Attachment, attraction and communication in real and virtual worlds: A study of massively multiplayer online gamers

Mark C. Coulson; Andrea Oskis; Jacqueline Meredith; Rebecca L. Gould

doi:10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017

Attachment, attraction and communication in real and virtual worlds: A study of massively multiplayer online gamers

Mark C. Coulson, Andrea Oskis, Jacqueline Meredith, Rebecca L. Gould

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Potential differences between relationships formed in online versus offline venues were explored using an online survey of massively multiplayer online gamers. Participants (N = 1654) provided information about two or more relationships (kin, friends, and romantic relationships), indicating whether these had originated in online or offline venues. Attachment, attraction and communication were assessed for each relationship. Relationship security was predicted by attraction, but the effects of venue were limited to avoidance towards online romantic relationships. Personality, gaming motivation, age and sex all made negligible contributions to relationship security. Limitations, including the correlational nature of the data and the high proportion of male participants, as well as suggestions for how relationship research might proceed in an increasingly online world, are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	49-57
Number of pages	9
Journal	Computers in Human Behavior
Volume	87
Early online date	15 May 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017
Publication status	Published - Oct 2018

Access to Document

10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017

http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/24267/Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{8468c3bee2254e71941c0f9fb7cba4b8,

title = "Attachment, attraction and communication in real and virtual worlds: A study of massively multiplayer online gamers",

abstract = "Potential differences between relationships formed in online versus offline venues were explored using an online survey of massively multiplayer online gamers. Participants (N = 1654) provided information about two or more relationships (kin, friends, and romantic relationships), indicating whether these had originated in online or offline venues. Attachment, attraction and communication were assessed for each relationship. Relationship security was predicted by attraction, but the effects of venue were limited to avoidance towards online romantic relationships. Personality, gaming motivation, age and sex all made negligible contributions to relationship security. Limitations, including the correlational nature of the data and the high proportion of male participants, as well as suggestions for how relationship research might proceed in an increasingly online world, are discussed.",

author = "Coulson, {Mark C.} and Andrea Oskis and Jacqueline Meredith and Gould, {Rebecca L.}",

year = "2018",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017",

language = "English",

volume = "87",

pages = "49--57",

journal = "Computers in Human Behavior",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Attachment, attraction and communication in real and virtual worlds: A study of massively multiplayer online gamers

AU - Coulson, Mark C.

AU - Oskis, Andrea

AU - Meredith, Jacqueline

AU - Gould, Rebecca L.

PY - 2018/10

Y1 - 2018/10

N2 - Potential differences between relationships formed in online versus offline venues were explored using an online survey of massively multiplayer online gamers. Participants (N = 1654) provided information about two or more relationships (kin, friends, and romantic relationships), indicating whether these had originated in online or offline venues. Attachment, attraction and communication were assessed for each relationship. Relationship security was predicted by attraction, but the effects of venue were limited to avoidance towards online romantic relationships. Personality, gaming motivation, age and sex all made negligible contributions to relationship security. Limitations, including the correlational nature of the data and the high proportion of male participants, as well as suggestions for how relationship research might proceed in an increasingly online world, are discussed.

AB - Potential differences between relationships formed in online versus offline venues were explored using an online survey of massively multiplayer online gamers. Participants (N = 1654) provided information about two or more relationships (kin, friends, and romantic relationships), indicating whether these had originated in online or offline venues. Attachment, attraction and communication were assessed for each relationship. Relationship security was predicted by attraction, but the effects of venue were limited to avoidance towards online romantic relationships. Personality, gaming motivation, age and sex all made negligible contributions to relationship security. Limitations, including the correlational nature of the data and the high proportion of male participants, as well as suggestions for how relationship research might proceed in an increasingly online world, are discussed.

U2 - 10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017

DO - 10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.017

M3 - Article

VL - 87

SP - 49

EP - 57

JO - Computers in Human Behavior

JF - Computers in Human Behavior

ER -