Bioethics term project

[dracodraconis]

My term project for my bioethics course consists of completing an ethical clearance document for my "dream project". I have chosen "Prevalence of addiction risk factors among Canadian online gamers". The study will NOT actually be conducted, but for the purpose of this assignment we pretend that this is a real project. I now pose to you several questions:

- What are some popular online MMORPGs (massive multiplayer online role playing games) and FPS (First Person Shooter) games?
- If you had the opportunity to be part of the research team, what questions would you like investigated?
- If you were a gamer asked to participate, would you being willing to participate?
- If Yes or Maybe, what conditions would you place on participating in the study?

I've made this public so anyone can weigh in with their responses.

Comments

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

An argument could be made that people who engage in online gaming may be exhibiting risk factors that are attributed to various addictions. These could include isolation, and prevalence of depression. I have very little to back this up this assertion except some trends I have seen in case studies, but as it was pointed out to me last night “the plural of anecdote is not data”.

Working under this premise, I believe it would be important to know things like…

How many hours a week do you commit to online gaming a week?
Has online gaming ever been the reason why you have been absent from work?
Do you have any hobbies?
How many hours a week do you commit to those activities?
Do you have a history of disease or illness?
If so, what physical or mental conditions have you experienced.
Do you still live with any of these conditions?
If so, which ones.
Do any of the listed conditions impair your ability to socialize in person?
How many times a week do you participate in an activity outside your home?
How often do you have visitors inside your home?

Maybe other carefully worded questions about body image and obesity

Other positive questions would have to be mixed in to avoid feeling attacked.

[dracodraconis.livejournal.com]

the plural of anecdote is not data
I very much agree with this. I think of data (results of studies and the like) as the "big picture" within the appropriate context. Anecdotes are useful for either triggering a research question (is this an isolated case or indicative of something larger?) or "personalizing" the problem by zooming in to a single example of what is being described.

From a research persective, data is critical; however, from a political perspective (such as when you are trying to get the public/government to fund something) it is the anecdotes that are noticed. Numbers tend to slide off the uninitiated, but experiences grab their attention.

Very good suggestions!

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

Absolutely correct!

You can cite number about how many thousands of people die from secondhand smoke, but it will be a child undergoing chemo that will spark change.

I don't necessarily like it, but I've learned to work with it.

I'm sure if I think a little more on the topic I can come up with more input.

[nocnitsa.livejournal.com]

Don't forget old style MUDs n'such...

[dracodraconis.livejournal.com]

Good point. I hadn't realized those things still existed.