Volume 2, No. 3 – September 2001

Sonja Utz (1999). Soziale Identifikation mit virtuellen Gemeinschaften – Bedingungen und Konsequenzen [Social Identification in Virtual Communities—Conditions and Consequences]

Lengerich: Pabst, 198 pages
ISBN 3-934252-21-4
DM 30.- / öS 234.- / sFr 28,50.-

Gerit Götzenbrucker (2001). Soziale Netzwerke und Internet-Spielewelten. Eine empirische Analyse der Transformation virtueller in realweltliche Gemeinschaften am Beispiel von MUDs (Multi User Dimensions) [Social Networks and the World of Internet Games. An Empirical Study of the Transformation of Virtual World into Real World Communities, providing MUDs as an Example]

Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag, 216 pages
ISBN 3-531-13655-0
DM 44.- / öS 321.- / sFr 39,50.-

reviewed by Nicola Döring (Germany)

Abstract: Two studies dealing with the community quality of MUDs (Multi User Domains/Dungeons)—a special group of multiplayer-online-games—are reviewed. The first study focuses on the social identification of the MUD players with their respective MUDs and presents an analysis of the standardized questionnaire data from 217 MUD players and 110 non-players (UTZ 1999). The second study investigates social integration processes within three selected MUDs using participant observation, personal semi-structured interviews and standardized questionnaires with a sample of 40 experienced MUD players (GÖTZENBRUCKER 2001). The studies reveal that MUD-environments do create social cohesion and community both on the level of individual experience and social practice. Membership in virtual communities does not correlate with social isolation or estrangement in the offline-world.

Keywords: Internet, virtual communities, online communities, MUDs, social identification, social integration

This contribution is only available as a full text in the German language. German text

Volume 2, No. 3   Table of Contents

[qualitative-research.net] [Home] [Inside FQS] [Features] [Services] [Submission]
[FAQ] [Advertising] [Search FQS] [Newsletter] [Editorial Team]

© 2001 Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research
(ISSN 1438-5627)

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft