WEEK 9: ONLINE GAMES COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL VALUES
Online gaming has attracted billion of active users worldwide, and it has been demonstrated that it can be used to virtually interact, form friendships, and acquire online social capital.
The gaming community is not bound by the traditional social norms of interaction common in public places such as schools, pubs, and clubs. In internet gaming communities, we will not have to behave a certain way or adhere to certain formalized norms in the manner we might otherwise.
Consequently, we have far more autonomy and less anxiety in our community’s relations. Friendships could indeed form and grow in an unpressured environment.
In 2017, a study found that playing video games was associated with a stronger sense of social identity, or even how users define themselves within their networks of affiliation.
Increased social competence, improved self-esteem, and decreased psychological suffering were all linked to this social identity.
Two researchers looked at more than 5,800 letters sent in 2006 depicting participants having fun in an online multiplayer game to see if the texts were task-oriented or socio-emotional.
The number of socio-emotional communications exceeded 3.2 times that of task-oriented messages. Moreover, there were more than 2.6 times as many positive as negative emotional messages.
The picture shows 2 different types of cats playing games together, showing no bond to the game communities.
Previous research on digital gaming, as well as the results of more recent studies, suggest that the positive effects of gaming on social capital and real-world social support online are likely to increase the number of people interacting in both online and offline environments, particularly in their sense of community.
Therefore, interactions between players outside of the game may make gaming in general and e-sports in particular an excellent social resource.
References:
Fishman, A. (2012). Video Games Are Social Spaces: How Video Games Help People Connect | ResponseCenter. Jcfs.org. https://www.jcfs.org/response/blog/video-games-are-social-spaces-how-video-games-help-people-connect
Quandt, T., & Kröger, S. (2013). Multiplayer. Routledge.
Gossett, S. (2020, March 20). The Very Real Social Benefits of Online Gaming. Built In. https://builtin.com/media-gaming/online-gaming-social-benefits