Effects of online games on the personality of adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this research is to see the effect of online games on the personality of adolescents. The data of this study was obtained by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form 9 (IGD – SF9) (Pontes & Griffiths, 2015) and Big Five Inventory (BFI) (Rammstedt & John, 2007) and a demographic information form. A sample of 500 adolescents (between the ages of 13 to 19) participated in the study. The study was conducted in a school in Delhi/NCR. For testing the significant difference in the personality of adolescents who play online games, a t-test was conducted. To ascertain if there was any major difference in the personality of adolescents with respect to gender, one-way ANOVA was used. Throughout analyses of data, it was found that there was a significant difference in the level of agreeableness and conscientiousness among participants who play online games. With participants having a low risk of IGD scoring higher than participants with a high risk of IGD on agreeableness. Whereas, it was also found that there is a significant difference in conscientiousness with respect to gender and IGD. And a significant difference in neuroticism with respect to gender only. But the interaction between gender and IGD shows significance.