The influence of group activity experience in online game on real world: From the viewpoint of community and culture

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13691
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08010:Sociology-related
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka,Shizuoka College
• Principal Investigator: Takada Keisuke 静岡県立大学短期大学部, 短期大学部, 講師 (30817440)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: オンラインゲーム / ソーシャルスキル / コミュニティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study, which crosses the disciplines of sociology and psychology, used a mixed research method from two aspects, quantitative and qualitative, to examine the real-world effects of the experience of group activities in online games. First, we were able to conduct the eighth point in the ongoing panel survey. Second, we conducted interviews with online game players asking about the culture and community within the game.
The results of the research conducted throughout the study period showed that individuals playing MMORPGs improved their real-world group problem-solving abilities at each time point using a latent growth curve model based on panel data from eight time points, which has not been done in previous studies. The results also indicate that belonging to a community and the function of the community are the most important factors that sustain players' participation in group activities that require detailed work in the virtual world of MMORPGs.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

仮想世界から現実世界へとソーシャルスキルが波及する背景には「仮想世界の特徴である仮名性が，仮想世界の活動でプレイヤーを現実世界のアイデンティティから乖離させる役割を果たしている」，プレイヤーの語りを借りると「理想的なロールプレイ環境」による影響が示唆されていたが，波及が生ずる社会的背景や，その個人差については明らかにされていなかった。本研究は，その一側面として，仮想世界内のコミュニティの存在を明らかにし，そのコミュニティが集団問題解決能力を向上させうる高難度の集団活動への参加を促していたことを明らかにした。