CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Online games have become a widespread leisure activity among students in the
Philippines. There are different types of online games that students can choose from, and one of
the most popular is Mobile Legends. Right now, Mobile Legends is not just a game to play, but it
is also used as a tool for socialization among students. This chapter centers around how online
games such as Mobile Legends can affect students' socialization among their peers. This chapter
shows the positive and negative effects of online games on students' interaction and
communication with their peers.

Positive Effects of Playing Online Games

Many people enjoy playing online games as a form of recreation. Some people believe
that playing video games is beneficial for a variety of reasons, including stress relief, challenge
and competition, relaxation, enjoyment, social interaction, and use it to escape the real world.
Online gaming is one of the most popular pastimes among most people, particularly teenagers
who are students (Dumrique & Castillo, 2018). Playing video games online is a pastime for
teenagers.. They play not only because they are genuinely serious, but also because they want to
feel relieved. During school hours, students tend to feel stressed due to loads of school work and
through playing it will relieve their stress (Kuss & Griffiths, 2018).

Playing online games allows players' minds to be more active, especially in puzzle-based
games. Furthermore, it assists the player in making decisions in stressful situations, particularly
in adventure games that require the player to be alert, active, and strategic (Dumrique & Castillo,
2018). Some of the nature of online games is to promote teamwork in order to achieve tasks, or
accomplish goals. Studies demonstrate that persons who play online games, like MMORPGs
tend to readily communicate with strangers, as their social contact in-game allows them to be
informed of other people's culture (Nash, 2020).

Online mobile games are one of the media that can be utilized to learn and develop
English skills. One of the online mobile games that can be utilized to learn English is Mobile
Legends Bang Bang (Yusron, 2022). A study result revealed that ELED UMM students have
positive perception on the use of Mobile Legend Bang Bang to assist English language learning.
They felt that the Mobile legend Bang Bang had increased their level of interaction, self-
assurance, motivation, focus, and concentration. Additionally, it helped them feel less stressed
and anxious while learning English. 68.2% students claimed that MLBB enriched their
vocabularies, 63.7% claimed that their listening skill were getting better by playing MLBB,
54.6% claimed that their speaking skill were increased by MLBB, 63.6% claimed that their
reading skill was increased well, and 34.1% claimed that MLBB help them to learn English in
writing skill (Yusron, 2022).

Contralily, Pratama (cited from Piri. 2014) has stated that there are some advantages of
playing online games. Children can "kill time" with exciting leisure activities like playing online
games. In line with Hermawan's (2007) claim that playing online games helps to pass the time
during a boring day. With the newest feature of the chat feature in some online games, which
most likely will allow them to connect through social media, online games also assist their users
in making new friends. Moreover, online games also bring a positive impact toward social and
cognitive development. This fact was identified through the research that was conducted in
Australia which found that online games can effectively enhance the knowledge and the skill in
mathematics, reading, science as well as make schoolwork and educational activities easier.
Furthermore, online games can develop children problem solving, exercising the harmony
between eyes and hand’s movement and the motoric skill (Zaki Al Fuad, Helminsyah, 2017).

Glenda Flaviano, a mother of two, uses mobile gaming as a way to connect with her
children. She told the Philippine News Agency, "I guess they are both responsible gamers
because when I ask them to help with household duties, they answer instantly. Yhana (8) and
Kuya Math (14) are both quite fond of playing mobile games, every day except during school
time. She stated that as long as her children obey her commands, they are allowed to play. The
34-year-old mother acknowledged that encouraging her children's creativity is another benefit of
gaming. "They became creative and have developed a strategical mindset. Additionally, they can
somehow escape reality through gaming. She makes sure her kids put schoolwork and sleep first,
so for me, it's a fantastic hobby," Flaviano added. They join small tournaments, "clans" or teams.
As long as this won't interfere with his academics, she would let her kid to participate in greater
events. Some online gamers take their competition more seriously and even travel abroad.
National tournaments for "Valorant" and "League of Legends: Wild Rift" have just been
announced by Mineski.. The winning team would play against other top gamers from Southeast
Asia and win rewards of up to PHP10 million. The more rewards we receive, the more excited
we become, so we are urged to do more and get more rewards because of the positive feeling that
we get, he said. "Every time we experience excitement, our brain releases a chemical called
dopamine, which encourages us to keep playing since the more rewards we receive, the more
excited we become," he said. Given that the reward system makes the player happy, the longer
time the player spends playing, the more sense of time they begin to lose and forgets to do other
important matters, Pinggolio continued. Then, he explained, it becomes repeated and habitual.
Flaviano acknowledged that the mental stimulation provided by gaming makes it "addictive" for
her. "In just one game, you have to think of so many things, including tactics and techniques,"
she shared (Arayata, Ma. C, 2021).

Negative Effects of Playing Online Games

Many studies have regarded the importance of being aware about the negative impacts of
playing online games. Recently, with the rise of the need for phones, computers, and other
electronic devices; one of the most important devices that the majority have is a cell phone. This
device is filled with apps that can easily distract or entertain us for the entire day. However,
using this device can easily affect people's daily lives as it contains apps like social media that
can easily make people addicted. Aside from social media, it also has games like Mobile
Legends that causes many people to neglect their other responsibilities as they are crouched over
their phones. Although games are intended to relieve stress and entertain the users, they can also
lead to excessive gaming and even gaming addiction. People may see excessive gaming or
addiction to gaming as a normal thing, but there are a lot of consequences that other people are
unaware of, such as excessive preoccupation that affects their time management, dangers to
health, especially physical health; because of the phone's radiation, relationship problems
because they are growing apart from their loved ones due to a lack of time, increased aggression
because this game is a battle, and at some time it will put the player's anger issues to the test due
to communicating with other players, as well as bad performance at job or in the academic field
(Reyes, 2019).

According to Campit (2015), computer games play an important part in socializing, and
the ramifications of playing them have been the subject of heated discussion. The profile of the
115 BSIT first-year students from Pangasinan State University, Bayambang Campus, during the
school year 2012-2013 was generated based on their preferred computer games and frequency of
playing. It looked into the social abilities of both players and non-players. The descriptive-
comparative research method was utilized in this study. Crossfire was discovered to be the most
popular computer game played at least once a week. The result of the study was that computer
gamers had lower social skills than non-computer gamers. However, non-gamers assessed the
bulk of bad social behaviors as "excellent social skills." This suggests that the non-gamers never
engaged in 11 of the 13 undesirable behaviors. It implies that students who play computer games
"on a daily basis" have much weaker social skills than students who play "once a week." The
result of Zamani's (2010) research backs up the study's findings: 1) Addiction to computer games
may damage the quality and quantity of social skills; and 2) The stronger the addiction to
computer games, the lower the social skills.

According to Reyes (2020), internet gaming characteristics, such as the amount of time
spent, the amount of money spent, and the devices used posed significant risk factors of IGD.
Psychological factors such as self-control and personality traits such as agreeableness and
openness were identified as risk factors. The lower the self-control, the greater the risk of
developing IGD. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization recognized it and listed it as a
mental illness under addictive behaviors in the ICD-11 category of "mental, behavioral, or
neurodevelopmental disorder." It was also emphasized that a gaming disorder alters gamers'
priorities, drastically reducing their interest and capacity for real-life significant activities other
than gaming. Researchers also paid more attention to psychopathological risk factors like
depression, anxiety, autism, aggression, ADHD, and social phobia.This body of work assumes
comorbidity of IGD to other psychological conditions. Possible risk factors such as personality
and self-control of average gamers for gamers without such conditions needed further
investigation. Some people can be vulnerable, just like with other addictions and compulsive
behaviors including substance abuse, gambling, and sex. The susceptibility may result from
personal tendencies, psychological features including self-control and personality traits, unsafe
environments, and accessibility to online gaming occasions and possibilities, among other risk
factors. In addition, the extreme amount of time the gamers spent resulted in wasted
opportunities, neglected social interactions and essential interpersonal relationships, disregarding
responsibilities (such as school or work), and poor eating habits and hygiene.

Socialization in Online Games

Online games have been used for a variety of purposes, the most common of which are
entertainment and communication. The latter is what makes online games more appealing to
gamers because it allows them to socialize with others regardless of their geographical distance.
Because people who play multiplayer games typically learn and improve their social skills on the
platform, online gamers are frequently perceived as social individuals. This can be seen in how
they use gaming chats. When some of them converse and realize the other person lives nearby,
they may invite them to meet and engage in social activities. There have also been cases of
gamers developing romantic relationships and marrying in real life (Nash, 2020). There are also
other ways for users to interact and gain social benefits in Multiplayer Online Games aside from
gaming chats, as stated by Jia et al. (2015), "In MOGs, users interact with each other in various
ways, for example, by joining the same match is a precondition for interaction, playing on the
same/opposite side indicates a positive/adversarial relationship, and winning/losing together may
impact player attitude and their future team formation." It was also mentioned in the same paper
that social relationships in MOGs can be explicit, which happens when a player joins a gaming
group and plays with them. Another type is implicit relationship, which arises through simple
interactions.

As demonstrated by the preceding statements, gaming was a great tool in normal times,
but it also aided in the formation and maintenance of friendships during pandemic. During the
new normal, most areas in the countries went into lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19,
forcing almost everyone to stay at home. This prompted people to seek out new hobbies and
ways to connect with others around the world without leaving their homes. According to Ian
Biong (2020), “People are still discouraged, if not outright compelled, to refrain from holding
get-togethers. Thus, playing online games has become one of the few ways friends can still
socialize and have a good time.” Biong also discussed the experiences of his fellow gamers,
whom he interviewed. Multiplayer online games, such as Animal Crossing and Overcooked,
were used by the gamers to interact with others while they were under lockdown. Vic
Villavicencio, one of the interviewees mentioned by Biong, also shared his experience with
online games, saying, "I met a lot of new people or got closer to people from different friend
groups or mutual friends because we all played similar games." It is clear that gaming can help
people connect and socialize with others, even in the midst of a pandemic.

In-game voice chats and chat rooms are both available in online games. They can also use
third-party applications like Teamspeak3 and Discord. In these systems, several users can join
with their own accounts and participate in the same voice chat at once. By connecting people
who share a hobby, those who spend the majority of their free time playing online games alone at
home may boost their social connections and make new friends. While there are many benefits to
playing online games, it's important to recognize that there are some dangers as well. These
dangers include gaming addiction, social exclusion, and loneliness, all of which can be problems
(Neumann, 2018). There are strong indicators that adding social interaction to mobile gaming
could reignite and preserve players' interest, extending the game's lifespan. Teamwork,
competition, communication, and recommendation are some of the socializing components that
are considered to be the most significant in today's gaming experience; however, they are more
prevalent in PC multiplayer games (Paul et al., 2008).

According to Barr et al. (2021), 71.3% of their respondents said that the amount of time
they spent playing video games had changed during the COVID-19 epidemic, while 63.1% said
that the kinds of games they played had changed. The most frequent rise in multiplayer game
playing was noted by respondents. The need to socialize is what's causing this increase. They
engage in multiplayer gaming to compensate for the loss of face-to-face interaction and to stay in
touch with their friends. Fully 57% of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 say they have
made a new friend online, and 29% of teenagers say they have made more than five new
friendships online. Only 20% of all teenagers have met an online acquaintance in person,
meaning that the majority of these friendships take place online. Boys are significantly more
likely to make new friends while playing video games online (57% vs. 13% of girls), whereas
girls who have made new friends online are more likely to do so via social media (78% vs. 52%
of boys). Boys utilize video games much more than girls do to pass the time and interact with
their friends and peers on a daily basis. Both face-to-face interactions and networked gaming
environments involve these interactions. Many teen gamers, particularly boys, connect via voice
chat with their fellow players when playing games with others online in order to collaborate,
converse, and engage in trash talk (Lenhart et al. 2015).

SYNTHESIS

The aforementioned related literature and studies center on the various effects of online
games on their users and explain how socialization occurs in these types of games. The effects
are classified as either positive or negative. It has been stated that the positive effects of online
games include their ability to exercise the brain, boost creativity, expand vocabulary, and help
users develop teamwork skills. Meanwhile, the negative effects include the potential for it to
expose players to psychopathological risk factors and to initiate an addiction among its users in
which the players prioritize games over themselves. Socialization in online multiplayer games is
also demonstrated in the literature and studies. It was explained that the players could interact
with one another because of online game functions such as voice chat or text chat. Aside from
that, they can use third-party programs to connect with other gamers.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
 The independent variable is Socialization, while playing mobile legends is the dependent
variable. Playtime is the confounding variable because it has impact on both independent and
dependent variable, while Willingness is the intervening variable because it has an effect on the
dependent variable which can influence the independent variable. Based on the Belongingness
Theory by Baumeister and Leary in 1995, suggests that people have a fundamental need to
belong that motivates them to seek out social interactions and form close and meaningful
relationships with others. The social features of video games provide opportunities for new
meaningful and emotionally resonant relationships to develop, helping to satisfy the human need
for affiliation and social support. Online gaming's primary drivers are hence social need and the
formation of online relationships.

ASSUMPTION

The researchers infer that online games, specifically Mobile Legends, has influence on
students' socialization. Because of the game's popularity and significant number of users, it is
assumed that one of the reasons users play the game is to socialize with other players. Mobile
Legends, like other online multiplayer games, serves as a platform for students to form online
friendships. This study will help students understand the effects of Mobile Legends on their
socialization. The researchers also assume that this study will serve as a reference or guide for
people who want to use the game to develop friendships.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Belongingness Theory- According to Baumeister and Leary, this implies our need to be
accepted by others and to experience a feeling of belonging to a group pushes people to seek out
social interactions.
MOBA- This stands for " multiplayer online battle arena";a game in which it is played with 2
teams of players that includes selection of characters before starting the match. This type of
game revolves around strategy.

Socialization- A method of interacting with others. It is also an act of adjusting to cultural or

societal norms of behavior.

Mobile Legends-Mobile Legends is an online fighting game in which people compete against
one another.

E-Sports- These are competitive video games performed in a highly organized setting. These
games can range from well-known, team-oriented multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) to
single-player first-person shooters, survival battle royales, and virtual recreations of physical
sports.

IGD (Internet Gaming Disorder) - An emerging diagnosis. The internet is an integral part
of people’s lives worldwide for business, education, and leisure. However, for some, it has
gone beyond typical use to what some people view as addictive behavior, especially in the
realm of online gaming.

4G/5G networks - 4G and 5G are both mobile networks that connect your phone to the
internet. The 'G' in each stands for generation. So where 4G means 'fourth generation', 5G
stands for 'fifth generation'. As it is with most techy things, the larger number indicates the
newer, better version of a particular technology.

Peers - A person who is of equal standing with another in a group.

Gameplay - A term used to define the way players interact with a certain video or computer
game. It is further characterized as the way the game is played, including the rules, the plot,
the objectives and how to conquer them, as well as a player's overall experience.

Mobile gaming - Mobile gaming is the most popular form of gaming in the world,
overtaking both console and PC gaming. One of the reasons for mobile gaming’s popularity
is accessibility—nearly everyone has a smartphone, which is capable of playing games.
Beyond the ubiquity of smartphones, mobile games have turned everyone into a gamer.
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