The Social Effects of Video Games: PUBG as a Model - a Field Study at the Baquba District Center

Abstract

Video games, in general, are widely spread among the members of society, especially games with global technology that are practiced through social media platforms directly (online), including PUBG, which is played by a large number of individuals with different age, gender, and other social levels and for long times. Until it became their main concern at home and abroad in the last few years. The current study aimed at identifying the extent of the practice of PUBG among members of society, and the extent of their attachment to it, and identify the personal vision of individuals towards the game and diagnose the social Effects of the game at the level of the individual, family, and society. To achieve these goals, the researcher tried to answer the question posed in the study problem: (What are the implications of PUBG game on the individual, family, society?). The researcher identified the basic concepts that were represented by the concept of social Effects, the concept of video games, and the definition of the game of PUBG, its system and method of play.

The researcher tried to use the social survey method using the sampling method, as the research sample consisted of (200) respondents from individuals who played the game PUBG. The research was based on simple observation and the questionnaire tool, which consisted of two main aspects. During them, they included (24) questions designed to measure the phenomenon from the point of view of the players of the game within the local community of the city center of Baqubah. The search results showed that:

1. Most people who play PUBG prefer to play it at home and on average more than two hours per day for more than a year.
2. Individuals tend to play the game with their close friends and both sexes (male - female), and do not use their names and real personal photos, but prefer nicknames and imaginary pictures.
3. Most of the individuals who play PUBG do not tend to leave the game because of its renewed elements of suspense and excitement through its various stages.
4. Most of the individuals who play the game do not realize and sometimes overlook the extent of its harms for them due to their addiction to play it. This was reflected in their family relationships, and led to the growing differences, and quarrels among them.

Then the researcher made several recommendations in light of the research results.