Gaming frequency and academic performance
Open accessAbstract
There are numerous claims that playing computer and video games may be educationally beneficial, but there has been little formal investigation into whether or not the frequency of exposure to such games actually affects academic performance. This paper explores the issue by analysing the relationships between gaming frequency - measured as the amount of time undergraduate students spend playing games in their free time - and their academic performance as measured by their examination marks. Using a sample of 713 students, correlation analyses between gaming frequency and examination performance were conducted for students of varying gaming frequency, study discipline, gender, and general attitudes towards gaming and study. The results reveal that examination marks are in fact negatively correlated with gaming frequency - i.e. frequent gamers generally achieve lower marks than less frequent gamers.
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This finding neither concurs with the results of other research demonstrating the facilitative effects of gaming on foreign language achievement (e.g., Ref. [63,64]), nor with the results showing that exam grades are negatively correlated with gaming frequency [28,29].
“This finding neither concurs with the results of other research demonstrating the facilitative effects of gaming on foreign language achievement (e.g., Ref. [63,64]), nor with the results showing that exam grades are negatively correlated with gaming frequency [28,29].”
From Exploring the relationship between digital gaming, language attitudes, and academic success in EFL university students (2024) · cites this paper as [28]
One contributing factor may be that students neglect academic responsibilities to spend more time gaming [28,29].
“One contributing factor may be that students neglect academic responsibilities to spend more time gaming [28,29].”
From Exploring the relationship between digital gaming, language attitudes, and academic success in EFL university students (2024) · cites this paper as [28]
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- Authors
- Ip, B., Jacobs, G., & Watkins, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
- Swansea University (GB)
- Venue
- Australasian Journal of Educational Technology
- Published
- 2008-08-17
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- ISSN
- 1449-3098 (ISSN-L)
- 1449-5554
- OpenAlex
- W1708688110
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Nottingham ePrints (University of Nottingham) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Keywords
- gaming frequency, video games, academic performance, undergraduate students, leisure, study discipline, gender differences
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