Assignment 9: Picking up girls online

There are many online activities associated with Problematic Internet Use including porn, Facebook and away message stalking, online poker…etc. However, the one that I have chosen to look at for this assignment is a self proclaimed addicting use of the internet: addictinggames.com. The website, www.addictinggames.com has hundreds of online games that cause people to develop an addiction, whether it is an addiction to beat some of the games, such as the Impossible Quiz, my personal favorite, arcade games, sports games, and adventure games.

However, recently, many games have been added that involve the use of avatars, such as Smooth Talker. This is a game in which a person can practice hitting on women in a bar by telling them a joke, complimenting them, or being flat out vulgar (use your imagination). Although some people may use the site for procrastination or use it during some classes, such as my roommate who sits in a computer lab (section) for two hours a week, some use this in lieu of face to face social interaction and it eventually leads to a problem. Caplan states problematic internet use is associated with people who are more lonely and depressed individuals than others and who may develop a preference for online social interaction in place of face to face interaction which in turn leads to negative outcomes associated with their internet use. This preference for online social interaction is an important aspect because “individuals who suffer from psychosocial distress, such as loneliness and depression, hold negative perceptions of their own social competence” (Caplan 627). They already see themselves as being socially inept and the internet provides an outlet for them.

For example, in the game Smooth Talker, the first action you need to do is pick on one of the four girls sitting in the bar. You are then told to pick an action, one of twenty actions and you either pick the right one or strike out. It even seems like it contains operant conditioning because the online users are forced to note which actions they have chosen and which pick-up actions have been turned down. It will help them stay alert and make changes in the future. You are able to keep picking actions until you pick the correct action, the thing that makes this game in particular so addicting. These games can lead to PUI because they do not cost anything and are easily accessible. They also, although perhaps not at first, make you feel good about yourself. In smooth talker, the girl will always accept your action if she likes the one you pick. These games do become a problem because you may eventually gain a preference for this online social interaction which can worsen problems at home, school, and work.