Can online video games actually have socially redeeming qualities?
Not only do that have socially-redeeming qualities, but they help promote social interaction. This finding contradicts earlier research that suggested people who spend a lot of time online or gaming are socially isolated.
As many parents lament, …
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I am a Psych student, and I play World of Warcraft on a regular basis. The key here, as with anything, is moderation. Many people that I have talked with in the game, do nothing but play. These people, while they can function perfectly in the social environment in WoW, they do nothing but sit in front of their computers and can no longer function socially in reality, because the game is the only place they feel safe.
i also play world of warcraft on regular basis and find that it does help social life.
i am also a psyc student, but I don’t play WoW. I play starcraft because it is fully balanced and requires more skill which takes years to develop… Hence Seoul’s adoption of the game.
You have hit the nail on the head. We have deen working on these types of games in house for some time and we have researched these positive points.
There are some of the games that result in a bit of an unhealthy obsession, but that is the exception.
When players play many of these games online, they get a sense of achievement and well being. So even though it is not 100% real, it has a positive and uplifting effect on the individual.
Sadly many of the games are not developed first of all with the players in mind, but rather from a point of view of “how can we make money of it”.