Memory Suppression Of Internet Game Addicts To Social Feedback In Different Situations

Impaired social function has become one of the most serious consequences of Internet gaming disorder,and it is important to explore the psychological mechanisms of impaired social function in Internet gaming disorders.Cognitive theory states that a cognitive bias towards socially threatening information is an important mechanism by which impaired social functioning occurs and is maintained.Internet gaming addicts have a significant negative cognitive bias towards social feedback.However,most previous studies have examined Internet gaming disorders from the perspective of’remembering’,but few studies have examined them from the perspective of ’forgetting’.Forgetting is another important aspect of the cognitive system,and actively forgetting unpleasant memories is essential for maintaining cognitive function and psychological well-being.Impaired social functioning in Internet gaming disorders may be related to their dysfunctional memory suppression in response to social feedback.Given that Internet gaming addicts show impaired social functioning differently in real and gaming situations,memory suppression of social feedback in Internet gaming addicts may be influenced by contextual factors.Therefore,the present study designed two studies with four sub-studies to examine whether memory suppression of social feedback in real and gaming situations is dysfunctional in Internet gaming addicts,starting from two stages of memory encoding and extraction,respectively.Study 1 examined whether directed forgetting function in response to social feedback was dysfunctional in internet gaming addicts during the memory encoding phase,and was divided into 2 sub-studies,studies 1a and 1b,which examined it in realistic and gaming situations,respectively.Both studies used the directed forgetting paradigm and a three-factor mixed design of 2(group: IGD group,HC group)x 2(type of social feedback: positive,negative)x 2(type of instruction: to-be-remembered,to-be-forgotten).The results of Study 1a found that the IGD group recalled TBF items with negative social feedback significantly more correctly than the HC group,and recalled TBF items with positive social feedback significantly less correctly than the HC group.The results of Study 1b found that the IGD group recalled the TBR items with positive social feedback significantly more correctly than the HC group.Study 2 examined whether there was a dysfunctional inhibition of extraction of social feedback in internet gaming addicts during the memory extraction phase,and was divided into 2 sub-studies,studies 2a and 2b,which were examined in real and gaming situations respectively.Both studies used the think/not think paradigm(TNT)and a three-factor mixed design of 2(group: IGD group,HC group)x 2(type of social feedback: positive,negative)x 3(type of instruction: recall,non-recall,baseline).The results of Study 2a found that the IGD group recalled negative social feedback in the no-recall condition significantly more correctly than the HC group.The results of Study2 b found that the IGD group recalled positive social feedback in the no-recall condition significantly more correctly than the HC group.In summary,this study concludes the following:(1)In the memory encoding stage,Internet game addicts have a dysfunctional orientation forgetting of social feedback in real situations,which is reflected in a lack of directional forgetting of negative social feedback and a lack of the normal individual’s memory advantage for positive social feedback.(2)In the memory encoding stage,online game addicts have a different orientation forgetting ability for social feedback in game situations than normal people,and they have a memory advantage for positive social feedback in game situations that normal people do not have.(3)In the memory extraction stage,Internet game addicts have a dysfunctional inhibition of the extraction of social feedback from real situations,which is reflected in their insufficient ability to actively suppress negative social feedback.(4)In the memory extraction stage,Internet game addicts have a dysfunctional inhibition of the extraction of social feedback from the game situation,which is reflected in a lack of active suppression of the positive social feedback from the game situation.