Vol 10, No 1, 2011 pp. 73-88
UDC 616.89-008 : 004
A PSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACH TO THE USE OF THE INTERNET AND MASSIVE ONLINE ROLE PLAYING GAMES
Ioannis Katerelos*, Charalambos Tsekeris,
Michael Lavdas, Katerina Dimitriou
Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece
Email: * ioannis.katerelos@hesiodproject.net
This paper seeks to provide an interdisciplinary systematic approach to the use of the internet, with special emphasis on the so-called Massive Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). The research effort here focuses on a general framework of studying internet addiction and its relevant psychosocial components and dimensions. This needs a comprehensive introduction to the contemporary notions of virtual communities, cyberspace and cybersociality, as well as to the crucial concepts of addiction and addictive behavior. Such an introduction is offered with the help of specific research data on the use of the internet and online games. The paper also presents and critically discusses recent demographic data on the use of MMORPGs and recent analyses of the personality of the excessive/addictive user, as well as of the various levels of user involvement. It finally concludes that an open-ended, well-rounded and dynamic psychosocial approach to technology, the internet and MMORPGs should necessarily include the "unpredictable" and seriously take into account the complex multiplicity of the relevant dimensions.
Key words: psychosociology, social research, virtual communities, addiction, internet, methodology.
PSIHOLOŠKO-SOCIOLOŠKI PRISTUP UPOTREBI INTERNETA I INTERNET RPG IGARA
Cilj ovog rada je da pruži međudisciplinarni sistematski pristup upotrebi interneta, sa posebim osvrtom na takozvane RPG igre (MMORPG). Istraživanje je fokusirano na opšti okvir proučavanja zavisnog odnosa prema interneut i na bitne psiho-sociološke komponente i dimenzije. Ovo zahteva složen uvod u savremene ideje o virtuelnim zajednicama, sajber prostoru i sajber društivma, kao i uvid u ključne koncepte zavisnosti i zavisnih oblika ponašanja. Ovakav uvod se nudi uz pomoć specifičnih podataka koji se tiču upotrebe interneta i onlajn igara. U radu će biti izloženi i kritički prikazani skoriji demografski podaci koji se tiču upotrebe MMORPG igara i novije analiza ličnosti zavisnog/opsesivnog korisnika, kao i različiti nivoi učešća korisnika. U zaključku se ističe da otvoreni i koherentni dinamički psiho-sociološki pristup tehnologiji, interentu i MMORPG igrama bi obavezno trebalo da sadrži ono "nepredvidivo" i ozbiljno uzme u obzir kompleksnu višestrukost relevantnih dimenzija.
Ključne reči: psiho-sociologija, društvena istraživanja, virtuelne zajednice, zavisnost, internet, metodologija
