A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China

Children are a nation's future. In the digital era, online gaming has become deeply ingrained in the lives of children, significantly impacting them. Thus, comprehensively examining this situation is imperative. However, the existing research has predominantly focused on analyzing online gaming...

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Main Authors: Lianxiu Bu, Bairen Ding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024003220
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author Lianxiu Bu
Bairen Ding
author_facet Lianxiu Bu
Bairen Ding
author_sort Lianxiu Bu
collection DOAJ
description Children are a nation's future. In the digital era, online gaming has become deeply ingrained in the lives of children, significantly impacting them. Thus, comprehensively examining this situation is imperative. However, the existing research has predominantly focused on analyzing online gaming among underachieving students. This narrow focus has magnified the negative implications of gaming among this group while overlooking the underlying structural realities. To address this, in contrast to prior studies emphasizing underachieving students' gaming behavior, this paper takes a holistic and group-specific approach. Based on academic performance and using purposive sampling, 35 participants (18 students, 12 parents, and 5 teachers) were selected for a comprehensive investigation. This study compares the gaming behavior, significance, external assessments, and the urban–rural and socioeconomic factors associated with underachieving and high-achieving students. The study reveals stark differences in gaming behavior between the two groups. Underachieving students tend to engage in excessive gaming, whereas their high-achieving counterparts exhibit more moderate gaming habits. Further analysis uncovers distinct meanings associated with online gaming for these two groups. Underachieving students' gaming patterns align with the established theory of compensatory gaming, fulfilling their lack of achievement and meaning in real life. Conversely, high-achieving students conform to the enrichment theory, viewing gaming as a means to enrich their learning and overall lives, rather than a substitute for what is lacking. The disparity in gaming behavior is further amplified by the differential evaluations provided by parents and teachers. Moreover, this study underscores the deeper structural distinctions between these two groups rooted in urban–rural backgrounds and family education.
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spelling doaj.art-0a91e64601194c3eadb759548ae4db012024-02-03T06:36:51ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-01-01102e24291A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from ChinaLianxiu Bu0Bairen Ding1Department of Sociology, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaCorresponding author.; Department of Sociology, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaChildren are a nation's future. In the digital era, online gaming has become deeply ingrained in the lives of children, significantly impacting them. Thus, comprehensively examining this situation is imperative. However, the existing research has predominantly focused on analyzing online gaming among underachieving students. This narrow focus has magnified the negative implications of gaming among this group while overlooking the underlying structural realities. To address this, in contrast to prior studies emphasizing underachieving students' gaming behavior, this paper takes a holistic and group-specific approach. Based on academic performance and using purposive sampling, 35 participants (18 students, 12 parents, and 5 teachers) were selected for a comprehensive investigation. This study compares the gaming behavior, significance, external assessments, and the urban–rural and socioeconomic factors associated with underachieving and high-achieving students. The study reveals stark differences in gaming behavior between the two groups. Underachieving students tend to engage in excessive gaming, whereas their high-achieving counterparts exhibit more moderate gaming habits. Further analysis uncovers distinct meanings associated with online gaming for these two groups. Underachieving students' gaming patterns align with the established theory of compensatory gaming, fulfilling their lack of achievement and meaning in real life. Conversely, high-achieving students conform to the enrichment theory, viewing gaming as a means to enrich their learning and overall lives, rather than a substitute for what is lacking. The disparity in gaming behavior is further amplified by the differential evaluations provided by parents and teachers. Moreover, this study underscores the deeper structural distinctions between these two groups rooted in urban–rural backgrounds and family education.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024003220Online gamingLow-achieving student and high achieversCompensatory substitution and enrichmentDivergence amplificationStructural differences
spellingShingle Lianxiu Bu
Bairen Ding
A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
Heliyon
Online gaming
Low-achieving student and high achievers
Compensatory substitution and enrichment
Divergence amplification
Structural differences
title A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
title_full A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
title_fullStr A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
title_full_unstemmed A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
title_short A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China
title_sort comparative study of online gaming between high performing and low performing students a case from china
topic Online gaming
Low-achieving student and high achievers
Compensatory substitution and enrichment
Divergence amplification
Structural differences
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024003220
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