Open AccessThird‐Person Perceptions and Online Games: A Comparison of Perceived Antisocial and Prosocial Game Effects
Author(s) -
Zhong ZhiJin
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2009.01441.x
Subject(s) - psychology , popularity , prosocial behavior , social psychology , construal level theory , perception , interdependence , the internet , third person , self construal , computer science , neuroscience , world wide web , political science , psychoanalysis , law
The popularity of online games has inspired controversial discussion on the effects of game‐play in both mass media and academia. However, we know little about ordinary people's opinions about the effects of game‐play. The current study applies the theory of the third‐person effect (TPE) to examine people's perceptions of game effects on self and on others, and detects significant third‐person perceptual discrepancies. The results show that the magnitude of third‐person perceptions is influenced by the social desirability of the message, the social distance between self and others, and by differential exposure to online games. The data supports the hypotheses that Internet efficacy and interdependent self‐construal are significant antecedents of third‐person perceptions, and partially supports the interaction effect of self‐construal with Internet‐efficacy and the interaction effect of self‐construal with media social desirability.