Exploring the relationships between psychological variables and loot box engagement, part 2: exploratory analyses of complex relationships

Spicer, Stuart Gordon ORCID: 0000-0001-7585-8886, Close, James ORCID: 0000-0002-9316-034X, Nicklin, Laura Louise ORCID: 0000-0002-6195-9501, Uther, Maria, Whalley, Ben, Fullwood, Chris ORCID: 0000-0002-7714-6783, Parke, Jonathan, Lloyd, Joanne and Lloyd, Helen (2024) Exploring the relationships between psychological variables and loot box engagement, part 2: exploratory analyses of complex relationships. Royal Society Open Science, 11 (1). Art: 231046. doi:10.1098/rsos.231046

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Text 13620 Spicer, Close, Nicklin, Uther, Whalley, Fullwood, Parke, Lloyd, Lloyd (2024) Exploring the relationships between psychological variables and loot box engagement, part 2 - exploratory analyses of complex relationsh.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

In a pre-registered survey linked to this paper (Exploring the relationships between psychological variables and loot box engagement, part 1: pre-registered hypotheses), we confirmed bivariate associations between engagement with loot boxes (purchasable randomized rewards in video games) and measures of problem gambling, problem video gaming, impulsivity, gambling cognitions, experiences of game-related ‘flow’, psychological distress and reduced wellbeing. However, these variables have complex relationships, so to gain further insights, we analysed the dataset (1495 gamers who purchase loot boxes and 1223 purchasers of non-randomized content) in a series of Bayesian mixed-effects multiple regressions with a zero-inflation component. The results challenge some well-established results in the literature, including associations between loot box engagement and problematic gambling measures, instead suggesting that this relationship might be underpinned by shared variance with problem video gaming and gambling-related cognitions. An entirely novel discovery revealed a complex interaction between experiences of flow and loot box engagement. Distress and wellbeing are both (somewhat contradictorily) predictive of participants engaging with loot boxes, but neither correlate with increasing loot box risky engagement/spend (among those who engage). Our findings unravel some of the nuances underpinning loot box engagement, yet remain consistent with narratives that policy action on loot boxes will have benefits for harm minimization.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Loot boxes; Video gaming; Gambling; Digitalharms; Addictive behaviours; Wellbeing
Related URLs:	Publisher
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Anna Kerr
Date Deposited:	09 Jan 2024 15:39
Last Modified:	23 Jan 2024 14:30
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13620

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