Minors addicted to online game

Minors addicted to online game are more and more. The situation is increasing and psychologists, aware of this situation, investigate this problem. It is a situation that charges more and more complexity. The online game not only lies around video games, but also around bets and gambling. It even goes further, as will be seen throughout the article, the appearance of "hybrid" games, only increase this addiction.

Throughout the article, the standardization and acceptance of online games will be addressed, both video games and random games. It will also review what mechanisms are used to create addictions and specific examples of this type of strategies will be seen. Minors addicted to game, without a doubt, is a growing concern due to the negative impact it has in their day -to -day basis. Let's start! 

Content

• Addicted minors: a tendency to normalization
• An addictive game
  • Reinforcements and beliefs of addicts
  • Types of reinforcements
• Conclusion
  • Bibliography

Addicted minors: a tendency to normalization

González-Roz's team (2016) points out that "The high availability and accessibility of gambling and betting has caused public concern about the possible increase in problems with them among the youngest youngS ". The General Directorate of Planning of the Game states that sports bets are the most common with 64.9%, they follow the card games with money with 17.2% and finally video games with 15.9%. All this should be added the great advertising that is carried out with sports bets, which leads to normalize this type of game.

GEORGIOS FLOROS (2018) states that "Game practices and opportunities have evolved to the point where they are widely available and They are considered a form of socially acceptable entertainment". In this way, minors see this type of activity as something normal, without alarm signs even if their practice is abusive. This fact should not ignore parents. That a practice is normalized and extended is not synonymous with it being acceptable, healthy or beneficial. So parents must be attentive to their children not to fall into abusive addictions or practices.

An addictive game

Minors addicted to online viede. Among these strategies are the "hybrid" games. These types of games can be of several types, for example, video games that incorporate bets with real money and gambling that adopt characteristics of video games. Through this type of "hybrid" games, confusion is created in the child and causes it to end up playing with real money while increasing its addiction level. However, Reinforcements are the key to addiction.

Reinforcements and beliefs of addicts

As McBride and Deverensky (2016) point out, both gambling and video games "They operate according to the principles of reinforcement, to reward and prolong the game, using sound and stimulating light effects within it ". In addition, not only that but as the same authors point out, the belief that "Specific skills and practices are responsible for success, and that their acquired expertise can influence the result of a game of chance".

What do the authors mean with this last statement? That They make us believe that our skills are important and necessary in gambling to win, When in reality, being gambling, our experience has no value. Can our knowledge make us win a lottery? The answer is no. This is pure random, but if they convince us that we can control chance, addiction will be greater.

Many video games offer the so -called "microtransactions", which allow you to have prizes or extra content to play. In this way, game addiction can be reinforced. José Pedro Espada, Professor of Psychology at the University of Miguel Hernández, affirms that the main reasons for increased addiction are "That the offer has increased considerably and that accessibility is very high".

Types of reinforcements

José Pedro Espada recounts what is hidden behind this addiction and states that there is no specific profile. Sword says that "We cannot speak properly of a specific profile, since Any individual is likely to develop an addiction if sufficient elements occur". The teacher confirms that the presence of intermittent reinforcements give rise to strong learning. Among this type of reinforcements, it stands out:

• The economic value of the reinforcer.
• Motivational and activation processes aimed at gain.
• Expectations for gaining and recovery of losses.
• The illusion of control.
• The avoidance of negative emotional states.
• The escape of routine or boredom.

Conclusion

The ease with which minors access online games both video games and betting games and chance is increasing. It is therefore necessary to increase surveillance by parents. The appeal to "leave" lodependence

s children with mobile phone or Tablet To entertain them, it is not always a good idea if they are not supervised responsible. The raising and education of children is a responsibility and as such, it is an active, not passive task.

Bibliography

• Floros, g. (2018). Gambling Disorder in Adolescents: Prevalence, New Developments, and Treatment Challenges. Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 9, 43-51.
• González-Roz, a., Fernández-Hermida, J., Weidberg, s., Martínez-Lordo, v., and dry-villa, r. (2016). Prevalence of Problem Gambling Among Adolesces: In comparison across
  Modes of Access, Gambling Activities, and Levels of Severity. Journal of Gambling Studies,
  33 (2), 371-382.
• McBride, j., and Derevensky, J. (2016). Gambling and Video Game Playing Among Youth. Journal of Gambling Issues, 34, 156-178.
• Villamarín, s., Vicente, a. and Berdullas, S. (2019). Game addiction in minors: an increasing problem. Infocop, 86, 4-8.