Are You Addicted to Candy Crush Saga? An Exploratory Study Linking Psychological Factors to Mobile Social Game Addiction

• In Event: Revisiting the Phenomenon of Game Addiction

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how psychological factors (including perceived gratifications, loneliness, leisure boredom, and self-control) are related to mobile social game use and addiction. Data were gathered from 419 respondents in China. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a gratification structure of five factors (mobility, entertainment, sociability, achievement, and relaxation) based on 13 motives obtained from mobile social game playing. The unique gratifications of mobility, entertainment, and sociability were attributed to Candy Crush, which is generally played on mobile devices. According to Young’s (1998) classic definition, 7.2% of the participants in the study sample were considered addicts. They were characterized as lonely, bored, and motivated by the mobile nature of games. It was interesting to note that the addicts seldom thought that they played mobile social games because they wanted to fill leisure time or relax, but because they were lonely and bored. As expected, frequent players had a higher tendency to become addicts. In particular, loneliness and self-control were significant predictors of mobile social game addiction, while leisure boredom was linked to the intensity of game use. The limitations of the study and its implications for future research are discussed.

Authors

• Cheng CHEN, The Chinese U of Hong Kong

• Louis W. Leung, Chinese U of Hong Kong