Identity formation in adolescent and emerging adult regular players of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the process of identity formation in adolescent and emerging adult regular players of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. Moreover, considering the association between involvement in these games and addiction, we took into account also the role of internet addiction. A total of 176 regular players and 239 controls, not playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games, aged between 15 and 30 years completed: the Utrecht-management of identity commitments scale, evaluating three identity processes, i.e. commitment, in-depth exploration and reconsideration of commitment; and the dependence subscale from the use abuse and dependence on internet questionnaire, in order to evaluate internet addiction. A multivariate analysis of variance evidenced that controls were higher on commitment and in-depth exploration, whereas players were higher on reconsideration of commitment and internet addiction. A structural equation model in which the three identity processes affected simultaneously internet addiction and regular involvement in massively multiplayer online role-playing games showed that reconsideration of commitment was positively associated with internet addiction and the probability to be a player, whereas in-depth exploration was negatively associated only with the probability to be a player. Being a regular player of massively multiplayer online role-playing games seems to be associated with a troubled path in the process of identity formation.