Video game playing motivation in the context of uses and grafications approach: An intergenerational comparison

In today's rapidly digitalizing world, individuals' media consumption habits, social relationships, and leisure activities are undergoing a profound transformation. One of the most striking examples of this transformation is that video games have become a cross-generational area of interest, no longer limited to young individuals. Video games emerge as multifaceted digital experiences that serve a variety of needs, including entertainment, education, socialization, and even psychological well-being. In this context, examining individuals' motivations for playing games and how these motivations differ across generations and personality traits offers a timely and significant field of inquiry within media studies and social interaction research. The primary aim of this thesis is to identify the motivations behind video game play among individuals belonging to the Baby Boomers, X, Y, and Z generations and to evaluate how these motivations relate to personality traits within the framework of the Uses and Gratifications Approach and the Big Five Personality Model. This theoretical framework assumes that individuals use media to obtain specific gratifications and that personality traits play a determining role in these choices. Accordingly, this research not only compares the gaming motivations of different generations but also analyzes how individual differences shape these motivations. The study was conducted using quantitative research methods. A structured questionnaire was administered to a total of 404 participants from different generations. The survey consisted of sections covering demographic information, gaming habits, personality traits (based on the Big Five Personality model), and gaming motivations (based on the Uses and Gratifications Approach). The collected data were analyzed using advanced statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), ANOVA, and correlation analyses. According to the analysis results, significant differences were found among generations in terms of gaming motivations. Generation Z individuals were observed to be more motivated by social interaction and entertainment, whereas Generation X and Baby Boomers were more inclined to play games for leisure and escapism. Generation Y prioritized gratifications related to competition and challenge. Furthermore, significant relationships were identified between personality traits and gaming motivations. For example, extroverted individuals scored higher on the social interaction dimension, while conscientious individuals showed a greater interest in games involving planning and strategy. This study provides several contributions at both theoretical and practical levels. The generational comparative analysis approach—often overlooked in the literature—offers a holistic understanding of gaming experiences across age groups. Additionally, the findings on the relationship between personality traits and gaming behavior provide valuable practical insights for game developers, educators, and mental health professionals. The data obtained may serve as a guide for designing more effective digital media content and for making such content more responsive to individuals' psychological needs. In conclusion, this thesis presents a comprehensive analysis focusing on the relationships between generations, personality traits, and motivations to offer a deeper understanding of the individual and societal functions of video games. It holds the potential to serve as a reference for researchers and practitioners from various disciplines.