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Down the Digital Rabbit Hole: Objectification Increases Problematic Gaming

delete2025-01-17
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AI
史嘉鑫 cover
史嘉鑫 (Jiaxin Shi) *
Z
Zaixuan Zhang
Z
Zhansheng Chen
W
Wei, Tianhua
何先友 cover
何先友 (Xianyou He)
DOI:10.1089/cyber.2024.0362delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Objectification, being perceived and treated merely as an object with a denial of one's humanness, has been linked to numerous adverse outcomes in daily life. Despite this, its influence on online behaviors, particularly problematic gaming, remains underexplored. The current research (total N = 1,000) extends the literature on objectification by investigating the effect of objectification on problematic gaming. Study 1, with a correlational design (N = 300), established a significant association between objectification and problematic gaming. Subsequent experimental studies (Studies 2 and 3) demonstrated that objectification directly contributes to increased problematic gaming intentions. Study 2, with a measurement-of-mediation design (N = 300), also identified escapism as a mediating factor, suggesting that objectification intensifies the motive to escape from reality, thereby increasing problematic gaming intentions. Furthermore, Study 3, with a moderation design (N = 400), revealed that perceived meaning in life could mitigate the negative impact of objectification on problematic gaming intentions. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of the detrimental effects of objectification, highlighting its role in problematic gaming and identifying the potential intervention.
Keywords:
objectification
problematic gaming
escapism
meaning in life

Journal

Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking cover
Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking
IF:
3.9
Papers:
1.9K
Citations:
7.8K

Organization

U
University of Hong Kong
Scholars:
4.1W
Papers: 3.9W
Citations: 10.1W
S
south china normal university
Scholars:
2.0W
Papers: 1.3W
Citations: 13