Although commonly thought of as an individual pursuit, online casino gambling can actually help foster social interaction and teamwork among its participants. Furthermore, this form of entertainment can promote emotional intelligence by teaching players how to read social cues accurately and measure emotions accurately.
Results revealed that emotional intelligence and Internet gaming disorder symptomatology were connected through perceived self-efficacy and helplessness; these relationships did not differ depending on age, gender or target population.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness refers to your ability to recognize your emotions and understand how they influence you. As part of emotional intelligence, self-awareness helps individuals make better decisions in gaming environments or understand the effects of their actions and behaviors on others. Although its value should not be underestimated, research indicates only 10-15 percent of individuals possess true self-awareness – which is sad considering self-awareness is integral for leadership and teamwork success.
One recent study demonstrated that trait emotional intelligence (EI) is positively correlated with social preferences for play and frequency of gaming, and negatively with achievement-oriented instrumental practices, suggesting gamers’ EI traits determine their preferred online gaming activities. Furthermore, this research identified intelligence and agreeableness as significant predictors of EI measures; similar to findings in studies using MSCEIT; however there were issues associated with these results.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is an essential aspect of online casino gaming and an invaluable way to prevent gambling disorder. Strategies for self-regulatory include limiting time spent gaming and taking frequent breaks from gaming; seeking support from family and friends when gaming; seeking medical help for gambling issues when necessary, seeking counselling services when needed, practicing mindfulness techniques to reduce stress-levels while gaming; as well as practicing mindfulness or other stress reduction methods in order to enhance self-control over gaming behavior.
Trait emotional intelligence was found to be negatively associated with internet gaming disorder symptomatology among young adults; however, correlation coefficients were weak and varied according to country; moreover, EI’s correlation with IGD may differ depending on its cultural context of research.
Technological interventions can also aid in self-regulation of online gaming. For instance, certain technology platforms provide tools that enable players to limit their gaming time and prevent accessing accounts when they exceed set limits. These tools may be activated for short or extended periods to give back control over gaming behavior and help players regain control.
Motivation
Gamers often turn to online casino gaming as an outlet for their need for immediate gratification. Success requires not only dedication but also self-control and motivation in order to reach goals successfully. Emotional intelligence can assist gamers in staying disciplined while sticking with long-term strategies.
Numerous studies have utilized different measures of EI, such as trait and ability models. The former focus on self-reports of behavioral dispositions while the latter on perceived abilities; these models differ from traditional intelligence tests which use performance-based measures.
Recent research conducted with 1051 young adult US/European gamers who frequently engage in World of Warcraft gameplay found that trait EI predicts their preferences and frequency of gaming. Researchers discovered higher trait EI was associated with social practices while lower EI correlated more closely to achievement practices. Age, gender distribution and target population did not have an effect on correlation coefficients in this research study.
Empathy
Emotional intelligence refers to a broad skill set which encompasses self-awareness, self-regulation and empathy. EI is crucial in gaming as it allows players to connect emotionally with characters in a game’s narrative and keep playing longer; additionally it assists with managing emotions effectively and making better decisions.
Empathy is the ability to share another person’s thoughts, emotions and experiences. Neuroimaging studies have identified two brain regions involved in empathy: emotional contagion system and perspective-taking system. Emotional contagion involves basic processing while perspective taking involves higher-order reasoning skills; brain blue regions involved include the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), insula medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and superior temporal sulcus as parts of this network.
Research indicates that low levels of cognitive and emotional empathy are related to addiction to gambling. Unfortunately, however, their relationship is far less understood than between gambling and substance-related addictions. One scoping review discovered that on a network level disordered gamblers experienced excitatory connections between gambling networks and empathy networks than healthy controls did.