Video Game Exploration

Research Proposal & Bibliography
Research Proposal
My research topic is trying to figure out the relationship between online game players and their real life. Through observing researches on various groups of game players, I bring forth questions for game players such as, what is the motive to play games? What positions do game players have at their work? What roles are game players playing in the society? Are they “losers” (in general meaning – at the bottom of social status) in reality? Does game assist them to be successful in the daily life? Many questions and considerations need to be investigated and evaluated.
The video game industry has larger expansion in the market, and online game global output value has reached $9.8 billion in 2009 (DFC Intelligence forecast). Online game market growth closely relates to broadband network popularization. Most studies have focused on online game manufacturers and consumer addiction. There is little research on personality trait and life satisfaction among online gamers. But there is no doubt that customer-centricity is developing and might be the primary factor to consider by game companies. Games are designed for customers and affected by market reflection. I think game companies will benefit from data collection of game players’ personality traits, and thus game companies can produce more concrete games based on customers’ preferences data information.
Because of the fact that game players have ranged wildly from children to older adults, their backgrounds, cultures, motivations certainly will be differentiated. Otherwise, games are designed for making profits; thus, what should game companies think through and take priority? Therefore, in my research paper, I plan to analyze the target – customers, with what behind their game playing, and moreover, to investigate in the game player’s current life situation, and to explore what game player’s life satisfaction criterion and level.
Through my research, I will outline game players current developing trends in the game industry at first, and then I will indicate several significant components of game players’ analysis such as their personality traits, motives, and other social factors including culture background, regional market share etc. After that, I will continue analyzing the term – life satisfaction, as part of human well-being considerations. For the further steps, I intend to propose an argument about positive and negative effect that generates from game playing behaviors and game players’ personality traits, for further discussion on whether playing game has positive support for life satisfaction or not. Above all, I will generate a conclusion that most game players will fulfill their life satisfaction through playing video games since more populations have chosen it for passing leisure time. My primary thesis is on the side of positive effect that video game has contributed to our life satisfaction.

Bibliography
1. Hofer, Jan, Holger Busch, and Florian Kiessling. "Individual Pathways To Life Satisfaction: The Significance Of Traits And Motives." Journal Of Happiness Studies 9.4 (2008): 503-520. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
This article has examined various elements of personality influence the relationship between the cognitive aspect of subjective well-being, such as life satisfaction, and the fulfillment of selected basic needs that is defined as dimensions of psychological well-being. The analysis has pointed out psychological well-being and life satisfaction are found to be associated with personality traits. Thus, life satisfaction allows people to choose and evaluate, as much as possible, different potentially crucial sources of meaning and happiness in their life as a measure. Therefore, once game players take game playing as a critical source to produce happiness in their life, then their life satisfaction will certainly goes up. I intend to use this study to support my research on the aspect of life satisfaction in a psychological way, and apply it to the case how video game activity causes satisfaction in gamer’s life.

2. Lily Shui-Lien, Chen, Tu Hill Hung-Jen, and Edward Shih-Tse Wang. "Personality Traits And Life Satisfaction Among Online Game Players." Cyberpsychology & Behavior 11.2 (2008): 145-149. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. This scholar article primarily studies the relationship between the Big Five factors and life satisfaction among online game players through sample collection by doing questionnaire surveys in cyber café shops of Taipei, Taiwan. It explores online game impact on players with different life satisfaction character traits. Because of ACG (Animation, Comic, Game) industry has developed to be well mature in Taiwan, where directly accept the newest information from Japan and is deeply affected by American game productions; therefore, this study concludes results based on a reliable population and cultural background. I intend to use this article to build up the main body of my research since my focus is on game players and their attitudes toward life.

3. Michael Chih-Hung Wang, et al. "The Relationship Between Leisure Satisfaction And Life Satisfaction Of Adolescents Concerning Online Games." Adolescence 43.169 (2008): 177-184. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. This study mostly examines the influences of leisure satisfaction on life satisfaction among online game players due to increasing teenagers have chosen online games to deal with their leisure time. Few participated scholars within this study have also worked with previous study of “Personality Traits And Life Satisfaction Among Online Game Players”. The self-completed market survey questionnaire conduct the results that support four main conclusions, including web surfing frequency and life satisfaction are negatively correlated, the leisure satisfaction education dimension of online gaming has a strong negative correlation with life satisfaction, mainstream culture often sees online gaming as having negative health effects on the game player, and lastly, the design of the facility where online games are played is very important to teenagers. This study will be in a good position to assist and support my research on life satisfaction among game players, especially by providing specific age group.

4. Park, Jowon, Yosep Song, and Ching-I Teng. "Exploring The Links Between Personality Traits And Motivations To Play Online Games." Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 14.12 (2011): 747-751. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. The study has identified the underlying dimensions of motivations to play online games, and examined how personality traits predict motivation. Based on the investigation results, two personal traits have been identified as strong motivation predictors for playing online games. The findings suggest that personality traits are only relevant to the reasons why people value online gaming. Since highly extraverted and highly agreeable people have strong motivations to paly online games, those people are more likely to respond to marketing efforts and being the most promising market segment for game companies. This study also uses a survey method and a cross-sectional design that are frequently adopted by previous online gaming studies. I intend to apply the results of this study to my research as evidence assistance. It could be set up in the basic life situation to figure out what groups of people would play online games, and have further exploration on their life satisfaction.

5. Sandra Lopez, et al. "A Survey Of Video Game Players In A Public, Urban Research University." Educational Media International 47.4 (2010): 311-327. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. This study has found that playing video games has both positive and negative consequences. It has examined that a large number of male players reported acquiring leadership, communication coordination, and other skills rather than female players. The positive findings of this study have acknowledged that playing video games has positive impact on the development of personal and social skills among students in education settings. Although the study is not directly connected with life satisfaction of video game players, the results still play a specific role of personal development, which will assist game players with increasing social skills for further events in the daily life. I intend to use this study to have an argument on whether video games help nurture game players’ personalities, and for encouraging life satisfaction or not.

Other Potential Source
6. "How Massive Multiplayer Online Games Incorporate Principles Of Economics." Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning 54.6 (2010): 29-35. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.

Bibliography: 1. Hofer, Jan, Holger Busch, and Florian Kiessling. "Individual Pathways To Life Satisfaction: The Significance Of Traits And Motives." Journal Of Happiness Studies 9.4 (2008): 503-520. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. 2. Lily Shui-Lien, Chen, Tu Hill Hung-Jen, and Edward Shih-Tse Wang. "Personality Traits And Life Satisfaction Among Online Game Players." Cyberpsychology & Behavior 11.2 (2008): 145-149. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. 4. Park, Jowon, Yosep Song, and Ching-I Teng. "Exploring The Links Between Personality Traits And Motivations To Play Online Games." Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 14.12 (2011): 747-751. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013. 5. Sandra Lopez, et al. "A Survey Of Video Game Players In A Public, Urban Research University." Educational Media International 47.4 (2010): 311-327. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.