"Since 2021, we have been collecting data using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The second wave of three is now underway, with the final wave to be conducted in the next nine months. The project will end in 2023," said research manager Lukas Blinka. Players who wish to participate in the research can do so via the following link to a questionnaire: https://bit.ly/czechgamers2n
The data will help researchers better describe the benefits and drawbacks of playing online computer games. For example, the team will look at how players relate to their game characters and what they get out of that relationship. The results will find practical applications in combating the stigma of gaming or in improving the diagnosis and treatment of addictions.
The team's previous research shows that the same amount of time spent playing games can indicate both a harmless passion and an addiction in different contexts. A number of factors come into play, including the level of attention paid to what is happening on the screen or the use of psychoactive substances. The tendency toward addiction is much less common than the media might suggest.