PsychNology Journal, Volume 2, Number 3, 259 – 281
Playing Online Games: Flow Experience
Alexander E. Voiskounsky, Olga V. Mitina, Anastasiya A. Avetisova
Psychology Department, Moscow State University after M.V. Lomonosov
ABSTRACT
Playing MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons, or Multi-User Dimensions), text-only online gaming environments, may initiate flow experience. Online survey research was administered within the population of Russian MUDs players, using the specially designed questionnaire with 3 blocks of questions: demography and experience in playing MUDs; flow experience; interactive patterns. Replies of respondents (N = 347) fit a six factor model: F1 (Flow experience); F2 (Achievement); F3 (Activity/Passivity); F4 (Interaction); F5 (Thoughfulness/Spontaneity); F6 (Cognition). To analyse the data, structural equation modeling was done. All the correlations between the factors are significant (p < 0.05). The set of dimensions describing flow experience while playing MUDs was selected. Since players experience flow while MUDding, it was proposed that flow is one of the sources of MUDs' long-time attractiveness for players.
KEYWORDS
play, online, flow, MUD, structural equation modeling. .
CITE AS
Voiskounsky A.E., Mitina O.V., Avetisova A.A. (2004). Playing Online Games: Flow Experience. PsychNology Journal, 2(3), 259 – 281. Retrieved [month] [day], [year], from www.psychnology.org.
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