1 Department of Communication, University of Muenster , Muenster, Germany .
2 Social Psychology: Media and Communication, University of Duisburg-Essen , Duisburg, Germany .
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2017 Feb;20(2):97-103. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2016.0439.
Some studies indicated that playing online games yields a "rich-get-richer effect" and is especially socially beneficial for extraverted players, while other authors argue that online gaming could have compensational effects for introverted players. The current survey study (N = 409) investigates the connection between introversion/extraversion and social capital outcomes of playing the popular role-playing game World of Warcraft and shows that the rich-get-richer and the compensation perspective are not mutually exclusive. Path analysis revealed that extraverted players communicated and self-disclosed more extensively, more often engaged in team play, and, hence, had better chances to build up social capital than introverts. However, at least some of the introverted players used the game for social compensation. These players chose a more social playing style, which increased their chances to acquire social capital. The results demonstrate that the group of introverted players is more heterogeneous than previously thought and that the links between personality aspects and social outcomes of playing are quite complex and rather indirect than direct.
一些研究表明，玩网络游戏会产生“富者愈富”的效应，尤其对外向型玩家具有社交益处，而其他作者则认为，网络游戏可能对内向型玩家具有补偿效应。本研究（N=409）调查了玩流行角色扮演游戏《魔兽世界》的内向/外向与社会资本结果之间的联系，结果表明，“富者愈富”和补偿这两种观点并非相互排斥。路径分析表明，外向型玩家更广泛地交流和自我表露，更经常参与团队游戏，因此比内向型玩家有更好的机会建立社会资本。然而，至少有一些内向型玩家将游戏用于社交补偿。这些玩家选择了更具社交性的游戏风格，从而增加了他们获得社会资本的机会。研究结果表明，内向型玩家群体比之前认为的更为多样化，并且个性特征与游戏社交结果之间的联系比直接联系更为复杂和间接。
