Abstract:
Excessive gaming may be considered a behavioral addiction similar to gambling. In order to test this hypothesis, the activity of the autonomic nervous system was recorded (heart rate and skin conductance) and neuroendocrine hormone levels were measured (cortisol, dopamine, -endorphin) in 16 subjects who played computer games excessively (>28 hrs/wk) and in 16 subjects who played infrequently (ages: 19-27). ANOVA was used to study the factor e ects. The excessive players had signi cantly higher skin conductance uctuations than non-excessive players. Their mean heart rates were also marginally higher than the heart rates of non-excessive players. For both subject groups, heart rate uctuations were lower in game sessions compared to control sessions. Cortisol levels were found to be decreased in both groups after each session compared to the beginning of the session. In excessive game players, skin conductance uctuations and -endorphin levels were negatively correlated; heart rate mean and dopamine levels were positively correlated. In non-excessive players, skin conductance uctuations and cortisol levels were positively correlated. These results show clear di erences of autonomic responses in excessive game players. Although we could not nd a direct di erence in excessive players regarding hormone levels, correlations show evidence of signi cant changes in their neuroendocrine systems.|Keywords: Computer game addiction, neuroendocrine, cortisol, beta-endorphin, dopamine, psychophysiology, skin conductance, heart rate.
