Video Games vs.

College
Student GPAs
Taylor Karger
North Dakota State University
English 324
Dr. Dale Sullivan
Overview
Background Information
Experiment Overview and Purpose
Hypothesis and Predictions
Experimental Methods
Experimental Results
Conclusions
Future Impact
Background
Video games

Video game popularity has been increasing
ever since they were first made.
In the U.S. today, 90% of households own a
video game system.
1

With this increase in popularity, comes an
increase in usage.

1. 1. Anand V. A study of time management: the correlation between video game usage and academic performance markers. Cyberpsychology
& Behavior [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(4): 552-559. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=49f76042-
f33e-4827-9f85-2038239b61b0%40sessionmgr4001&vid=7&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=26271120

Video Games at NDSU
How do video games affect college students?

Could it cause:
Procrastination?
Decrease in sleep?
Stress?

All of these accumulating can be detrimental
for a college students grades.
Purpose
In this paper, I analyze how the amount of
video game usage affects the grade point
averages of college students.
I also look into two different types of video
games, violent and non-violent, to see if
there are different effects between the two.
Studies completed examining
GPA and video game usage
have produced mixed results.
Some show a correlation and
others show none.
Studies have also examined
the psychological effects that
video game usage causes.
Anand V. A study of time management: The correlation between video game usage and academic performance markers.
Cyberpsychology & Behavior [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(4): 552-559.

Tolchinsky A, Jefferson S. Problematic video
game play in a college sample and its
relationship to time management skills and
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
symptomology. Cyberpsychology, Behavior &
Social Networking [Internet]. 2011 [cited
2014 February 16]; 14(9):489-496.

Hypothesis and Predictions
I believe that those students who spend
more time playing video games will also
tend to have lower GPAs.
I also believe that those who spend more
time playing more violent video games will
tend to have lower GPAs.
Methods
Survey sent out to NDSU students
Why?
Benefits included:
Saves on time
Easier to analyze
Larger group of respondents
Contained:
Questions asking:
Demographics
How often and what type of video games the student plays
How often the student spends studying, and current GPA
Results
The data was collected and compiled into
graphs to analyze the data.
The graphs were then analyzed to determine
correlation by looking at the R
2
or correlation
coefficient of the line of best fit for the
graphs.
The R
2
correlation coefficient is a number based
on the line of best fit that shows relationship and
correlation between data points.
The line of best fit goes through the data points
in a series, showing the general direction that
the data points are heading.


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0.05-0 1.0-0.5 1.5-1.0 2.0-1.5 2.5-2.0 3.0-2.5 3.5-3.0 4.0-3.5
Grade Point Averages
Grade Point Averages vs. Hours Spent Playing Video Games
Analysis of the responses showed that there was a correlation coefficient of
only 7.9% correlation between the hours spent playing video games and the
grade point averages of the college students.
The graphs line does show a downward slope, but there are many variables
that are random and the slope is not very steep.
Altogether, this shows a very weak relationship.
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0.05-0 1.0-0.5 1.5-1.0 2.0-1.5 2.5-2.0 3.0-2.5 3.5-3.0 4.0-3.5
Grade Point Averages

GPAs vs. Hours Spent Playing Violent Video Games
In the analysis of grade point averages vs. hours spent playing violent
video games, the correlation coefficient showed there was even less of
a correlation (only 1%), signifying almost no relationship.
Looking at this graph, you can see again many random variables that do
not fall on the line of best fit for the graph, and there is almost no
slope to the line.
Altogether, this shows even less of a correlation.
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0.05-0 1.0-0.5 1.5-1.0 2.0-1.5 2.5-2.0 3.0-2.5 3.5-3.0 4.0-3.5
Grade Point Averages

GPAs vs. Hours Spent Playing Non-Violent Video Games
Analysis of grade point average vs. time spent playing non-violent video
games gave the highest correlation coefficient, at 11% correlation.
You can also see that there was a steeper slope in this graph than the
others as well, showing a little more correlation, but there are still
many data points that dont fall near the line of best fit.
While this was the largest relationship, it is still not statistically
significant.
Conclusion
There was no significant correlation found between the
amount of time that college students spend playing
video games and their grade point averages.
There was also no significant correlation between non-
violent and violent video game play vs. grade point
averages.
The most significant correlation was found between
time spent playing non-violent video games and grade
point averages.
Although the relation between non-violent and GPAs was the
most related, it was still not very significant.
Future Research
Research should be expanded to a larger group and not
limited to the NDSU student population.
More research should be completed exploring non-
violent and violent video game effects.
Could also consider alternative measures of educational
success other than GPA, such as: individual tests,
quizzes, and other assignments that arent summative
(look more at weekly and daily).
Extra Readings List
Anand V. A study of time management: the correlation between video game usage and academic performance markers. Cyberpsychology & Behavior
[Internet]. 2007 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(4): 552-559. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=49f76042-f33e-4827-9f85-
2038239b61b0%40sessionmgr4001&vid=7&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=26271120
Burgess S, Stermer S, Burgess M. Video game playing and academic performance in college students. College Student Journal [Internet]. 2012 [Cited
2014 February 16]; 46.2 2012: 376-387. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=929a5746-ae45-4e47-83a0-
baa0d250d46e%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=keh&AN=77698068
McCutcheon L, Campbell J. The impact of video game playing on academic performance at a community college. Community College Journal
[Internet]. 2006 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(1): 59-63. Available from:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0361697860100105#.UwFg5_1Z7
Tolchinsky A, Jefferson S. Problematic video game play in a college sample and its relationship to time management skills and attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomology. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2014 February 16]; 14(9):489-
496. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=6ee8049f-1795-41f2-9524-
74d5b4862f99%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=65433384
Lee C, Aiken K, Hung H. Effects of college student's video gaming behavior on self-concept clarity and flow. Social Behavior And Personality
[Internet]. 2012 [cited 2014 February 16]; 40(4):673-680. Available from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=e722a6e6-a8d6-
484a-8af6-9fbc61fcdb20%40sessionmgr114&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=psyh&AN=2012-16847-015
Drummond J. The relation between playing violent single and multiplayer video games and adolescents aggression, Social Competence, and
Academic Adjustment. OhioLINK [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2014 February 16]. Available from:
https://etd.ohiolink.edu/rws_etd/document/get/bgsu1236354262/inline.
Saleem M, Anderson C, Gentile D. Effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on college students' affect. Aggressive Behavior [Internet].
2012 [cited 2014 February 16]; 00: 1-9. Available from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=4949c4be-d11d-4477-b2e3-
1a8cfedf78c5%40sessionmgr112&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=cmedm&AN=22549724