| Sažetak | Igranje videoigara, pored društvenih mreža i streaming servisa, postalo je jednim od najrasprostranjenijih i najpopularnijih oblika zabave u novije doba. Od svojih početaka potkraj prošlog stoljeća pa do zadnjih nekoliko godina, videoigre su doživjele značajan napredak kako u tehnološkom aspektu, odnosno strukturalnim karakteristikama, tako i u mogućnostima koje pružaju igračima. Ove mogućnosti očituju se poglavito u grafičkoj kvaliteti, otvorenim svjetovima, povezanosti s drugim igračima (multiplayer) te korištenje virtualne i proširene stvarnosti (VR i AR tehnologija). Videoigre, a posebice sve popularniji online gaming danas povezuje igrače različitih dobnih skupina, a ono što je posebno zanimljivo u posljednje vrijeme je i sve veći broj ženskih igrača (Lopez-Fernandez i sur., 2019). Bitno je naglasiti kako je populacija koja uživa u videoigrama različita, međutim osobe niže životne dobi (djeca i adolescenti) su često najistaknutiji ljubitelji. Ipak, osim mladih igrača bilježi se porast i onih odraslih pa u nekoj mjeri čak i starijih generacija (Quandt i sur., 2009). Ubrzanim razvojem tehnologije videoigre postaju sve sofisticiranije te nude igračima nova emocionalna iskustva koja su sve više stimulirajuća. Osim kroz razrađene interaktivne priče, svjetove/dimenzije, izazove u obliku zadataka ili mogućnost suradnje u online okruženju s drugim igračima, pojedine vrste videoigara imaju visoki adiktivni potencijal u odnosu na igrače i zbog uvođenja novih sustava monetizacije, mikrotransakcija, kutija iznenađenja (engl. lootboxevi) i sličnog. Unazad desetak godina, posebice u online videoigrama, koje su same po sebi najčešće besplatne za igranje, postoji sve više elemenata kockanja. Shodno tome, istraživanja na ovu temu potvrđuju da su u podlozi razvijenih psihosocijalnih problema povezanih s kockanjem i igranjem videoigara isti mehanizmi i jednake promjene u sustavu
nagrađivanja u mozgu pojedinca (Bae i sur., 2017). S druge strane, igranje videoigara i kockanje su aktivnosti koje same po sebi imaju različite ciljeve i principe, no neovisno o tome između njih postoje određene sličnosti i značajke te preklapanja koja mogu biti vrlo važna. Kao neka od važnijih preklapanja ističu se uporaba elemenata uzbuđenja, elemenata nagrađivanja te adiktivni potencijal igre, koji može nepovoljno utjecati na razvoj ovisnosti kod pojedinca. Sve navedeno može imati za posljedicu razvoj problematičnih obrazaca ponašanja kod igrača, a posebno djece i mladih. S obzirom na to da još uvijek ne postoji mnogo cjelovitih pregleda literature na ovu temu, cilj ovog diplomskog rada je istražiti povezanost igranja videoigara i kockanja, stavljajući naglasak na njihove zajedničke elemente i značajke. Osim tehničkog aspekta predstavljen je i pregled mehanizama u podlozi koji se odnose na bio-psiho-socijalno funkcioniranje pojedinca. Pregledom je utvrđeno u kojim se aspektima ove dvije aktivnosti preklapaju, u kojima se razlikuju te kakav utjecaj imaju na ponašanje igrača. Na kraju rada ponuđen je i kritički osvrt na ovu problematiku te prijedlog za moguće djelovanje u kontekstu različitih intervencija. |
| Sažetak (engleski) | Playing video games, alongside social media and streaming services, has become one of the most widespread and popular forms of entertainment in recent times. Since their inception at the end of the last century until the past few years, video games have made significant advancements both in technological aspects, such as structural characteristics, and in the possibilities they offer to players. These possibilities are primarily reflected in graphical quality, open worlds, connectivity with other players (multiplayer), and the use of virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) technology. Video games, especially the increasingly popular online gaming, now connect players from various age groups. What is particularly interesting in recent times is the growing number of female gamers (Lopez-Fernandez et al., 2019). It is important to emphasize that the population that enjoys video games is diverse; however, younger individuals (children and adolescents) are often the most prominent enthusiasts. Nonetheless, besides young players, there is also a growing number of adult gamers, and to some extent, even older generations (Quandt et al., 2009). With the rapid development of technology, video games are becoming increasingly sophisticated, offering players new emotional experiences that are highly stimulating. In addition to detailed interactive stories, worlds/dimensions, challenges in the form of tasks, or the ability to collaborate in an online environment with other players, certain types of video games have a high addictive potential due to the introduction of new monetization systems, microtransactions, loot boxes, and similar features. Over the past decade, especially in online video games, which are often free-to-play, there has been a rise in gambling-like elements. Accordingly, research on this topic confirms that the underlying mechanisms and changes in the brain's reward system
are the same for developed psychosocial problems associated with gambling and video gaming (Bae et al., 2017). On the other hand, playing video games and gambling are activities that, in themselves, have different goals and principles, but despite this, there are certain similarities and significant overlaps between them that can be very important. Some of the significant overlaps include the use of excitement elements, reward elements, and the addictive potential of the games, which can negatively impact the development of addiction in individuals. All of this can lead to the development of problematic behavioral patterns in players, especially among children and young people. Given that there are still not many comprehensive literature reviews on this topic, the aim of this thesis is to explore the connection between video gaming and gambling, emphasizing their shared elements and characteristics. Besides the technical aspect, an overview of the underlying mechanisms related to the bio-psycho-social functioning of an individual is also presented. The review determines in which aspects these two activities overlap, in which they differ, and what impact they have on player behavior. At the end of the thesis, a critical reflection on this issue is offered, along with suggestions for possible interventions in the context of different actions. |
