sent out through random selection of

High School students starting from Grade 7 to Senior High School.

Ethical Considerations

In order to protect the privacy of the participants that are involved in this study, all data

gathered from this study will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Since the importance of

consent is taken into consideration in the conduct of this study, the full consent of all the research

participants should then be taken prior to the conducting of the study. The printed consent forms

will both discuss and emphasize the need for privacy, along with the possible risks that the

participants may potentially encounter in relation to this study.

In keeping with the maintaining of privacy, the participants’ names will not be used, as

such, they will answer the questionnaires anonymously. In adherence to the Republic Act No.

10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012), the researchers will not be storing any of the information

given by the participants following the conclusion of the study, for their answers will only be

exclusive for the study being conducted.

 References

Russoniello, Carmen & O’Brien, Kevin & Parks, J.M.. (2009). The effectiveness of casual video

games in improving mood and decreasing stress. Journal of CyberTherapy and

Rehabilitation. 2.53-66.
Primack, B.A., Carroll, M.V., McNamara, M., Klem, M.L., King, B., Rich, M., … Nayak, S.

2(2012). Role of video games in improving health-related outcomes: a systematic

review. American journal of preventive medicine. 42 (6), 630-638.

doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2012.01.023.

Ingram, Jay, Cangemi, & Joseph. (2019, March 22). Video Games: Motivation, Effects, and

Clinical Implications on Self-Esteem. Retrieved from

https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-584328131/video-games-motivation-effects-and-cl

inical-implications.

Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014). The benefits of playing video games.

American Psychologist, 69(1), 66–78.

Etter, D., Kamen, C., Etter, K., & Gore, F. C. (2017). Modern Warfare: Video Game Playing and

Posttraumatic Symptoms in Veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(2), 182.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22172

Lis, E., Chiniara, C., Biskin, R., & Montoro, R. (2015). Psychiatrists’ Perceptions of

Role-Playing Games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 86(3), 381.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-015-9339-5
Alexander, J., Rainey, S., & Page, B. (2016). Digital Choices and the Fulfillment of Choice

Theory’s Four Basic Psychological Needs. International Journal of Choice Theory &

Reality Therapy, 36(1), 92. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aqh&AN=122122537&site=e

host-live

Kenneth, Castro, L. de, Sese, T., Daniel, Garcia, C., Arafat, L., … Penyediaan Data dan Analisis

Data Asas. (2019, July 12). Your Guide to Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis

Methods - Atlan: Humans of Data. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from

https://humansofdata.atlan.com/2018/09/qualitative-quantitative-data-analysis-method

s/.

Siddharth Kalla (Apr 10, 2009). Statistical Treatment Of Data. Retrieved Nov 09, 2019 from

Snakk Om Mobbing: https://explorable.com/statistical-treatment-of-data

Section: _________________
In adherence to the Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012), the researchers will not

be storing any of the information given by the participants following the conclusion of the study,

for the answers will only be exclusive for the study being conducted. In keeping with the

maintaining of privacy, the participants’ names will not be used, as such, they will answer the

questionnaires anonymously.

Instructions: Answer the following questions as honestly and as concisely as possible.

1.) Do you play video games? (Tick your answer)

Yes

No

2.) What type of video games do you play? (no limit)

❏ Action - platform, shooter, fighting, beat ‘em up, stealth, survival, Battle Royale,
rhythm
❏ Action-adventure - survival horror, metroidvania
❏ Adventure - text adventures, graphic adventures, visual novels, interactive movie,
real- time 3D adventures
❏ Role-playing - action RPG, MMORPG, roguelikes, tactical RPG, sandbox RPG,
first-person party-based RPG
❏ Simulation - construction and management, life simulation, vehicle simulation
 ❏ Strategy - 4X game, artillery game, auto battler, multiplayer online battle arena
(MOBA), real-time strategy (RTS), real-time tactics (RTT), tower defense,
turn-based strategy (TBS), turn-based tactics (TBT), wargame, grand strategy
wargame
❏ Sports - racing, sports game, competitive, sports-based fighting
❏ Other - board games or card games, casual games, digital collectible card game,
logic games, MMO, mobile game, party game, programming game, trivia game
❏ Idle gaming

3.) I play video games….

Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree

As a form of
distraction

To relieve
my stress

As a coping
mechanism

Out of
boredom

To kill time

To gain
knowledge
4.) How long do you play video games? (Tick your answer)

1-2 hours

3-4 hours

5-6 hours

More than 6
hours

CHAPTER 3