Notions of Video Game Addiction and Their Relation to Self-Reported Addiction Among Players of World of Warcraft

In this study, 438 players of the online video game, World of Warcraft, completed a survey about video game addiction and
answered an open-ended question about behaviors they considered characteristic of video game addiction. Responses were coded
and correlated with players’ self-reports of being addicted to games and scores on a modified video game addiction scale.
The behaviors most frequently mentioned as characteristic of addiction included playing a lot and games’ interfering with
other activities, especially socializing or work. Few players mentioned such signs of addiction as withdrawal symptoms or
tolerance, and some thought it was not possible to become addicted to video games. Self-reported addiction to video games
correlated positively with perceptions that video game addiction involved playing a lot or playing to escape problems, and
correlated negatively with perceptions that addiction involved games’ interfering with other activities or not being able
to stop play. Implications for assessment are discussed.