Online Gaming Habits in Relation to the Academic Performance

ONLINE GAMING HABITS IN RELATION TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

OF FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SECTION O – 6

A Research Paper
Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Arts and Sciences
West Negros University
Bacolod City

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Psychology

By:

ANNE WENDY C. MIANO

November 2011
Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Development of technology brings many things that people do not have many years back. One of these things is online gaming that is provided by the internet. Online Gaming is one of the widely used leisure activities by many people. Teenagers who are playing these online games said that they are playing online games just for fun, to keep away from the heat of the sun, without knowing that there are a lot of effects of playing these games that are more than what they think.

Playing online games enables the mind of the players to be more active, especially these puzzled based-games. It helps the players to come up with decision tight situations, especially those adventure games that keep the players to be alert, active and strategic. Playing online games makes the players experienced different feelings because it is as if the players really are the one taking the challenges. Despite those benefits, playing online games also brings negative effects, it requires much of the players time, leaving school activities and homework unattended.

The Internet has pervaded our society rapidly. It is a major means of communication, used for the exchange of information, for news and for shopping, and now ‘one of the most popular online contents is the game’. Online gaming is concentrating mainly on gaming over the internet, where an amount of money is bet on the prospect of a player or group of players winning. These types of games are usually referred to by the websites as ‘games of skill’, and include chess, backgammon and solitaires.

Gaming has gained such popularity that it could now be considered as practically mandatory. Being great and skilled at playing these video games gives individuals several social benefits. Online games or video games are those that could be played over some kind of computer networking system, often the Internet itself.

Online gaming has really made it mark, being an innovative feature of the Internet which would surely be staying and developing in the many, many years to come. In the past, only those who were willing to spend expensive fees and put up with a hard setup process made up online gaming communities. Today, though, a lot of people are getting into, even the younger generation, which raises some negative implications as well on its effect on kids. Online gaming has become popular in society which seriously influences children both physically and mentally. Teens can spend most of their time sitting by the computer or in the internet cafe, being hooked up in playing from early morning until midnight without eating anything. This leads to the lack of physical activities among children which makes them less active and communicative. They ignore everything around them, talking with no one, and have no interaction with the outside world. They even tell lies to their parents or play truant to have more time in the internet shops, which becomes a bad habit that needs to be prevented.

Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study aims to determine the extent which Online Gaming Habits are related to the Academic Performance of Fourth Year Students of Section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle during the school year 2011-2012.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions;

1. What is the profile on Online Gaming Habits of Fourth Year Students, section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle in the following aspects:

a. Age

b. Sex

c. Economic Status

d. Popular Online Game

e. How much do they spend in online gaming daily

f. How much time do they spend in online gaming daily

g. Where do they play online games

2. What is the level of online gaming habits of fourth year students of section O – 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle when they are grouped and compared according to the following variables and when these variables are taken altogether:

a. Age

b. Sex

c. Economic Status

3. Is there a significant differences between the level of online gaming habits of fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle when they grouped according to the above mentioned variables

4. What is the level of academic performance of fourth year students of section O – 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle when they are grouped and compared according to above mentioned variables.

5. Is there a significant differences between the level of academic performance of fourth year students of section O – 6 of St. Joseph School – LaSalle.

6. Is there a significant relationship between the level of online gaming habits and the level of academic performance of fourth year students of section O – 6 of St. Joseph School – LaSalle.

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference between the level of online gaming habits of fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle when they are grouped and compared according to the following variables:

a. Age

b. Sex

c. Economic Status

2. There is no significant difference between the level of academic performance of fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle when they are grouped according to the above mentioned variables.

3. There is no significant relationship between the level of online gaming habits and the level of academic performance of fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School – LaSalle.

Assumptions of the Study

The following were the formulated statement of assumptions of the study:

1. That the responses of the fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School- LaSalle to the questionnaire are reflective to their online gaming habits in relation to their academic performance.

2. That they have develop a certain habits on online gaming habits.

3. That they have certain level of academic performance.

Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework of the study is the set of ideas or concepts in accordance with which an investigation will be conducted. It serves as the plan, design or structure of this research work. It provides the direction for the formulation of the research problem.

FIGURE 1

A Schematic Diagram Illustrating the Theoretical Framework of the Study

The Internet is a part of many people’s everyday life and there is now a significant amount of research that has suggested that users can become addicted to the Internet according to Brian & Wiemer- Hastings, 2005; Young, 1996. More recent research has indicated that Internet addicts are not male introverts as previously thought but are primarily middle-aged females on home computers according to Griffiths, 1997; Young, 1996.
It is therefore possible that online gaming and online gambling could be doubly addictive as the Internet according to Brian & Wiemer- Hastings, on gaming Klein, 1984 and gambling on Griffiths, 2003 have all been shown to have addictive qualities.

Conceptual Framework

The Extent of Online Gaming Habits in Relation to the Academic performance of Fourth Year Students of Section O – 6 of St Joseph School – LaSalle is measurable in terms of continuing ranging from Very Often as the highest and Never as the lowest.

Scope and Limitation

This study covered the level of online gaming habits in relation to the academic performance of fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle. Variables included are sex, age, and economic status.

This study is limited only to the fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle who were available during the gathering of data.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are hereby defined for better understanding of the readers:

Online Gaming – According to Wikipedia the term is conceptually defined as a game played over some form of computer network. The same meaning is used in this study.

Habits – The term is conceptually and operationally defined as customary practice or use.

Academic Performance – According to wikianswers.com the term refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different task given to them. Operationally, it refers to Academic grades of respondents.

Extent – The term is conceptually defined as the degree to which a thing extends. Operationally, the term refers to the length or hours of fourth year students of section O – 6 of St. Joseph High School on online gaming.

Internet Cafe’ – According to Wikipedia it is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name. The fee for using a computer is usually charged as a time-based rate. Operationally, the term refers to a place where students can use a computer with Internet access for a fee.

High School -- According to Webster Dictionary the term refers to a school following the ordinary grammar school and consisting of grades 9 through 12. Operationally, the term refers to fourth year students of St. Joseph High School.

Student – According to Webster Dictionary the term refers to a person formally engaged in learning especially in a school or college. Operationally, the term refers to the fourth year students of section O - 6 of St. Joseph High School.

Significance of the Study

This study of Online Gaming Habits in Relation to the Academic Performance of Fourth Year Students of Section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle are deemed significant to the following:

Teachers – This study can be use of basis in initiating improvements in the teaching process and orienting the students in awareness on online gaming habits in relation to their academic performance.

Parents – the findings of this study will provide insights on online gaming habits in relation to the academic performance of their children in school.

Researcher – This research could be use as basis in coming up with more studies on how online gaming habits could affect the academic performance.

Students – This research could give more information to them on online gaming habits in relation to their academic performance.

Internet Cafe’ Owners – The findings of this study will provide information to follow their rules and regulation. Especially to the students who were playing during class hours.

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

In the Philippines the Internet is growing. Although there are almost 100 Internet Service Providers in the Philippines, most of them have connections through backbones located in the United States. Internet dial-up connection charges are approximately 2 dollars hourly (or 33 dollars for up to 60 hours monthly). This fee is approximately 80% higher than similar charges in the United States. In 2000 Internet users were approximately 2,000,000. In 2003 this number had increased to 3,500,000 Internet surfers. According to the research group BSBC Hook UAI, there were 1,925,649 Internet users in 2004 in Metro Manila belonging to the A, B and C classes, ages ranging from 13 to 30 years old, as compared to 1,885,465 in 2002, indicating a 21.3-percent increase. The Internet café has been the growth driver of online gaming with a 38-percent share from January to June 2004, with Metro Manila registering the highest share with 41 percent, followed by Central Luzon with 17 percent. Since the Philippines has a low personal computer (PC) penetration rate estimated at less than 10 percent of the total population, the Internet café has provided access to online gaming and the Web to many Filipinos. MANILA, Jan. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The number of online gamers in the Philippines will reach 6.3 million by 2008, said a research released by the International Data Corporation (IDC). The increase is driven by the availability of new online gametitles and more broadband connections. The communities of friends or families forming "clans" when playing online also perform as a driving sector in social aspect, it said. The research also estimated that the online gaming subscriptions in the country will grow 58.4 percent annually from 2002 to 2007. IDC Philippines Research Manager Manuel Ravago told reporters that the ultimate success of new online game distributors would depend on flexible business models. Alliances among Internet service providers, game distributors and telecommunications companies could also boost the growth of the Philippine online gaming industry, Ravago said. Based on the research, the IDC also forecast that the Philippines internet usage will record a growth of 23 percent annually and reach 21.5 million by 2008. It's not difficult to understand the appeal of online games or video games. First of all, there's the power. Most children and teens do not feel they have much control over their world. They are generally told what to wear and eat, when to go to sleep and wake up, how to spend most of their day and even who their friends should be. In a video game or online game, the child is in control, whether they're driving a race car, mastering mad guitar licks, or leading a Horde raid on the Alliance. Games with a time component amplify this excitement, even in simple games like Jewel Quest where you're down to one second before everything blows up because you didn't find the three matching gems.
Another lure is that most games have skill levels. They start simple so anyone can play, but increase in difficulty as the player improves his game. This sucks the player into the game and gives him a sense of accomplishment, making it hard to stop playing.

Easily the most addictive games, though, are the ones that have no end. These are generally the massive multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, like World of Warcraft and Everquest. It's not just about beating an opponent and moving on to the next one. Players often have multiple types of characters, have to perform certain tasks in order to get better gear or even gold, and work together in groups.

Many parents view gaming as a relatively harmless addiction when compared to the dangers of the real world.

Children who play four to five hours per day have little time for socializing, doing homework, or playing sports.
Kicking the habit is hard, too. Video game or online game addicts can't just avoid computers. Parents need to set strict limits and monitor usage. That means the computer or game systems need to be out in the living room or wherever there are other family members present.
Most importantly, though, parents should help their kids find alternatives to online games. Try to get them to participate in sports, join the school band or an afterschool club, or just play outside with the neighbors.

Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This chapter discusses the research design to be employed in the investigation describes, the respondents of the study, the data gathering instrument and procedure, validity and reliability, conduct of the study, and the analytical schemes and statistical tools.

According to Ardales, the descriptive research design is appropriate for studies which aim to find out what prevail in the present conditions or relationships, held opinions and beliefs, processes and effects, and developing trends. Knowledge and familiarization of any of these is not the only concern of descriptive research, but it also seeks to determine relationships or among study variables, explore causes of phenomena, test hypothesis and develops generalization, principle or theories on the basis of its findings. While its primary concerns are conditions and things which exist at the time of the study, and it also considers past events and influences which deemed related to what is studied in the present.

Sevilla claims the descriptive research method makes use of questionnaires, and interview schedule. It is also use when one gets information through observation or when one conducts a narrative survey which establishes standards of what are prevalent. And it is to describe the nature of the present situation and to interpret functional relationships between variables involve.

Subject of the Study

The subject of the study is the Online Gaming Habits in Relation to the Academic Performance of Fourth Year Students of Section O - 6 of St. Joseph School - Lasalle.

Respondent of the Study

The respondent of this study are the fourth year students of section O - 6 who are officially enrolled at St. Joseph School - LaSalle at Barangay Villamonte Bacolod City for the school year 2011-2012.

Research Instrument

A self – made questionnaire will be use in the gathering of the required data, specifically in determining the Online Gaming Habits in Relation to Academic Performance of Fourth Year Students of Section O – 6 of St. Joseph School - LaSalle in Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City.

The questionnaire will be divided into two parts. Part I, deals with the personal profile of the respondents name, age, sex, economic status. Part II, deals with the online gaming habits questionnaire with ten items and the respondent would only check the box which corresponds to their answer. Part 3 deals with the online gaming habits questionnaire with 4 items which they will answer according to their experiences on playing online games..

Validity

In validation, the data gathering instrument, the researcher will use the standards set of Goods and Skates. The researcher will produce three draft copies of the survey questionnaire for each of the three jurors from Social studies, English, and Psychology teachers together with the validation form.

Conduct of the Study

The data collected through questionnaire will then be analyze using descriptive analytical scheme. Descriptive analysis is limited to the description and generalizes of a particular group under investigation.

In this study, the data will be interpreted and analyzed based on the respondents’ answers to the questions.

Reliability

The researcher will undergo dry run before the actual conduct of the study using the Test – Retest. Then, the researcher will choose twenty random fourth year high school students as respondents from West Negros University. After 12 days the researcher will conduct again the same test to the same respondents to determine if the questionnaire is reliable to be used to the actual respondents from fourth year students of section 0 – 6 of St. Joseph School – La Salle.

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Academic Performance

Extent of Online Gaming Habits