Back to Addiction, the net and video games (was RE: [Air-l] Video Game Addiction)

[Matthew Allen]

Hi all

There is plenty of research going on into questions of game and/or internet
research; according to the epistemological assumptions that underpin all
psychological research into addiction, this research does indeed show that
persistent computer use can be addictive (ie, attains a state where it
impacts harmfully on other aspects of the person's life because computing
activity overrides other necessary activities). I could cite some references
but I'd have to dig through files for 'em - just use one of the many
databases for scholarly literature.

However, what is in question are the epistemological assumptions that
underpin ALL research into addiction; and what matters are the consequences
of establishing behaviours as 'addictions'. By analogy, let us remember,
homosexuality was pathologised via the DSM (not quite sure what this acronym
stands for but it's the American Psych. Association's diagnostic manual) for
years. In the case of net addiction, check out
http://www.netaddiction.com/ for an example of how psychiatrists might be
held to 'produce' the condition they seek to cure, and then 'cure' it, while
profiting from the entry of the condition into the DSM.

we also need to break down the problem into two components: one, the
question of addiction (which, frankly, can't be resolved via a rational
consensus because of the epistemological / political problem noted above);
and two, the question of effects - do games/net use 'cause' people to do
things (usually bad things, according to the media). Ie is something bad in
itself, or does it cause bad things.

Matt