Children’s Electronic Gaming Content Preferences and Psychosocial Factors. Is there a Connection?

Abstract

The gaming industry has dramatically increased the range of choices for different game genres and content. Despite this, research on psychosocial factors in children and electronic gaming has primarily focused on time spent on games rather than on content preferences. The present study goes beyond the traditional focus on electronic game frequency by investigating whether children’s personal gaming content preferences are associated with psychosocial factors (self-concept, social competence and parental monitoring). This is accomplished by surveying 825 schoolchildren between ten and twelve years of age (5th, 6th and 7th grade) in Norway. A preference for violent games was moderately associated with low social acceptance among peers. Preference for pedagogical games was associated with high scholastic and athletic competence as well as perceived levels of parental monitoring. A preference for fantasy gaming was positively related to scholastic competence. Finally, preference for competitive games was strongly associated with experienced athletic competence.