Dissertation
Examining identity exploration in digital game affinity spaces
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000111
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of role-specific identity exploration enacted by participants on a community forum for the space flight simulation game Kerbal Space Program (KSP). Identity exploration is a valuable skill for 21st century learners, and affinity spaces such as community forums hold promise for supporting role-specific identity exploration but remain underexamined. The study addressed this gap using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design with a convergent data-transformation variant, in which the initial quantitative examination informed sampling for the qualitative examination, and the qualitative data was later quantified to explore general trends. Social network analysis visualized friend groups in the KSP forum, which highlighted participants with high and low social centrality to be sampled for qualitative case studies. To understand identity exploration as a form of complex thinking, epistemic network analysis visualized participants' patterns of association across identity constructs as defined by the Projective Reflection theoretical framework. Social network analysis results revealed friendships remained relatively static over time but tended to cluster around highly central individuals. Case studies illustrated how most and least socially central participants enacted unique, personally relevant, and socially situated identities over time, but that highly central members tended to take on identities as content contributors. Results from epistemic network analyses found statistically significant differences in three participants' association of identity constructs over time. Integration 1) illustrated general trends about identity exploration as it is enacted in KSP affinity spaces and 2) highlighted unique features of identity exploration processes based on social situation. Findings offer insights into the field of games and identity, including new theoretical understandings, methodological approaches, suggestions for application in formal and informal learning settings and areas for future research.
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Details
- Title
- Examining identity exploration in digital game affinity spaces
- Creators
- Amanda Barany
- Contributors
- Aroutis Foster (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xiv, 167 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014695537604721