Players who play to make others cry: The influence of anonymity and immersion

Abstract

This study employed the deindividuation theory to examine the four-category grief play motivations. The measure of players' immersion and anonymity were used as an approximation of the player's deindividuation effect. Data was compiled and analyzed from a survey conducted on 200 university student players. Overall, the results supported the deindividuation theory. Players who enjoyed anonymous identity online reported to enjoy all four-category motivations of grief playing. However, immersed players only reported to enjoy griefer-influenced and self-driven motivations of grief play. The results are presented and implications are discussed. © ACM 2009.