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ABSTRACT
This study examined the reasons players help others in the virtual space of online games. Re-
sults of an online empirical survey indicated that both altruism and reciprocity influence
prosocial behavior simultaneously. Additionally, the study found that male players are more
likely than female players to seek friendship of opposite sex.
Graduate Institute of Information Management, National Taipei University, Taiwan, Republic of China.
344
ONLINE GAME PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR 345
It is an interesting issue whether female participants which measured reciprocity, utilized two items
are more altruistic than male participants in the cy- modified from Wasko and Farajs3 scale. To mea-
berspace of online games. sure prosocial behavior in the cyberspace of an on-
Moreover, the difference between prosocial be- line game, this study adopted Ladebos12 scale,
havior with same-sex and opposite-sex beneficiaries which consists of six items. Moreover, to distinguish
has rarely been explored, although several studies fo- prosocial behavior, prosocial behavior with same-
cus on the difference in the degrees of altruism be- sex beneficiaries, and prosocial behavior with op-
tween male and female. Previous research reveals that posite-sex beneficiaries, this study modified
women would provide emotional support to their Ladebos scale and separately adopted the 6-item
male friends, while men seldom provide support to scale in these three parts. All responses were mea-
their same-sex friends.7 A statement made by a sured along a 5-point Likert-type scale.
woman receives a quick reply in a male-dominated This study collected data in an online game com-
arena.10 The same behavior also exists in the world of munity that is the best known game Web site in Tai-
online games. Female characters often receive greater wan. The original sample comprised 405 partici-
help and support during interaction in a male-ori- pants. Of them, 402 (301 male and 101 female) fully
ented online game.8 Thus, it is an interesting question completed the questionnaire and were adopted in
whether a male game player is much more likely to the data analysis, with the average age 18.27 (SD
help female players than male ones, and vice versa. 5.06). The Cronbachs alpha values were 0.83, 0.73,
On the basis of the preceding discussion, this study 0.82, 0.81, and 0.83 for altruism, reciprocity, proso-
explores the influence of altruism, reciprocity, and the cial behavior, prosocial behavior for same-sex ben-
gender difference in the prosocial behavior. eficiary, and prosocial behavior for opposite-sex
beneficiary.
had a positive impact on prosocial behavior. Posi- preference to help female players results from
tive correlation (0.791; p 0.05) also was observed males desire for friendship with the opposite sex.
between altruism and reciprocity.
This study found that neither prosocial behavior
(t 0.764; p 0.05) nor prosocial behavior for REFERENCES
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of difference found in this study may be because the
average age of the participants of our survey was Address reprint requests to:
only 18.27 years old. These young online game play- Dr. Chih-Chien Wang
ers may lack life experience. Thus, the difference in Graduate Institute of Information Management
the degree of altruism between younger male and National Taipei University
female participants is insignificant. PO Box 4-1
Notably, male users prefer helping female users Sansia Township, Taipei County
to helping male users, while the gender of the ben- Taiwan, Republic of China 23799
eficiary makes no difference to female users. This
study concludes that male online game players E-mail: wangson@mail.ntpu.edu.tw