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A Test of Bounded Generalized Reciprocity and Social Identity Theory in a Social Video Game Play Context

Velez, John A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397671422

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Communication.
Little is known about why cooperative video game play can have beneficial effects for players’ subsequent pro-social behaviors. The current experiment provides a formal test of two competing theories of social behaviors (i.e., Social Identity Theory and Bounded Generalized Reciprocity) in the context of social video game play. This study employed a 3 (Teammate: Helpful vs. Minimal vs. Unhelpful) x 2 (Prisoner’s Dilemma Game: Simultaneous vs. Sequential) x 2 (Donation Recipient: In-group and Out-group) mixed experimental design. Participants played a basketball video game with a helpful or unhelpful teammate against an ostensible opposing team. Participants then engaged in a one-shot simultaneous or sequential prisoner’s dilemma game with their teammate and an opposing team member. Participants in the control condition were assigned to teams but did not play a video game until after engaging in the prisoner’s dilemma game (i.e., minimal groups). The results indicated that participants with helpful teammates were more pro-social to teammates in the simultaneous prisoner’s dilemma game compared to participants with unhelpful teammates. As predicted by Bounded Generalized Reciprocity, participants’ donations in the prisoner’s dilemma games were mediated by their expectations of teammates to reciprocate pro-social behaviors. Participants with helpful teammates did not demonstrate in-group favoritism (i.e., donating more money to teammates compared to opposing team members) by donating substantial amounts to teammates and opposing team members. Participants with unhelpful teammates also did not engage in in-group favoritism by donating low amounts of money to teammates and opposing team members. Overall, the results support predictions of Bounded Generalized Reciprocity compared to Social Identity Theory. Implications for social video game research are discussed.
David Ewoldsen (Advisor)
Brad Bushman (Committee Member)
Brandon Van Der Heide (Committee Member)
88 p.
Communication
Cooperative Video Game Play, Bounded Generalized Reciprocity, Social Identity Theory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Velez, J. A. (2014). A Test of Bounded Generalized Reciprocity and Social Identity Theory in a Social Video Game Play Context [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397671422

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Velez, John. A Test of Bounded Generalized Reciprocity and Social Identity Theory in a Social Video Game Play Context. 2014. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397671422.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Velez, John. "A Test of Bounded Generalized Reciprocity and Social Identity Theory in a Social Video Game Play Context." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397671422

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1397671422
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.