Social Identity from Categorization and Networks: A Multilevel Study of a MMOG Community

Abstract

Organization ecologists argue social identity comes from category affiliation whereas structuralists argue social identity comes from networks. The same debate has been echoed in computer mediated communication as to whether it is an interpersonal or individual-group process. This paper takes a converging perspective by arguing the two forms of social identity are fundamentally interdependent at both individual and collective levels. Drawing data from a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG), this paper models the interaction of the two forms of social identity on performance by examining 207,633 individuals affiliated to 5,797 groups. The findings show that groups fragmented into clusters have higher survival rate and better performance when category boundaries are clear, and individuals with influential within-group network positions have more outstanding performance when their category identities are unfocused. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.