The changing dynamic of social interaction in World of Warcraft: the impacts of game feature change

This study examines how changes in game features through patches and expansions can affect the social interaction within massively multiplayer games. Since patches and expansions are now commonplace within massively multiplayer games, understanding of the relationship would enable better production of social capital. In-depth interviews uncovered that the recent changes to the World of Warcraft affect in-game social interaction in 3 aspects. The areas of social interaction affected included interpersonal relationships, community size and social alienation. The discussions highlight how these findings can advance models of social interaction within MMOs.

[1]  H. Arkes,et al.  The Psychology of Sunk Cost , 1985 .

[2]  Jonathan Schonscheck,et al.  Privacy and Discrete "Social Spheres" , 1997 .

[3]  Henry Been-Lirn Duh,et al.  Understanding social interaction in world of warcraft , 2007, ACE '07.

[4]  C. Cutrona,et al.  Optimally matching support and perceived spousal sensitivity. , 2007, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[5]  M. Crouch,et al.  The logic of small samples in interview-based qualitative research , 2006 .

[6]  Glen Whyte,et al.  Escalating Commitment in Individual and Group Decision Making: A Prospect Theory Approach , 1993 .

[7]  Yuval Rottenstreich,et al.  On decision making without likelihood judgment. , 2006 .

[8]  Georgia Leigh McGregor,et al.  Architecture, space and gameplay in World of Warcraft and Battle for Middle Earth 2 , 2006 .

[9]  Stella Vosniadou,et al.  The Cognitive-Situative Divide and the Problem of Conceptual Change , 2007 .

[10]  R. Collins.  On the Microfoundations of Macrosociology , 1981, American Journal of Sociology.

[11]  C. Wright.  Truth and Objectivity , 1992 .

[12]  E. Goffman.  The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life , 1959 .

[13]  S. Birrell,et al.  Sport as Ritual: Interpretations from Durkheim to Goffman , 1981 .

[14]  Jonathon N. Cummings,et al.  Internet Paradox Revisited , 2002 .

[15]  J. Codol,et al.  On the so-called ‘superior conformity of the self’ behavior: Twenty experimental investigations , 1975 .

[16]  Vasja Vehovar,et al.  The social support networks of internet users , 2006, New Media Soc..

[17]  D. Heerwegh,et al.  Effects of Personal Salutations in E-mail Invitations to Participate in a Web Survey , 2005 .