Online Games Makes One More Social

Contrary to what some people might think, online games contribute to the development of an individual's social skills. This in contrast to what critics sneer at when they cite that gamers degenerate into anti-social husks just by sitting in front of their PCs for hours on end. Many see that virtual friends are not REAL friends and most lead into depression.

Well... that's not true, according to a study made by the University of Wisconsin and the University of Illinois. In that study, it concludes that online games can expose gamers to alternate worldviews and promote sociability.

In a report by gamebiz.com:

According to Constance Steinkuehler, a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Dmitri Williams, a professor of speech communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, MMOs can "promote sociability and new worldviews." The two researchers liken the virtual worlds of MMOs to coffee shops or pubs where "social bridging" can take place. The duo published the study in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication under the title, "Where Everybody Knows Your (Screen) Name: Online Games as 'Third Places,' " seemingly inspired by the classic TV show Cheers. ("Third places," it should be noted, was coined in 1999 by sociologist Ray Oldenburg to describe the physical places outside the home and workplace that people use for informal social interaction.)

The duo explains that MMOs can also expose gamers to ideas, worldviews and cultures they might not otherwise get a chance to experience. "... spending time in these social games helps people meet others not like them, even if it doesn't always lead to strong friendships. That kind of social horizon-broadening has been sorely lacking in American society for decades," explained Steinkuehler and Williams.

While MMOs can promote sociability, they don't necessarily lead to strong bonds. "Virtual worlds appear to function best as bridging mechanisms, rather than as bonding ones, although they do not entirely preclude social ties of the latter type," the two professors said. Indeed, it's not unheard of for MMO players to translate their virtual friendships into real-life ones, sometimes even leading to marriage.

And I can vouch for online relationships that lead into marriage. In pRO alone, I am ninong (godfather) to a couple of iRL marriages "made in Midgard".

... but that's a topic for another post.

Good night!