Social Benefits of Online Gaming: Loneliness, Social Anxiety, and Guild Commitment in World of Warcraft
Overview
This précis examines two academic studies investigating the psychological and social effects of World of Warcraft gameplay. The papers analyze whether MMORPG environments reduce loneliness and social anxiety compared to real-world interactions, and how guild commitment influences mental health outcomes in online gaming communities.
What this literature review covers
- Analysis of Martončik and Lokša study on loneliness and social anxiety in WoW players using 161 participants
- Examination of Odrowska and Massar research on guild commitment and mental health using investment model with 165 players
- Works Cited section with full APA citations
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Précis of Academic Articles
Martončik Marcel and Ján Lokša, in their article "Do World of Warcraft (MMORPG) players experience less loneliness and social anxiety in online world (virtual environment) than in real-world (offline)?" (2015) believe that World of Warcraft (WoW) is an environment that is highly social and encourages cooperation, communication, and friendship. In order to support this claim, they carried out a study using 161 players, which showed that participants were less lonely while engaging in online gaming than in the real world. Their purpose was to unravel the causes of loneliness and social anxiety in WoW players in order to educate the reader on the same (Martončik & Ján, 127 – 134). The study targeted the youths who are champions of the new technology who mostly use online gaming
Odrowska Aleksandra M and Karlijn Massar, in their work "Predicting guild commitment in World of Warcraft with the investment model of commitment" (4 March 2014), asserts that commitment to one's guild prevented the risks of online gaming. They support this claim through a study that examined whether guild commitment and players' intention to remain in their guild can be predicted by players' satisfaction, investments, and perceptions of alternatives to their guild. The authors issued questionnaires to 165 WoW players who filled it online concerning their guild membership besides an investment model scale about their guild and guild members.