Do Video Games Affect Personality?

[Harriet Swartout]

Hello, I'm very sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section!

Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Harriet and I'm a third-year Psychology and Counselling student at Newport University (Wales). I'm looking for participants for my dissertation study. The subject of my dissertation is whether or not there is a difference between gamers who are more inclined to play MMORPG games or online FPS games - and from there I want to look at if these differences are due to the genre of game or if the chosen genre is due to innate personality traits. I would really appreciate it if at least a couple of you could take time to fill out the survey, I think it's a really interesting subject and there's not a great deal of research out there comparing video game genres as opposed to the general 'video games cause violence' studies.

Here's the link to the survey, if you read this and clicked the link thanks for taking the time to do so.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHFpM0ZhY0tuMVBFd1JFQmliTEVZZ0E6MQ

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Done. Best of luck with your survey.

I would suggest that certain personalities are more drawn to games rather than games shaping certain personalities, however. Although gaming has become such a broad medium that I expect most people would enjoy at least a few.

 

[DoPo]

Hey there, I would have loved to give you some feedback, but I'm not really interested in either of these genres, unfortunately. I'll at least bump the thread for you.

 

[Danceofmasks]

As someone who's done a fair bit of psychology in my time, all I gotta say is, surveys are horrible for getting meaningful data.
After all, you have to ask ridiculous questions like "are people who volunteer for online surveys on an internet forum more or less likely to tell you what you want to hear?"

I mean the variables are so icky.
Not least of which is the fact that people who frequent forums are already behave strangely.
I mean seriously. We're here reading and typing shit instead of actually playing games.

 

[Angie7F]

hi i dont have great feedback to offer you, but I have read about how Japanese games are more RPGs from the third person where as US games are FPS.
Maybe the culture/ personality aspect has something to do with it?

 

[Harriet Swartout]

Danceofmasks - as it's my undergrad degree it's preferable to have more variables to discuss in order to prove I am able to theorise and acknowledge possible limitations and issues with collection methods than have something with meaningful data. It's all written in the marking criteria. But I agree, on my postgrad that would be more important.

 

[BeeGeenie]

I took the survey, but it probably won't matter, 'cause I don't do either MMORPGs or FPSs!

I've played a few online games, but not much RPGing (I prefer my RPGing offline, because people suck), and I don't like shooters. I prefer strategy games, but one study at a time, I guess.

Anyway, good luck with your study!

 

[Harriet Swartout]

thanks to everyone who has completed the questionnaire so far!

 

[sextus the crazy]

Filled out. Good luck and such.

 

[Harriet Swartout]

Thank-you!

 

[Zeraki]

Okay, I just filled it out. Best of luck to your project.

 

[Me55enger]

Best of luck to you.

I found some of the Agree/disagree points somewhat leading, but I cannot remember which ones. Plus the hour boundaries on the MMO/FPS thingies were too low.

Plus I play a MMOTPS primarily, but have experiance inboth genres. Best of three worlds there.

Im currently writing a dissertation on the player/avatar relationships. I salute you, my fellow Gamerdemic.

Capatcha: path less taken.

 

[Oly J]

I don't play MMOs or shooters much but I filled out the survey nevertheless, good luck

OT: it depends what you mean by "effect personality" if you mean can video games change your way of thinking I can personally attest that they can, if you mean they change the way you respond to any given situation, I'm not sure

 

[Rakun Man]

I finished your survey. Also, I discovered this awhile ago (I believe the escapist ran an article on it too), and it might be relevant, or at the very least interesting. http://www.aaai.org/ocs/index.php/AIIDE/AIIDE12/paper/view/5462/5717

Good luck!

 

[Harriet Swartout]

Me55enger - the questions in terms of personality testing are generic OCEAN testing and therefore I don't have permissions to change it

Rakun Man - that is so useful! thank you for that

 

[Me55enger]

Me55enger - the questions in terms of personality testing are generic OCEAN testing and therefore I don't have permissions to change it

Life's a *****.

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Guffe]

Welcome, hope you stay a bit longer
Psychology and gaming in comparison is a very interesting subject so good luck.
I'll check the questions out but I'm not really leaning to either side of those two genres, but I'll take a look

 

[Harriet Swartout]

Guffe - not leaning is good too! any data is good data

 

[Cabisco]

Certainly interesting that your comparing genres instead of just videogames in general, I shall fill it out.

Out of interest are you a gamer yourself or are you on the outside looking in? Not that it particularly matters, I'm just interested in what inspired you to study this.

 

[Berithil]

Welcome to the Forums!

Unfortunately, I'm not real big on MMORPGS and I'm not a big FPS fan either. I prefer more offline RPGS and action/adventure games, with some platforming and strategy thrown in.

I'll still check out the survey, though. Best of luck!