Originally Posted by
Grey Jorildyn
Oh it definitely wouldn't be easy to separate them. But like that 2006 study being referred to, it sounds like a good example on how integrating new people into your social circle can be beneficial, what with the definition of "friend" being what it is now on the internet and all. Know what I mean? Listening to teamspeak banter as I type this so not sure if this is making sense lol I also really dislike doing research. I am much more clinical applications person. Just gimme a study and I'll read it, and apply it. I do a lot of interactive therapy, brief therapy, evidence-based practice stuff and that's really my gig tbh.
But here's the idea: when you're in a "community", you get to consider those people "friends", whether as "in real life" or not (varies by person). People in standalone guilds, in my experience (not sure how you would operationally define/show this in any scientific way without its own study) tend to be more come-and-go if you aren't part of that guild's "core" group of players, usually defined as the small group that started the guild and/or are the leaders. In the decade and thensome I've been playing MMOs, human behavior has been part of a large observational learning campaign for me. I noticed in others, and in myself, that when I was just part of some guild, regardless of success, if there was no reason for me to invest myself as a real person into that guild (and there rarely was any motivation to do so internally or externally from others), I didn't consider those people friends or in any way applicable to many of the questions on the survey. However, once I began a gaming community, I noticed that people tend to them because they are looking to get invested with "real people" and stay longer. Our member turnover is probably a far lower than a typical standalone guild. I would put money on that. So my conclusion was that there was some [perceived] benefit, or some change that happened within those players, to cause them to stay in IGC guilds longer. Obviously, it's not just my community, it applies to all other gaming communities, where I also observed players were far less likely to just up and leave one guild for another, because they'd be leaving behind "friends" or opposed to just random "guildies". I'm sure there's a groupthink or social pressure factor in there somewhere too which varies by person. I think it can also illustrate how complex e-relationships have become in terms of becoming respected, more serious/acceptable, etc. in this technological age (see: internet dating!).
I dunno, just a thing I think about a lot and is part of the reason I began my gaming community. No regrets there. Also thanks again for the survey, was provocative in its own way.