Cuihua Shen

In a new study published in the February 2011 issue of Communication Research, ANN alumna and University of Texas at Dallas Assistant Professor Cuihua (Cindy) Shen, together with University of Southern California Associate Professor Dmitri Williams, use several data sources and analytical tools—including network analysis—to examine how use of the Internet and a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) affect psychosocial well-being. Studying a sample of over 5,000 players of the MMO EverQuest II, Shen and Williams observed that the effects of Internet and MMO use were dependent on the purposes, contexts, and individual characteristics of the players. For example, they found that using the Internet to meet new people and having a larger in-game communication network were detrimental to psychosocial well-being, whereas having an extroverted personality and using the Internet and MMO to interact with preexisting social ties were associated with positive psychosocial outcomes. Summarizing a number of the study’s interesting findings on online activity, psychosocial outcomes, and media effects, the authors conclude, “The results suggest that Internet use and game play have significant nuances and should not be considered as monolithic sources of effects” (p. 123).