Poster Information
| Title | Friendship & Cooperative Play |
| Presenter(s) | Amanda Reed and Sharlene Newman |
| Session | Conference Reception, Game Exhibition, and Poster Session |
| Time | Thursday, October 11, 7:00p-10:00p |
| Location | MSU Union Ballroom |
| Format | Poster Presentation |
| Description | While much of video game research centers around whether violent video games produce aggressive behavior, there is a growing body of research suggesting that video games can produce pro-social outcomes as well. Given the growing popularity of couch co-op and competitive games such as Super Smash Brawl and Halo, further investigation into how cooperative vs competitive game play impacts relationships may be warranted, yet there is limited literature on how video game play impacts existing friendships and relationships.
In this study the effects of video game play on perceived quality of friendship will be examined. Participants will bring a same-gender friend with them to play a video game, Brawlhalla, either cooperatively or competitively for 20 minutes. Participants will be in the same room during game play and play will be recorded to assess the quality of their interactions. Participants will assess the quality of their friendship and degree of closeness with their friend before and after game play, and once more after two weeks have elapsed. These assessments will be performed while the friendship pair are in separate rooms. Findings will be discussed. |