Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The present study examines how trust is related to online social institutions, self-disclosure, mode of communication, and message privacy in a popular MMOG, Everquest 2. The findings, which are based on survey and behavioral data from over 3,500 players, provide insights into the potential for MMOGs to act as social institutions for interpersonal interaction that support trust-development. Trust was higher within closer social circles: trust in teammates was found to be higher than trust of others in the game more generally, which was found to be higher than trust of others online. Self-disclosure was positively related to trust of others in the game and on players’ teams, but voice chat was not related to trust of others in the game, nor were public messages sent to the whole team related to trust in the team. Overall, this research indicates that social structures and communication processes contribute to trust development in MMOGs, supporting the claim that these online spaces provide a layer of social solidarity that has eroded in other realms of our society.