The impact of social factors on excessive online game usage, moderated by online self-identity

Abstract

Social interaction is the most important factor that distinguishes online games from traditional computer games. In recent years, online games have become a part of everyday life because such games provide opportunities for users to play with or against others and consequently make friends or strengthen existing relationships. In addition, concern for the role of self-identity has grown in academic research. This is relevant because online gamers behave differently in accordance with their self-identity levels. However, previous studies have limitations because they have not explored the role of social interaction and the way in which this affects excessive online game usage. Further, few studies have concentrated on the role of online self-identity in the context of social interaction and excessive online game usage. Thus, research should explore systemically the social interaction factors and consider the impact of these factors on excessive online game usage. This study categorizes social interaction factors into escaping from loneliness, expanding online bridging social capital, and strengthening offline bonding social capital. It also tries to understand how these social interaction factors affect excessive online game usage. In addition, this study investigates whether differences in online self-identity play a role in moderating the relationship between social interaction factors and excessive online game usage. 179 surveys from undergraduate students of three universities located in the central region of Korea were employed for statistical analysis. The research result shows that there is statistically significant causal effect between social interaction factors and excessive online game usage and that the moderating effect of online self-identity is partially accepted.