Video Games and Social Competence

Despite their popularity, online video games have been met with suspicion by the popular media and academic community. In particular, there is a growing concern that online video game play may be associated with deficits in social functioning. Due to a lack of empirical consistency, the debate surrounding the potential impact of online video game play on a user's sociability remains an active one. This book contributes to this debate by exploring the potential impact of online video game involvement on social competence outcomes, theoretically and empirically. Through empirical research, Kowert examines the relationships between online video game involvement, social goals, and social skills and discusses the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

List of contents

1. Rising Social Concerns of Online Gaming 2. What is Social Competence? 3. Social Implications of Online Video Game Involvement 4. Social Goals, Social Skills, and Online Video Game Involvement 5. Social Skills and Video Game Involvement: A Replication 6. Social Skills, Insecure Attachment, and Video Game Involvement 7. Research Findings and Implications 8. Sociability and Online Video Games: What We Know Now

About the author

Rachel Kowert is an associate researcher at the University of Münster. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on the social impact of online gaming and serves on the board of DiGRA (Digital Games Research Association) and the Game Studies SIG of the International Communication Association (ICA).

Summary

Despite their popularity, online video games have been met with suspicion by the popular media and academic community. In particular, there is a growing concern that online video game play may be associated with deficits in social functioning. Due to a lack of empirical consistency, the debate surrounding the potential impact of online video game play on a user’s sociability remains an active one. This book contributes to this debate by exploring the potential impact of online video game involvement on social competence outcomes, theoretically and empirically. Through empirical research, Kowert examines the relationships between online video game involvement, social goals, and social skills and discusses the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

Product details

• Authors: Rachel Kowert, Kowert Rachel
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 15.12.2014
• EAN: 9781138804265
• ISBN: 978-1-138-80426-5
• No. of pages: 246
• Series: Routledge Advances in Game Studies
• Subjects: Guides > Hobby, home > Games, quizzes; Non-fiction book > Psychology, esoterics, spirituality, anthroposophy > Psychology: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; History, Media Studies, Sociology, Popular Culture, PSYCHOLOGY / Social Psychology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Media Studies, Humanities, Child & developmental psychology, Social, group or collective psychology, Child, developmental and lifespan psychology, Psychological theory, systems, schools and viewpoints, Psychological theory & schools of thought, GAMES & ACTIVITIES / Video & Mobile, COMPUTERS / Social Aspects