Positive affect and accessibility to prosocial thoughts as mediators of prosocial exposure and behavior in MOBAs

• Main Authors: Evangelista, Joanna Densie Ples, Macaraig, Anna Patricia Salvio, Paez, Juan Marco Cabral, Zipagan, Emil Joseph Macadaeg
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2017
• Subjects: Video games > Social aspects; Affect (Psychology)
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8623
• Institution: De La Salle University

Previous studies on the positive effects of video games have suggested that prosocial behavior observed in gamers may be predicted by exposure to the prosocial mechanisms of video games. This relationship was also suggested to be mediated by affect and cognition, specifically positive affect and accessibility to prosocial thoughts. This is understood through the framework of the general learning model which states that repeated exposure to the prosocial mechanisms of video games can lead to short and long-term learned behavioral changes such as increased prosocial behavior in real life. This study aimed to examine this phenomenon in regular MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) players in a non-experimental qualitative research design due to the rising popularity of this sub-genre of video game as well as its online interactive structure which allows players to work together to fulfill game objectives. Results showed that only positive affect was found to be a significant mediator for prosocial exposure and prosocial behavior even though prosocial exposure and behavior by themselves were not found to have a significant relationship. Though despite the data not supporting accessibility to prosocial thoughts as a mediator, this may imply that the salience of affect or emotions produced by prosocial exposure is a more prominent stimulus in prompting prosocial behavior among gamers.