that online nline games, key functional motives may include the advancement, need to master the mechanics of games, need for relationship, and need for escapism (Y While these are intemally formulated motivations, the prevention factors among adolescents are often external to the person and fall into ones environment. These parental monitoring, education, the cost of conducting the activity(playing online games), resources shortage, and alternative, attention switching, activities(Dickson 2002) To test our model, two surveys were conducted. First, data from a sample of 163 Chinese adolescents were utilized for developing the measurement instruments not found in the literature. Second, using the developed measurement scales, data from a sample of 623 Chinese adolescents were collected and subjected to Partial L (PLS)analysis. The results point to several motivation and prevention factors that explain variation in game playing and addiction, and also show that some preventio ay not have merit. functionalist approach. The Hypotheses section presents the development of our research model. The Methods section describes the approaches taken for survey 3 The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The Theoretical Background section reviews the literature operationalization and data collection. The Analysis and Results section provides information on, and the results of the analyses performed. In the Discussion section summarize the results, outline implications for research and practice, and acknowledge limitations that point to future research directions, Concluding remarks are pi the Conclusion section Online Game Addiction Game addiction is one type of Internet addiction that encapsulates the dependency on a specific family of f artifacts-online games. To capture it, many research dopted the criteria of Internet addiction(Young, 1998b; Young, 2010a)or a broader set for diagnosing problematic non-substance related compulsions, i.e., behavior (Brown, 1997). These works largely build on a closely related disorder- problem pathological gambling, which is described in DSM-IV(Diagnostic and Statistics M ental Disorders- Fourth Edition; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Because no official cutoff points to classify a person as addicted exist(Block, 2008),m search on this topic so far has treated online game and other technology addictions as continuous concepts -ranging from low to high levels of addiction Ferraro et al., 2007, Hur, 2006), and hence assumed that all users may have a certain level of addiction, though low for most users(Turel et al. Forthcomi perspective in this stud ike other behavioral addictions, online game addiction can be manifested through six core symptoms described by Brown(1997). These include conflict (i.e, pl games meaningfully conflicts with other important tasks), withdrawal (ie, negative emotions arise if one cannot play online games), relapse and reinstatement (i.e, i voluntarily reduce the time spent on online games), and behavioral salience (i. e, playing online games dominates ones life and takes over other tasks). Other less sev symptoms are indicative of high engagement, and serve as a precondition for the more severe addiction symptoms( Charlton Danforth, 2007; Charlton Danforth include tolerance(need to increase the time spent on online games ), euphoria(a buzz of excitement from playing online games), and cognitive salience(frequently th online games) How is online game addiction formed? While not all reasons are clear, evidence so far suggests that it has to do with at least two families of factors: Internal psyc factors and socio-environmental factors(Shi, 2008), as well as potentially with neurobehavioral deficiencies(Ko et al., 2009a). For example, social-behaviorally inac ersonality traits, such as shyness, dependence, depression, aggression, low self-esteem, low self-control, and narcissism, may predispose some individuals to play ex nd become addicted to online games(Ho Lee, 2001; Kim et al., 2008; Yang Tung, 2007, Dominick, 1984). Socio-environmental factors can include one's work (e.g, working night shifts), socio economic status(Hur, 2006), and demographics(e.g, age and gender)(Ko et al., 2005). Game design is another external factor that fluence online game addiction. Role playing games, action games, adventure games, strategy games, fighting games, and shooting games are more addictive than ot 2008)plausibly due to their interactive, collaborative and competitive nature( Barnett Coulson, 2010, Liu& Peng, 2009)which serves social needs of individuals t hissing in their real lives( Young, 2010b) While focusing on such variables is important and fruitful, the functionalist perspective which we take in this study suggests that these factors inform a set of funct motives, which in turn, influence behavioral outcomes( Clary et al., 1998; Mowen, 2000; Mowen et al., 2007). Thus, one's functional motives are different from traits hore proximal determinants of his or her program of behavior(Mowen Sujan, 2005). Accordingly, in this study we focus on functional motives and inhibitors The Functional Approach for Online Game Playing Most if not all activities humans perform are driven by purposeful striving toward social and personal goals( Snyder, 1993)such as to increase ones social status become healthy. People's actions hence cater to various functional needs( Clary et al., 1998). These needs often evolve around key themes, such as serving knowle oneself), and utilitarian functions(need for obtaining rewards and avoiding punishment)(Katz, 1960). This perspective has been utilized and validated in numerous st Cooper et al., 1998: De Cremer Tyler, 2005; Rioux Penner, 2001)Specifically, in line with functionalist approach of motivation we argue that online gamers follow a program of behavior to serve their functional motives. In the online games, key functional motives may include the need for advancement, need to master the mechanics of games, need for relationship, and need for escapism (Y While these are internally formulated motivations, the prevention factors among adolescents are often external to the person and fall into one’s environment. These ca parental monitoring, education, the cost of conducting the activity (playing online games), resources shortage, and alternative, attention switching, activities (Dickson 2002). To test our model, two surveys were conducted. First, data from a sample of 163 Chinese adolescents were utilized for developing the measurement instruments not found in the literature. Second, using the developed measurement scales, data from a sample of 623 Chinese adolescents were collected and subjected to Partial L (PLS) analysis. The results point to several motivation and prevention factors that explain variation in game playing and addiction, and also show that some preventio may not have merit. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The Theoretical Background section reviews the literature on online game addiction, some of its antecedents functionalist approach. The Hypotheses section presents the development of our research model. The Methods section describes the approaches taken for survey operationalization and data collection. The Analysis and Results section provides information on, and the results of the analyses performed. In the Discussion section summarize the results, outline implications for research and practice, and acknowledge limitations that point to future research directions. Concluding remarks are pr the Conclusion section. Theoretical background Online Game Addiction Game addiction is one type of Internet addiction that encapsulates the dependency on a specific family of IT artifacts – online games. To capture it, many research adopted the criteria of Internet addiction (Young, 1998b; Young, 2010a) or a broader set for diagnosing problematic non-substance related compulsions, i.e., behavior (Brown, 1997). These works largely build on a closely related disorder – problem pathological gambling, which is described in DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistics M Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Because no official cutoff points to classify a person as addicted exist (Block, 2008), m research on this topic so far has treated online game and other technology addictions as continuous concepts – ranging from low to high levels of addiction (Byun et a Ferraro et al., 2007; Hur, 2006), and hence assumed that all users may have a certain level of addiction, though low for most users (Turel et al., Forthcoming). We ado perspective in this study. Like other behavioral addictions, online game addiction can be manifested through six core symptoms described by Brown (1997). These include conflict (i.e., pla games meaningfully conflicts with other important tasks), withdrawal (i.e., negative emotions arise if one cannot play online games), relapse and reinstatement (i.e., i voluntarily reduce the time spent on online games), and behavioral salience (i.e., playing online games dominates one’s life and takes over other tasks). Other less sev symptoms are indicative of high engagement, and serve as a precondition for the more severe addiction symptoms (Charlton & Danforth, 2007; Charlton & Danforth, include tolerance (need to increase the time spent on online games), euphoria (a buzz of excitement from playing online games), and cognitive salience (frequently th online games). How is online game addiction formed? While not all reasons are clear, evidence so far suggests that it has to do with at least two families of factors: Internal psyc factors and socio-environmental factors (Shi, 2008), as well as potentially with neurobehavioral deficiencies (Ko et al., 2009a). For example, social-behaviorally inac personality traits, such as shyness, dependence, depression, aggression, low self-esteem, low self-control, and narcissism, may predispose some individuals to play ex and become addicted to online games (Ho & Lee, 2001; Kim et al., 2008; Yang & Tung, 2007; Dominick, 1984). Socio-environmental factors can include one’s work (e.g., working night shifts), socio economic status (Hur, 2006), and demographics (e.g., age and gender) (Ko et al., 2005). Game design is another external factor that influence online game addiction. Role playing games, action games, adventure games, strategy games, fighting games, and shooting games are more addictive than ot 2008) plausibly due to their interactive, collaborative and competitive nature (Barnett & Coulson, 2010; Liu & Peng, 2009) which serves social needs of individuals th missing in their real lives (Young, 2010b) While focusing on such variables is important and fruitful, the functionalist perspective which we take in this study suggests that these factors inform a set of funct motives, which in turn, influence behavioral outcomes (Clary et al., 1998; Mowen, 2000; Mowen et al., 2007). Thus, one’s functional motives are different from traits more proximal determinants of his or her program of behavior (Mowen & Sujan, 2005). Accordingly, in this study we focus on functional motives and inhibitors. The Functional Approach for Online Game Playing Most if not all activities humans perform are driven by purposeful striving toward social and personal goals (Snyder, 1993) such as to increase one’s social status, or become healthy. People’s actions hence cater to various functional needs (Clary et al., 1998). These needs often evolve around key themes, such as serving knowle (better understanding a concept or object), value expressive function (need to express one’s values), ego-defense needs (need to protect a person from threatening trut oneself), and utilitarian functions (need for obtaining rewards and avoiding punishment) (Katz, 1960). This perspective has been utilized and validated in numerous st (Cooper et al., 1998; De Cremer & Tyler, 2005; Rioux & Penner, 2001)