Advanced or Addicted? Exploring the Relationship of Recreation Specialization to Flow Experiences and Online Game Addiction

Abstract

The popularity of online games has generated research interest in the flow experiences they may induce and the possibility of game addiction. Our study focuses on the dynamics of progression within online games, a perspective largely overlooked in previous investigations. Recreation specialization is used for exploring progression among online gamers and clarifying relationships between flow experiences and addiction tendencies. Data from online questionnaires completed by 357 players of Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Games showed that specialized players are more likely to experience flow and exhibit game addiction than inexperienced players. Additionally, recreation specialization intensifies the effect of flow experiences on addiction tendencies.