Dari Pemenuhan Kebutuhan Psikologis menuju Kecanduan Game Online: Analisis Kritis Perspektif Abraham Maslow

Yosef Kurniawan Lagur (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Maria Claudia Lodan (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Bernardinus Orasio Duris (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Hironimus Nara (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Yosef Jemai (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Maximus Nailopo (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Yohanes Aurelius Gradisca (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Sebastianus Takake (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Valentinus Dae (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)
Marianus Soni Jaya Mahe (Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero)

Dewantara: Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Humaniora
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Maret: Dewantara : Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Humaniora

Online game addiction is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in the digital era and is associated not only with the intensity of gadget use but also with individual psychological needs and motivations. This study aims to analyze online game addiction from the perspective of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, particularly the relationship between psychological need fulfillment and the emergence of problematic gaming behavior. This study employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method by examining relevant scholarly journals, books, and academic works. The findings indicate that online games can function as an alternative medium for fulfilling needs for safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization through social interaction, achievement, skill development, and escape from pressures in real life. However, these motivations do not directly cause addiction. Gaming becomes problematic when the activity is difficult to control, dominates daily life, interferes with other activities, and continues despite negative consequences. Maslow’s theory can help explain the motivations underlying gaming behavior, but it has limitations in fully explaining the development of online game addiction.