Children’s Experiences of Video Game Consumption: Development, Socialisation and Identity. Thesis submitted for degree of PhD to the Department of Marketing, Royal Holloway University of London Dina H. Bassiouni January 2013 Children’s Experiences of Video Game Consumption: Development, Socialisation and Identity. Abstract This research study investigates children’s experiences of video games consumption. Video games, played on a wide range of consoles, computers and mobile devices, have become key resources in the lives of children in the Western world and beyond. Apart from a common cultural assumption that playing video games must be ‘bad’ for children, there is relatively little research that explores their role in children’s social and personal lives. The study takes a social constructionist ontological stance and uses an adapted discourse analytic method with qualitative data sets. The participants of the main study were 22 children of mixed gender aged between 6 and 12 interviewed in focus groups and, in one case, in a family setting, all with full parental consent, between June 2nd and 14th 2011 in Egham, UK. The main data sets consisted of approximately 27,000 words of focus group and in depth interviews, moderated and fully transcribed by the researcher. In discussing their experiences with video games, the children drew on five overlapping but distinct interpretive repertoires: 1. Digital Savviness and Group Membership, 2. Video Games, Children’s Age and Gender, 3. Video games as a Source of Empowerment for Children, 4. Video Games and Children’s Development and Socialisation and 5. Negotiating the Ideological Dilemma of Video Games in Popular Culture. Video games were not only a leisure activity but also a shared cultural resource, which mediated personal and family relationships and their developing senses of gender and identity. Importantly, the research suggested many positive aspects of video games for children’s development and socialisation, with apparent benefits for motor, cognitive and also social skills. Video games are a far from solitary pleasure for children. They constitute a shared cultural vocabulary upon which children draw to form and maintain relationships, friendship groups and to negotiate social status and gender identities. The conclusions offer suggestions for future research and for the theoretical development of the area. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Introduction and Outline of the Study Page Chapter Outline 1 1.0. Introduction to the Research Topic 1 1.1. Nature of The Study 2 1.2. Research Philosophy and Methodological Orientation 2 1.3. Sampling and Data Collection 4 1.4. Research Questions 4 1.5. Structure of the Research 6 1.6. Key findings 7 1.7. Chapter summary 9 List of Figure for Chapter One Figure 1: A graphic of the thesis structure 7 CHAPTER TWO Literature Review Video Games and Generation Z: Children’s Development, Socialisation and Identity Page Chapter Outline 10 2.0. Defining Generation Z 10 2.1. Generation Z and Media 11 2.2. Generation Z in the Trade Press 12 2.3. Generation Z in Comparison to Previous Generations 12 2.4. Investigating Generation Z’s Experience and Lifestyles as 13 Consumers 2.5. Generation Z and Power 17 2.6. Generation Z and the Implications of Technology 25 2.7. Social Implications 27 3 2.8. Physical Implications 30 2.9. The Theoretical Mental/Learning Implications of Video 33 Games 2.10. Psychological Implications of Video Games Consumption 37 2.11. Cultural Theory, Identity and Gaming 41 2.12. Generation Z’s Liminal Experience 44 2.13. Collective Identity and The Use of Language in Video 47 gaming 2.14. Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Video Gaming to 48 Children’s Identity 2.15. Males Greater Inclination to Master Video games 49 2.16. The Taxonomy of Gamers 49 2.17. Baudrillard’s Categorisation of Image Simulation and 51 Identity Positioning 2.18. Identity Plurality and Identity Experimentation 54 2.19. Digi-post-Modern Consumption and Redefining Great 55 Narratives 2.20. Social and Economic Benefits of Online Gaming 55 Chapter Summary 56 List of figures for Chapter Two Figure 2.1: Types of Gamers based on Motivational Purposes 50 Figure 2.2: Motivational Factors and their effect of “I” and “Me” 51 CHAPTER THREE The Gaming Environment: Branding and Marketing Page Chapter Outline 57 3.0. Introduction 57 3.1. The Emergence of Games 57 3.2. Sources of Information and Reasons Why People Play 58 Games 3.3. History of Video Games and The Emergence of the 58 4 Industry 3.4. Gaming Hardware available in the market 2010 62 3.5. Shooting Games 65 3.6. Sports and Racing Games 66 3.7. Action-Adventure Games 68 3.8. Fighting Games 70 3.9. Party Games 72 3.10. Puzzle Games 73 3.11. Role-Playing Games (RPGs) 74 3.12. Strategy and Simulation Games 77 3.13. Top 10 Games in 2010 in Ascending Order 79 Chapter Summary 80 List of Figures for Chapter Three Figure 3.1: A Schematic of Types of Shooting Games 66 Figure 3.2: A Schematic of Sports and Racing Games 68 Figure 3.3: A Schematic of Action-Adventure Games 70 Figure 3.4: A Schematic of Fighting Games Genres 71 Figure 3.5: A Schematic of Party Games Genre 73 Figure 3.6: A Schematic of Puzzle Games Genres 74 Figure 3.7: A Schematic of RPGs Genres 77 Figure 3.8: A Schematic of Strategy and Simulation Game Genres 78 CHAPTER FOUR The Philosophical Approach and Methodological Orientations Page Chapter Outline 81 4.0. Purpose of the Study 81 4.1. Introduction to the Methodological Considerations 82 4.2. Initial Pilot Studies and Informal Background Information 83 4.3. Ontological and Epistemological Considerations 84 4.4. The Human Nature Viewpoint 86 4.5. Ideographic versus Nomothetic Approach 88 5 4.6. Qualitative versus Quantitative Data Sets 89 4.7. Techniques of Data Gathering 90 4.8. Focus Groups 91 4.9. In-Depth Interviews 93 4.10. The Multi-Method Approach and Triangulation 94 4.11. Extant Research Paradigms 96 4.12. Cultural Engineering and Consumer Culture theory (CCT) 100 4.13. Inductive versus Deductive Research 106 4.14. The Principle of Reflexivity 108 4.15. Demand Characteristics 108 4.16. Barriers to Entry 109 4.17. Gender Issues 109 4.18. Ethical Considerations 110 4.19. Empirical Data Gathering 111 4.20. Preliminary Interview Questions 113 4.21. Discourse Analysis 114 Chapter Summary 118 List of Figures for Chapter Four Figure 4.1: Schematic Assumptions about the Subjectivist Nature of 89 this Social Science Study Figure 4.2: Four Paradigms for the analysis of Social Theory 96 Figure 4.3: The Abductive Cycle of a Social Scientist 107 Figure 4.4: Schematic of the Focus groups’ Participants 113 Figure 4.5: Discourse Spectrum 115 CHAPTER FIVE Setting the Empirical Context: Data Gathering Procedure, Sampling and Analysis Page Chapter Outline 119 5.0.0 Re-iteration of the /Nature of the Study 119 5.1.0 Methodological Approach 120 6 5.2.0 Data Gathering Process 120 5.3.0 Sample Selection 122 5.4.0 Interview Locations 123 5.5.0 Interview Agenda 124 5.6.0 Ethical Issues 126 5.7.0 The Researcher and Participants’ Reflexivity and Sincerity 127 5.8.0 Analytical Procedure 128 Chapter Summary 130 List of Figures for Chapter 5 Figure 5.1: Transcription conventions adapted from Potter and 128 Wetherell (1987). CHAPTER SIX Findings I Page Chapter Outline 131 6.0. Introduction to the Interpretive Repertoires 131 6.1. Digital Savviness and Group Membership 132 6.2. Video Games, Children’s Age and Gender 151 Chapter Summary 163 CHAPTER SEVEN Findings II Page Chapter Outline 165 7.0. Games As A Source Of Empowerment For Children 165 7.1. Changes in the Traditional Family Model 165 7.2. The Six Pockets Phenomenon 171 7.3. Are Children Really That Powerful? Part 1 172 7.4. Are Children really that Powerful? Part 2 176 7 7.5. Do The Children Deploy Pester Power Or Expert Power? 177 7.6. Empowering Pedagogy Versus Protective Pedagogy 180 7.7. Are Children Influencing the Video Gaming Industry? 189 Chapter Summary 192 CHAPTER EIGHT Findings III Page Chapter Outline 193 8.0. Video Games, Children’s Development and Socialisation 193 8.1. Video Games Are Quite Good, BUT…” 196 8.2. Therapeutic Benefits of Video Games 198 8.3. Video Games and Children’s Socialisation 200 8.4. Video Games and Quality Time with Family 200 8.5. Video Games and Siblings’ Socialisation 204 8.6. Socialisation with Other Children 207 8.7. Sociability versus Traditional Forms of Socialisation 211 8.8. Negotiating the Ideological Dilemma of Video Games in 213 Popular Culture 8.9. “Video Games are Amazingly Addictive” 214 8.10. “We are NOT Addicts of Video Games and Here’s the Proof” 219 8.11. “Too much is Boring!” 219 8.12. The Appearance of New Technology 222 8.13. Engagement in other Activities 223 8.14. Growing Out of Video Games 226 8.15. Summary of Key Points 229 Chapter Summary 231 8 CHAPTER NINE Discussion Page Chapter Outline 232 9.0.0 Outline of the Research Problematic 232 9.1.0 Discussion of the Empirical Findings of the study 234 9.2.0 Children’s Social Identity 235 9.3.0 Gender and Age Ideologies 241 9.4.0 Childhood and Liminality 242 9.5.0 Learning Implications 243 9.6.0 Socialisation Issues 245 9.7.0 Family Socialisation 248 9.8.0 Peer and Siblings Socialisation and Cultural Capital 250 9.9.0 Video Games as Social Agent 252 9.10.0 Video Games as a Tool of Power Negotiation 253 9.11.0 Changes in Parenting Typologies 255 9.12.0 Six Pockets and the Rise of Multi-Generational Families 257 9.13.0 Filiarchy and Curling Parents 258 9.14.0 Emotional versus Rational/ Empowering versus Protective 259 9.15.0 Gender Roles and Coalition Negotiation