Sociability Improvement with Video Games

According to a new study, some video games can improve players` social connections by serving as informal gathering places as the old-time pubs and coffee shops. The researchers working on the study question the perception that kids who play computer games are isolating themselves, at least when they are playing so-called massively multiplayer online games (MMOs).

"By providing spaces for social interaction and relationships beyond the workplace and home, MMOs have the capacity to function as one form of a new `third space` for informal sociability," the researchers write. Although such sociability won`t offer "deep emotional support", it has the benefit of exposing players to a wide range of viewpoints and a more diverse social environment.

Internet`s effects on society are still being debated, the researchers note. Some claim the Web allows people to build connections and communities, while others say such virtual links are just a poor substitute for the real thing. The researchers conclude that the games helped players gather a type of social capital known as "bridging," which involves making informal connections with others, while they didn`t generally help people build stronger social bonds.

                                 

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