scholarly journals A Qualitative Analysis of Online Gaming

Author(s):  
Zaheer Hussain ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths

The popularity of Massively Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) has risen dramatically over the last decade. Some gamers spend many hours a day in these virtual environments interacting with other gamers, completing quests, and forming social groups. The present study set out to explore the experiences and feelings of online gamers. The study comprised 71 interviews with online gamers (52 males and 19 females) from 11 different countries. Many themes emerged from the analyses of the interview transcripts including (i) engaging in social interaction, (ii) being part of a community, (iii) learning real-life skills, (iv) gaining in-game rewards, (v) playing never-ending games (vi) escaping from real life, (vii) playing longer than intended, and (viii) being obligated towards other gamers in-game. These findings specifically showed the many positives of online gaming (including the social interaction and the community aspects of belonging) as well as the in-game features within MMORPGs that in some cases can lead to excessive online gaming. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous qualitative and quantitative research in the area.

Gamification ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 296-313
Author(s):  
Zaheer Hussain ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths

The popularity of Massively Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) has risen dramatically over the last decade. Some gamers spend many hours a day in these virtual environments interacting with other gamers, completing quests, and forming social groups. The present study set out to explore the experiences and feelings of online gamers. The study comprised 71 interviews with online gamers (52 males and 19 females) from 11 different countries. Many themes emerged from the analyses of the interview transcripts including (i) engaging in social interaction, (ii) being part of a community, (iii) learning real-life skills, (iv) gaining in-game rewards, (v) playing never-ending games (vi) escaping from real life, (vii) playing longer than intended, and (viii) being obligated towards other gamers in-game. These findings specifically showed the many positives of online gaming (including the social interaction and the community aspects of belonging) as well as the in-game features within MMORPGs that in some cases can lead to excessive online gaming. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous qualitative and quantitative research in the area.


Author(s):  
Davinder Ghuman ◽  
Mark Griffiths

One key limitation with the contemporary online gaming research literature is that much of the published research has tended to examine only one genre of games (i.e., Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games). Three relatively little studied online games are First Person Shooter (FPS) Games, Role Play Games (RPG), and Real Time Strategy (RTS) Games. Therefore, the current study examines player behaviour and characteristics in these three relatively under-researched online gaming genres. The study examines the differences between the three different game genres in terms of: (i) the demographic profile of players, (ii) the social interactions of players including the number and quality of friends, and how gaming related to real life friendship, and (iii) motivations to play specific game genres. The sample comprised 353 self-selected players. The RPG genre had the highest percentage of female players. The number of hours played per week varied significantly between the genres. RPG players played significantly longer hours than FPS or RTS players. In relation to playing motivation, achievement levels were highest for the FPS genre with RPG genre having the lowest achievement levels. RPG players had the highest immersion levels. RTS players were significantly less likely to report having made friends than players of the other two genres.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 20-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Griffiths ◽  
Zaheer Hussain ◽  
Sabine M. Grüsser ◽  
Ralf Thalemann ◽  
Helena Cole ◽  
...  

This paper briefly overviews five studies examining massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). The first study surveyed 540 gamers and showed that the social aspects of the game were the most important factor for many gamers. The second study explored the social interactions of 912 MMORPG players and showed they created strong friendships and emotional relationships. A third study examined the effect of online socializing in the lives of 119 online gamers. Significantly more male gamers than female gamers said that they found it easier to converse online than offline, and 57% of gamers had engaged in gender swapping. A fourth study surveyed 7,069 gamers and found that 12% of gamers fulfilled at least three diagnostic criteria of addiction. Finally, an interview study of 71 gamers explored attitudes, experiences, and feelings about online gaming. They provided detailed descriptions of personal problems that had arisen due to playing MMORPGs.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie De Vocht ◽  
Jan Van Looy ◽  
Cédric Courtois ◽  
Lieven De Marez

Social contact in a MMORPG. An exploratory study into the motivations of playing World of Warcraft from a uses & gratifications perspective. Social contact in a MMORPG. An exploratory study into the motivations of playing World of Warcraft from a uses & gratifications perspective. The results of a study on motivations for playing Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG), c.q. World of Warcraft (WoW), on 1691 gamers have been described in this article. The research hypothesis states that the social contact in-game is the main motivation of playing WoW. After a factor analysis, eight motivations can be defined: ‘escapism’ (α= 0,694), ‘arousal’(α= 0,573), ‘social contact in WoW’ (α= 0,794), ‘challenge’ (α= 0,758), ‘immersion’ (α= 0,765), ‘skills’ (α= 0,907), ‘social contact in real life’ (α= 0,739), ‘strong competition’ (α= 0,771). ‘Social contact in WoW’ ends on the third place. Still, 89% of the respondents think that the multiplayer aspect is important. Two other dimensions have been found: ‘character identification’ (α= 0,749) and ‘character importance’ (α= 0,826). By distinguishing a group ‘High Character Involvement’ and ‘Low Character Involvement’ there have been found interesting differences with regard to the motivations.


Author(s):  
Mark Griffiths ◽  
Zaheer Hussain ◽  
Sabine M. Grüsser ◽  
Ralf Thalemann ◽  
Helena Cole ◽  
...  

This paper briefly overviews five studies examining massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). The first study surveyed 540 gamers and showed that the social aspects of the game were the most important factor for many gamers. The second study explored the social interactions of 912 MMORPG players and showed they created strong friendships and emotional relationships. A third study examined the effect of online socializing in the lives of 119 online gamers. Significantly more male gamers than female gamers said that they found it easier to converse online than offline, and 57% of gamers had engaged in gender swapping. A fourth study surveyed 7,069 gamers and found that 12% of gamers fulfilled at least three diagnostic criteria of addiction. Finally, an interview study of 71 gamers explored attitudes, experiences, and feelings about online gaming. They provided detailed descriptions of personal problems that had arisen due to playing MMORPGs.


Author(s):  
Gary Goertz ◽  
James Mahoney

Some in the social sciences argue that the same logic applies to both qualitative and quantitative research methods. This book demonstrates that these two paradigms constitute different cultures, each internally coherent yet marked by contrasting norms, practices, and toolkits. The book identifies and discusses major differences between these two traditions that touch nearly every aspect of social science research, including design, goals, causal effects and models, concepts and measurement, data analysis, and case selection. Although focused on the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, the book also seeks to promote toleration, exchange, and learning by enabling scholars to think beyond their own culture and see an alternative scientific worldview. The book is written in an easily accessible style and features a host of real-world examples to illustrate methodological points.


Edupedia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
Subyanto ◽  
Kurniyatul Faizah

In Natural Sciences (IPA) there are three aspects of learning, they arenatural sciences as product, process, and strengthening attitudes. This natural sciences learning classification found relevance with Islamic education learning in the aspect of fiqh, theseare fiqh as a product and fiqh as a process. The types of humanistlearning arelearning other than as a product, because this learning is not just transfer of knowledge without rationality, so that the lesson is not able to take part in the real life of humanity. In the implementation, humanist learning can be carried out using several scientific approaches such as problem based learning, discovery learning, social interaction, role playing, team research, and other forms that are oriented to students involvementdirectly.


Author(s):  
Abdolghani Abdollahi Mohammad ◽  
Mohammad Reza Firouzkouhi

Introduction: Quantitative research is not suitable for COVID pandemic research because it does not cover the social consequences of qualitative research. COVID 19 is a social event that is important because of the disruption of the natural order of society. To defeat the disease, social interaction is needed, so qualitative research is appropriate to find the challenges and experiences of society. Therefore, due to the inconsistency of people's health behaviors with epidemiological models, people's vulnerability in epidemics, unexpected consequences or surprising results, extracting participants' experiences from medical procedures and revealing flexibility in the face of social problems, the use of qualitative research in this pandemic that will be important.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotte Galløe

Denne artikel beskæftiger sig med rollespil som en læringsteknologi. Artiklen stiller skarpt på rollespil som en nuanceret styring, der søger at fremme en særlig adfærd. Der argumenteres for, at rollespillet er et eksempel på en strategisk praksis, der fungerer ved at inddrage de lærende i påvirkningen af sig selv og hinanden. Gennem et feltstudie af et træningsforløb for forældre med udadreagerende børn er rollespil som læringsteknologi undersøgt. Med et foucaultiansk magtperspektiv belyses de specifikke teknikker, der gør rollespillet til en legende praksis, for siden at tillægge det en anden alvor. Artiklen viser, hvordan rollespillet tager form i samspillet mellem instruktører og forældre og viser sig virksomt ved at inkludere forældrene i udførelsen og omdirigere deres modstand. ENGELSK ABSTRACT: Lotte Galløe: Imaginary Real Life. The Governed Learning of Role Playing This paper examines role-playing as a learning technology. It focuses on role-playing, as employed in the social services, as an advanced form of governance aiming to produce a certain behavior on the part of the learners. Based on an ethnographic interpretation of Michel Foucault’s notion of power, the paper sheds light on role-playing in practice in Parent Management Training (PMTO) group sessions. Role-playing in PMTO exemplifies the use of particular techniques that shape role-playing as an imaginary game, and simultaneously ascribes it significance in real life. The article argues that role-playing’s apparent non-serious approach enables a strategic practice engaging the learners in the governing actions targeted towards shaping them as subjects. The paper shows how the techniques of enactment, instruction, and evaluation unfold by involving the parents in the performance. Finally the paper shows how resistance is rejected or adapted within the governing practice. Keywords: role-play, Foucault, governance, PMTO, learning.


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