Identification Processes in Online Groups

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Gabbiadini ◽  
Silvia Mari ◽  
Chiara Volpato ◽  
Maria Grazia Monaci
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Group Behavior ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Virtual Group ◽  
Identification Processes ◽  
Online Video Games

Online video games are a popular leisure activity around the world; such virtual environments enable new ways for social identity to develop. This study investigated the motives affecting social identification processes in the massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft (WoW). In this video game, players interact with other players in a tridimensional virtual world through their avatar. A sample of 92 WoW players took part in a data collection Web survey. Building on the theory of social identity, we tested the predictive power of three identification motives: self-esteem enhancement, optimal distinctiveness, and uncertainty reduction. Additionally, considering previous research on MMORPGs, we added identification with the game character and membership duration as further predictors of virtual group identification. The construct of virtual group identification was analyzed at two levels: identification with the faction and guild of the character. Furthermore, the current study was a first attempt to understand whether online identification may lead to group behavior such as evaluative ingroup bias. Our results indicated that traditional motivational theories of social identity were mostly confirmed. Moreover, identification with the avatar emerged as a strong predictor of group identity. Additionally, at both levels of analysis, group attachment led to an evaluative differentiation between the ingroup and outgroup. The findings are discussed in light of modern theories of social identity and media research.

Effects of Human vs. Computer-Controlled Characters and Social Identity Cues on Enjoyment

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Peña ◽  
Jannath Ghaznavi ◽  
Nicholas Brody ◽  
Rui Prada ◽  
Carlos Martinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Virtual Character ◽  
Character Type ◽  
Computer Controlled ◽  
Media Enjoyment ◽  
Identification Processes

Abstract. This study explored how group identification, avatar similarity identification, and social presence mediated the effect of character type (avatars or agents) and social identity cues (presence or absence of avatars wearing participants’ school colors) on game enjoyment. Playing with teammate avatars increased enjoyment indirectly by enhancing group identification. In addition, the presence of social identity cues increased enjoyment indirectly by augmenting identification with one’s avatar. Unexpectedly, playing in multiplayer mode in the presence of social identity cues decreased enjoyment, whereas playing in multiplayer mode in the absence of social identity cues increased enjoyment. Social presence was not a reliable mediator. The findings supported media enjoyment and social identity theories, and highlighted how virtual character type and identification processes influence enjoyment.

How Discrimination Shapes Social Identification Processes and Well-Being Among Arab Americans

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader H. Hakim ◽  
Ludwin E. Molina ◽  
Nyla R. Branscombe
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Arab Americans ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Identity Processes ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Secondary Analyses ◽  
Identification Processes

The increasingly xenophobic U.S. climate warrants a close investigation of Arab American responses to discrimination. We conducted secondary analyses of two large data sets to examine social identity processes and their relationship to well-being. In a representative sample of Muslim Arab Americans (Study 1, n = 228), discrimination was related to decreased American identification, which in turn predicted lower well-being. Another large sample of Arab Americans (Study 2, n = 1,001) revealed how social identity processes differ by religious group. For Christian Arab Americans, discrimination predicted an indirect negative effect on well-being through decreased American identification. Muslim Arab Americans showed the same pattern, but also stronger religious and ethnic identification the more they experienced discrimination, which partially buffered the harmful effects on well-being. These data present a social cohesion challenge where the maintenance of national identity necessitates less discrimination and injustice against minorities.

Opinion-Based Group Membership as a Predictor of Collective Emotional Responses and Support for Pro- and Anti-War Action

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Musgrove ◽  
Craig McGarty
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Group Concept ◽  
The Government ◽  
War Protest

Abstract. Social identity theory, intergroup emotions theory (IET), and related approaches offer the potential to understand the social psychological aspects of collective behavior such as movements that protest against or argue for war. Social identification, however, tends to be a weak predictor of collective action intentions. We argue that in order to understand the fault lines of collective action it is useful to consider identification with opinion-based groups. We illustrate this in relation to support for and opposition to the war on terror (WoT) in Australia. Comparing predictions based on IET with those based on opinion-based group identification, we found limited support for the sets of connections hypothesized by IET. Alternatively, social identification with pro- and anti-WoT opinion-based groups was a strong predictor of different emotional reactions and associated action intentions. In particular, highly identified supporters of the WoT were angry at terrorists, and this anger in turn predicted offensive action tendencies against the terrorists. Stronger yet were the emotional reactions of anger at the government reported by highly identified opponents of the WoT, which strongly predicted anti-war protest action intentions. The results point to the utility of the opinion-based group concept for understanding the collective, yet contested, aspects of political support for war and peace in contemporary society.

Working Hard to Achieve Self-Defining Group Goals: A Social Identity Analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly S. Fielding ◽  
Michael A. Hogg
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Group Norms ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
Identity Model ◽  
Group Goals ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Substantial Effort

Summary: A social identity model of effort exertion in groups is presented. In contrast to most traditional research on productivity and performance motivation, the model is assumed to apply to groups of all sizes and nature, and to all membership contingent norms that specify group behaviors and goals. It is proposed that group identification renders behavior group-normative and encourages people to behave in line with group norms. The effect should be strengthened among people who most need consensual identity validation from fellow members, and in intergroup contexts where there is inescapable identity threat from an outgroup. Together these processes should encourage people to exert substantial effort on behalf of their group.

Processing of Social Identity Threats

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 361-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha de Hoog
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Negative Group ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Neutral Group ◽  
Threat Perceptions ◽  
Social Identity Threat ◽  
Identity Threats ◽  
Group Information ◽  
Source Study

The underlying process of reactions to social identity threat was examined from a defense motivation perspective. Two studies measured respondents’ social identification, after which they read threatening group information. Study 1 compared positive and negative group information, attributed to an ingroup or outgroup source. Study 2 compared negative and neutral group information to general negative information. It was expected that negative group information would induce defense motivation, which reveals itself in biased information processing and in turn affects the evaluation of the information. High identifiers should pay more attention to, have higher threat perceptions of, more defensive thoughts of, and more negative evaluations of negative group information than positive or neutral group information. Findings generally supported these predictions.

I Want to Be Like You

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Matschke ◽  
Kai Sassenberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Social Self ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Internal Motivation ◽  
Avoidance Strategies ◽  
Social Identity Development

Entering a new group provides the potential of forming a new social identity. Starting from self-regulation models, we propose that goals (e.g., internal motivation to enter the group), strategies (e.g., approach and avoidance strategies), and events (e.g., the group’s response) affect the development of the social self. In two studies we manipulated the group’s response (acceptance vs. rejection) and assessed internal motivation as well as approach and avoidance strategies. It was expected, and we found, that when newcomers are accepted, their use of approach strategies (but not avoidance strategies) facilitates social identification. In line with self-completion theory, for highly internally motivated individuals approach strategies facilitated social identification even upon rejection. The results underline the active role of newcomers in their social identity development.

PENERAPAN FINITE STATE MACHINE UNTUK PENGENDALIAN ANIMASI PADA VIDEO GAME RPG NUSANTARA LEGACY

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mustofa Mustofa ◽  
Sidiq Sidiq ◽  
Eva Rahmawati
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Finite State Machine ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
State Machine ◽  
Game Development ◽  
Development Life Cycle ◽  
Finite State ◽  
Role Playing Game

Perkembangan dunia yang dinamis mendorong percepatan perkembangan teknologi dan informasi. Dengan dorongan tersebut komputer yang dulunya dibuat hanya untuk membantu pekerjaan manusia sekarang berkembang menjadi sarana hiburan, permainan, komunikasi dan lain sebagainya. Dalam sektor hiburan salah satu industri yang sedang menjadi pusat perhatian adalah industri video game. Begitu banyaknya produk video game asing yang masuk ke dalam negeri ini memberikan tantangan kepada bangsa ini. Tentunya video game asing yang masuk ke negara ini membawa banyak unsur kebudayaan negara lain. Ini semakin membuat kebudayaan nusantara semakin tergeserkan dengan serangan kebudayaan asing melalui berbagai media. Maka dari itu peneliti mencoba untuk menerapkan Finite State Machine dalam merancang sebuah video game RPG (Role-Playing game) yang memperkenalkan kebudayaan. Dalam perancangan video game ini peneliti menggunakan metode GDLC(Game Development Life Cycle) agar penelitian ini berjalan secara sistematis. Dalam suatu perancangan video game tedapat banyak elemen, pada penelitian ini penulis lebih fokus pada pengendalian animasi karakter yang dimainkan pada video game ini. Dari perancangan yang dilakukan, disimpulkan bahwa Finite State Machine dapat digunakan untuk pengendalian animasi yang baik pada video game RPG. Diharapkan video game ini dapat menjadi salah satu media untuk mengenalkan kebudayaan nusantara

scholarly journals The role of integrated offline/online social activity and social identification in Facebook citizenship behaviour formation

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeeshan Ahmed Bhatti ◽  
Ghulam Ali Arain ◽  
Hina Mahboob Yasin ◽  
Muhammad Asif Khan ◽  
Muhammad Shakaib Akram
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Activity Integration

PurposeDrawing on social identity theory and prosocial behaviour research, this study explores how people's integration of their offline and online social activities through Facebook cultivates their Facebook citizenship behaviour (FCB). It also offers further insight into the underlying mechanism of offline and online social activity integration - FCB relation by investigating people's social identification with their offline and online social groups as possible mediators.Design/methodology/approachBased on social identity theory (SIT) literature, community citizenship behaviour and offline-online social activity integration through Facebook, we developed a conceptual model, which was empirically tested using data from 308 Facebook usersFindingsThe results confirm that the participants' offline-online social activity integration via Facebook is positively linked to their FCB. Further, the integration of offline and online social activity through Facebook positively affects how a person identifies with their offline and online social groups, which in turn causes them to display FCB. In addition, offline/online social identification mediates the integration – FCB relation.Practical implicationsIn practice, it is interesting to see people's tendency towards altruistic behaviours within groups they like to associate themselves with. Those who share their Facebook network with their offline friends can use such network to seek help and support.Originality/valueFrom a theoretical perspective, unlike past research, this study examines how individuals' offline-online social activity integration via Facebook helps them associate with groups. In addition, this study investigates social identification from an offline and online perspective.

scholarly journals When we enjoy bad news about other groups: A social identity approach to out-group schadenfreude

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 214-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaap W. Ouwerkerk ◽  
Wilco W. van Dijk ◽  
Charlotte C. Vonkeman ◽  
Russell Spears
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Emotional Response ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Negative Word ◽  
Bad News ◽  
Coalition Government ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Negative News ◽  
Social Identity Approach

Two studies investigate schadenfreude (pleasure at the misfortune of others) as an emotional response to news about out-group misfortunes in a political and consumer context by analyzing reactions of voters for opposition parties to the downfall of a Dutch coalition government (Study 1), and of BlackBerry users to negative news reports about Apple’s iPhone (Study 2). Consistent with social identity theory and intergroup emotion theory, both studies demonstrate that affective in-group identification increases schadenfreude reactions to news about an out-group’s misfortune, provided that this misfortune occurs in a domain of interest to news recipients. Additional findings show that this interaction effect attenuates when a misfortune instead befalls the in-group (Study 1) and is still observed when controlling for affective dispositions towards the out-group (Study 2). Moreover, results suggest that schadenfreude reactions strengthen subsequent intentions to share news about the out-group’s misfortune with others or to engage in negative word-of-mouth (Study 2).

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