Disruptive actions within gaming communities: Interview with USC’s Dmitri Williams

Over a billion individuals engage in multiplayer online gaming daily, yet there is a deficiency of research on their in-game conduct. The gaming community comprises players exhibiting diverse personalities: While some players savor the community stimulated by these in-game experiences, many display antisocial behavior.

Grasping the motivations behind these actions and their implications both in-game and in reality is a primary focus of Dmitri Williams, a communication professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. A recent study co-conducted by Williams investigates the psychology of gamers and the factors leading them to display disruptive behaviors.

USC News recently held a discussion with Williams regarding video games and the individuals who play them.

Where do you observe toxic behavior in video gaming?

Williams: In the past five years or so, toxic conduct has been most evident in games where players can remain anonymous, as well as in titles where the interactions are relatively brief. A significant aspect is the ability to communicate through text or voice during play. If you start one of these games alongside a stranger, there’s little that encourages politeness besides your personal ethical framework.

Nevertheless, when a game necessitates collaboration or a prolonged association, players can familiarize themselves with one another and form genuine connections. This also indicates that players are considerably less inclined to misbehave, as they realize that their relationship is essential for success. Sociologists refer to this as “the shadow of the future,” a phenomenon also evident in our findings.

What does your research encompass?

Williams: One component of my research involves examining player behavior. Individuals are social, regardless of where they are studied, but the social dynamics in gaming are distinctive. In games, individuals are interdependent, leading to diverse connections between vastly different people who might not otherwise encounter each other.

My lab has examined players primarily in two games: World of Tanks and Sky: Children of the Light. These titles are quite different, and studying them allows us to observe how relationships among gamers evolve over time. While many of these relationships may be superficial, some develop into profound “IRL” connections and can even result in real-life friendships, marriages, and so forth. I have witnessed this through my own gaming experiences and in the broader data. Our lab’s unique contribution in this field includes a recent discovery termed “Social Value,” which enables us to comprehend which players have an influence on others.

How does “Social Value” differ from word of mouth?

Williams: Social Value serves as a direct assessment of how individuals influence one another. Word of mouth represents only one method, which is challenging to measure. By utilizing consumer data from a company, my lab can determine with a certain degree of confidence which players prompted which others to perform a specific amount, either more or less, of a behavior.

In a gaming context, this implies that a player who might not spend any money could lead others to expend thousands of dollars. Alternatively, they might stop others from spending as much as they would have! We are in the process of developing a technique to extend this concept beyond gaming.

Where does your research data originate?

Williams: For about 20 years, I have collaborated with various game companies. We typically acquire their data in an anonymized format for research purposes. This approach significantly enhances the research quality, as it eliminates the need to contact players directly and inquire about their actions, which often results in various quality issues. Instead, we can observe all players and understand their actions in an anonymous manner.

We frequently collaborate with companies to conduct surveys or interviews with these players to incorporate their psychological insights and emotions into their behavioral patterns and social relationships. Monitoring these factors across millions of players over years has enabled us to generate unparalleled research findings.

What are some of your preferred video games?

Williams: My favorites include highly social titles like World of Warcraft or League of Legends, but I also enjoy an engaging solo indie game like Monument Valley. Experiencing social connections in various forms while playing these games has significantly influenced many of my research inquiries.

What is the next focus for your research?

Williams: I’m fully committed to the Social Value framework, both in gaming and beyond.