A Virtual Life
Online games have particular characteristics that help to create their own digital community. Games such as MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) have contractual environments with their own sets of rules and regulations where the user must accept the EULA (end user license agreement) before they are able to access the game. This is made so that there are contractual rules to help moderate the users of these games to make sure there is a safe environment for all.
Now, let’s get on to the psychology behind the sense of community these gamers feel.
The concept of a psychological sense of community (PSOC) can be defined as ‘a feeling that one is part of a larger dependable and stable structure’ and has been known to exist online. Studies in 2009 examined users of online gamer’s level of PSOC experienced from playing single player, multiplayer, and MMOGs and found that all gamers experienced an online PSOC related to their game of choice. Not only that, but the online social support players received from online team mates also contributed positively to their psychological sense of well-being.
The world of social gaming, as a community, can provide a lot of benefits for people. Take for example the socially awkward, introverted school kid. He/she may not have a lot of face-to-face interaction at school, but when they are at home playing their games they have a bunch of friends spread out all over the world that share their same interests that they can socialise with and receive similar psychological benefits that they may be missing out on due to their lack of sociability at school. And this may in turn make them feel more confident over time so that they then are able to be less socially awkward in real life situations.  At least, that’s what I think.
I feel that there is such an importance about finding others, whether it be online or offline, who share your interests so that you can socialise with them. Personally, I have made a lot of friends around the world purely by finding the digital community for my niche and interacting with them.
P.S Apologies that my posts usually centre around psychology…I can’t help it
Sources: Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys (2014) The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online' Cultural Studies Review
Pavlova, M.K. & Silbereisen, R.K., 2015. Supportive Social Context and Intentions for Civic and Political Participation: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 25(August 2014), pp.432–446. Available at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5625/home.
