Publication Date

Fall 2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Shinchieh Duh; Arlene Asuncion; Bianca Hinojosa

Abstract

Sense of community has been shown to improve quality of life in numerous ways. Previous research suggests sense of community can be felt even within groups that never meet in person. The current study explored the relation between game genre, gender status, and sense of community in online gaming groups. Additionally, discrimination was included as an additional outcome due to its close link with sense of community. A total of 189 college students (Mage = 20 years old) of diverse gender and ethnicity completed an online survey consisting of the Sense of Community Scale, Everyday Discrimination Scale, demographic questions, and open-ended questions pertaining to their most played game(s). Results indicated that perceived sense of community did not differ by game genre or participants’ gender status. However, perceived discrimination differed depending on the intersection of game genre and gender status. Although sense of community and discrimination were negatively correlated, their connections to game genre and gender status were different. Sense of community in online gaming is a complex and rich area for future research. This paper offers discussions on the roles of genre classification, gender representation, player characteristics, and modern game characteristics. Keywords: Sense of Community, Discrimination, Online Groups, Virtual Community, Gaming

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