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

Authors

  • Nicola Döring TU Ilmenau

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-2.3.921

Keywords:

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

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. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs010341

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Author Biography

Nicola Döring, TU Ilmenau

Nicola DÖRING, Dr. phil., Dipl.-Psych., arbeitet als wissenschaftliche Assistentin am Institut für Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaft (IfMK) der TU Ilmenau und vertritt im Wintersemester 2001/2002 die Professur "Kommunikationswissenschaft mit Schwerpunkt Medienintegration" an der Universität Erfurt. Ihr Forschungsschwerpunkt sind soziale Aspekte der mediatisierten Kommunikation, insbesondere der Online- und Mobil-Kommunikation.

Published

2001-09-30

How to Cite

Döring, N. (2001). Review: Sonja Utz (1999). Soziale Identifikation mit virtuellen Gemeinschaften – Bedingungen und Konsequenzen [Social Identification in Virtual Communities—Conditions and Consequences]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-2.3.921

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