Table 11.
Internet, gaming, and social networking criteria encoded through the frequency of agreement and a few quotations (adapted from French to English) as illustration.
| Criteria | Frequency of Agreement | Quotes |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Preoccupation | ∑ = 8 | ‘This is a good criterion, if we are only thinking about what is happening through Facebook, it’s as if we are addicted to it’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘It remains in your head, we are permanently thinking, but it is also constantly in your feelings. Thus, I think this criterion should include feelings, and the cause of the suffering’ (Victor, as a gamer) ‘I would eliminate the phrase ‘a lot of time’, as it requires reflection’ (Elektra, as a social networker) ‘The problem is when you recognise your strange behaviour when not gaming: the gamer is thinking of the game outside the game, such as reflecting on strategies for playing. I have also observed this in girls who excessively shop online’ (Carol, as a gamer) |
| 2: Withdrawal | ∑ = 10 | ‘This is a good criterion, it is difficult to stop using Facebook. I am a bit addicted as I am on it 3-4 hours a day. I have started to tell myself I should do another thing in these hours, but I have not stopped. It is a need, but it is different from other online activities because it’s about being in touch’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘This is the most important criterion because the diagnostic includes suffering, what the user feels’ (Victor, as a gamer) ‘I think it should be divided into two criterions as there are two different verbs which refer to two different things’ (Elektra, as a social networker) ‘These excessive gamers can be with you to a degree, but they are so nervous and anxious to return to the games’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 3: Tolerance | ∑ = 1 | ‘Only if the game is not on computers. I think it is not that relevant, as I did not have this need as stated, but I was addicted to games’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘To have a hobby which you would like to do more or improve is not a problem, as long as there are no financial problems. Everybody is online’ (Victor, as a gamer) ‘I would eliminate the words ‘excitation’ and ‘pleasure’ as these are intimate words, the word ‘satisfaction’ is better. Should add the notion of frequency, as in the SNS we are not spending much time but a lot of times’ (Elektra, as a social networker) ‘When one is addicted to a game there is no need to play more for the same state of excitement; the problem is that we do not want to leave the game. This behaviour is not like drugs; we do not need to increment the dose, above all for MMORPG. For those who have problems, to invest money in improving their materials to play could be a sign. If the gamer has this problem is because he or she has trouble with the excitement. Gaming addicts want to acquire more and more, as the feeling is not to wait, because the game continues without the gamer. I only accumulate accomplishments for avoiding the fear of losing, for not losing events’ (Carol, as a gamer) ‘To have new materials improves your quality of playing games, then more time and more things, the question is complex’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 4: Reduce or stop | ∑ = 7 | ‘Some gamers are not aware of their problem, but when they realise, they have already achieved a step towards recovery’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘I think this criterion is above all for those who spend too much time alone’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘I think it is for users who are aware of their excessive use, but there are periods in life you are not aware of it; it is a global unhappiness’ (Elektra, as a social networker) ‘You never take the pauses even when thinking of them’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 5: Give up other activities | ∑ = 10 | ‘This is a good criterion, but it is important to be aware this affects real life’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘This is a fundamental criterion. Others stop their activities to be in the SNS’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘The problem is users could consider their online activity as a sole hobby’ (Elektra, as a social networker) ‘I know I had an excessive gaming behaviour, playing a lot with craving, but nobody knew about it, as I was doing ‘normal’ life in school, and with other activities. You could be an addict and not accomplish this criterion’ (Carol, as a gamer) ‘This is a discriminative criterion, the impact on your life, when will everything be affected. I have lived it. It lacks the notion of time, the frequency when gaming’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 6: Continue despite problems | ∑ = 10 | ‘It is a good criterion if SNS are affecting our relationships negatively; as when you are going out to dinner, and everybody is always on their smartphones chatting by the SNS instead of with those who are at the dinner’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘It is important, but maybe the user is not aware and continues gaming’ (Victor, as a gamer) ‘As the previous one, you could be an addict gamer and not accomplish this criterion, as others will not observe it’ (Carol, as a gamer) ‘This is only useful if the person is conscious’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 7: Deceive or cover-up | ∑ = 9 | ‘This is a good criterion. Gamers are a bit ashamed as we live in persistent worlds and we communicate with friends who are gamers’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘This is a good criterion, if the user is conscious he or she is addicted to SNS’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘This depends on the context, such as a strict family which puts pressure on you, maybe you will secretly game ‘(Victor, as a gamer) ‘In the moment the gamer lies he or she is conscious’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 8: Escape adverse moods | ∑ = 9 | ‘This is a good criterion, as there are users who use the games as a shelter’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘This is a criterion for those who play video games, but it should differentiate those who play for coping with a traumatic experience and those who play without any excuse’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘Some gamers play to compensate, but others for the adrenaline, some to be alone, some to be happy’ (Carol, as a gamer) ‘It is needs to include the notion of frequency to achieve the concept of habit’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
| 9: Risk or loss of relationships or opportunities | ∑ = 13 | ‘This is a good criterion too, as it is influencing real-life’ (Leia, as a gamer) ‘This is a good criterion, it is too extreme but exists’ (Moira, as a social networker) ‘It is a subjective criterion because maybe the gamer treats this activity as work and he is fine like this, but if he is not aware and it affects him negatively, it is a problem (Victor, as a gamer) ‘If you say yes, you could be an addict gamer; but if you say no, maybe you are accomplishing the criterion without being aware of it, and you could pass as healthy when you are not’ (Carol, as a gamer) ‘This is the most discriminative, as we lost something for playing and the addiction takes something from you’ (Martin, as a gamer) |
Note: ∑ means to sum all quantitative values (codes). SNS: social networking sites; MMORPG: massively multiplayer online role-playing games.