Online games destroying interpersonal skills

Massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) are destroying interpersonal skills and as a result ruining relationships.

What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills are the learnt abilities which allow us to communicate how we feel and what we want as well as understanding other’s needs through words, tone of voice and body language. Generally most of our interpersonal development happens when we are children, but we continue to acquire skills throughout life.

How do MMORPG affect these skills?

Games such as World of Warcraft and Everquest contain game worlds which are constantly changing, which allows for players to theoretically continue playing forever as there is no end and no way to ‘beat’ the game. Therefore encouraging hours and hours of continual playing time spent in front of a computer.

MMORPG halt the development of interpersonal skills by encouraging constant online interaction, which lacks non verbal communication such as body language, facial expression and voice tone.

This does not happen to every player, but there are many cases of players losing touch with reality due to excessive game involvement.

MMORPG encourage users to become members of groups or ‘guilds’ with friends and alliances in order to advance at an optimal rate. For many players, the relationships they form with other players in their guild can eventually replace those in the real world. Players will often change their real world schedules so that they can meet with the guild and do ‘quests’ together to increase their progress, hence the loss of real world relationships.

Example

Cliff on Slashdot talks about his friend’s regression

“While most of us are able to disconnect from the game to take care of our own affairs, he plays to the exclusion of his friends, his job (he calls in sick a lot, it is starting to get noticed) and his life,” he writes.

This example is one of many found online where family and friends discuss their loved one’s lack of interpersonal skills.

Reply

In response to such accusations many gamers argue that it actually improves their interpersonal skills. Some players turn to online games as they can easily make friends with a common interest and they gain confidence as they are not judged on their looks or body language.

Avid gamer Josh believes games have a positive influence on his interpersonal skills.

“When you play one of these games, you need to make friends to advance levels. It practically forces you to be social so that you can improve...it isn’t difficult to be social online though because you don’t feel self conscious and everyone is in the same boat,” he said.

“It is really frustrating that people say that these games are bad for relationships. For those of us who have never really had any meaningful relationships in the outside world, this is just a safe stepping stone to prepare us for making these relationships. Just think of it as good practice in an environment where you aren’t judged on your looks but judged on your personality. Seriously, in moderation MMORPG are great for improving your communication and interpersonal skills”.