Investigating psychological causes and consequences of playing in online gaming communities: The roles of offline and clan-based need satisfaction

Abstract

Studies found that using digital media can satisfy the needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness, contributing to well-being and enjoyment. Further, need satisfaction in daily life has been identified as a background factor that may influence the intensity of media usage, as well as the psychological outcomes connected to it. Considering both perspectives, the current analysis investigates the causes and consequences of playing in online gaming communities. Specifically, we examine persistent groups of players (‘clans’) formed in the context of the online first-person shooter game Counter-Strike. Based on an online survey among 585 clan players, structural equation modelling shows that need satisfaction in clans relates to increases in clan engagement, increases in positive affect and decreases in negative affect. Further, players with deficits in day-to-day need satisfaction show increased engagement in their clan, but also experience more negative affect and less need satisfaction in their clans.