Study: Playing in a guild actually lowers stress
by Mike Schramm 
Sep 14th 2009 at 2:00PM
But only when used in moderation -- Longman also found that 10% of the sample he studied played considerably more World of Warcraft than normal, and that those players not only didn't experience a bigger benefit to their wellbeing, but actually experienced more "negative psychological symptoms." A good balance of virtual and real life can have a lot of benefits, but falling too much into virtual life can actually cause more problems psychologically, according to this researcher's work. Obviously, this is one study of many about how playing these games can affect how we think, but the results are definitely reflected in experience: in-game relationships, used in moderation, can definitely help you deal with the real world in a healthier way.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, WoW Social Conventions, Virtual selves, Guilds, Blizzard, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Tom Sep 14th 2009 2:02PM
I have to call shenanigans. Every guild I have ever been in has increased my stress level two fold at least. There's a reason I play solo.
strikersully Sep 14th 2009 2:18PM
Thanks, outlier. ;)
Knob Sep 14th 2009 5:25PM
I want to see the author of this study to be the GM of any guild.
Kitanai Sep 14th 2009 9:11PM
I play in a guild. It used to be really stressful, but then the guild grew a bit more casual, a bit older, and now we all just chill. When we get new members, it's funny to see them freaking out over loot etc...the older members just tell them to STFU and calm the hell down. I completely agree with the findings here and they are applicable to my experiences. I just love hanging out online casually, it a bit of an escape.
Naku Sep 15th 2009 9:57AM
Same. I found more stressed being in a guild than play solo. And most of my guilds just falled appart.
But now we formed a guild with my friends. Its not a big one, and we hardly progressing with Ulduar -hahaha, far from that - , but its more fun than playing with strangers, who blame you if any bad thing happens.
T Sep 14th 2009 2:09PM
Um, bullshit? Granted, it depends on the guild, but some of the most stressful times I've ever had in WoW was due to guild behavior. Even so-called casual guilds present a variety of problems and issues. If it's you and some friends you know outside of the game, or even friends you've kept in game for awhile, sure. But how often does that happen?
And where can I get paid to do studies like this?
impurezero Sep 14th 2009 4:03PM
It really depends on the quality of people in the guild and how well they all mesh. In my guild, we could spend a night wiping like crazy and still have fun the whole time chatting away. We also know that everyone is honest and good so there's never any loot drama. The second I step into a Pug, though, I have no idea what kind of idiots I'm gonna be dealing with, and some of those experiences have honestly made me question why I play this game. :D
theRaptor Sep 14th 2009 11:10PM
Would people please l2science?
A study like this is not based on data saying "everyone in a guild has a good time" it is based on a range of experiences and the conclusion they write about is the result of the aggregate of that data.
If you are in a guild with mature people and form long term connections it gives you the same benefit as RL friends. If you have shitty RL friends they can be a major source of stress but for most people they are not. Humans are social creatures and MOST are not optimally happy without socialising.
Don't join shitty "hardcore raider" guilds full of teenagers and emotional retards, who only stay together for progression and disintegrate if a raid goes really badly.
Slaytanic Sep 14th 2009 2:09PM
"10% of the sample he studied played considerably more World of Warcraft than normal".
How much WoW time is considered "normal"?
Badger Sep 14th 2009 2:12PM
The researcher defines this within the article. If I recall, according to the methodology of the study, it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 hours.
Vladeon Sep 14th 2009 2:44PM
Surely you mean 20 hrs. per day.
Tommy Sep 14th 2009 2:46PM
a day? whew... I'm within acceptable parameters.
Anom Sep 14th 2009 2:10PM
agree. top end raiding guilds do that to no end. my dps isn't high enough oh noes. I have to show up each night or else my spot is lost or I wont have enough DKP oh noes.
I quit all that and WoW is so much more fun. I'm in a guild with a close RL friend, our guild is just the two of us and our alts. We pug raids, and still manage to clear them and get decent gear, just at our own time and convenience and and not forced to show up at 7pm 4 nights a week with flasks and a 5 hour commitment.
We also have a 6 tab guild bank, and work on non raid-related achievements, and having enough 80s between the 2 of us to have a 450 of each profession, we are quite well off on our own.
We've never had to buy anything off the AH.
snowleopard233 Sep 14th 2009 2:12PM
mmediately after this picture was taken, the pictured players began killing each other.
I’d agree with this study's assessment. I like chatting with the people in my guild and doing stuff with them, as opposed to just soloing, which feels downright depressing after a while. Throwing a few jokes around and talking about current events is never bad thing and a little basic socialization goes a long way for people. Just make sure you’re in a good guild of relaxed and reasonable people. Those qualities, to me, matter more than any raid progression.
Cyanea Sep 14th 2009 2:21PM
Of course not every guild is perfect. You argue with your RL friends, don't you? Granted, some environments are toxic from the get-go, which is why I avoid those kinds of guilds like the plague. My guild is great, and I love my guildies.
Jerod Sep 14th 2009 2:23PM
It's shocking to think that doing fun stuff lowers stress.
snowleopard233 Sep 14th 2009 3:03PM
Agreed. I play this game to relax and have fun. If people are stressing themselves out over it, they should really stop playing and find something else to do. Granted, we all have those moments where we raise our hands in frustration at a wipe or gank, but for the most part, you should be having a good time when you play.
grump-e Sep 14th 2009 2:28PM
Talking with friends about your problems reduces stress and taking the game too seriously produces it.
It makes sense.
tim Sep 14th 2009 2:28PM
An orc warlock.
Badass. Just... badass.
Also, I don't have time to look up this study's methodology, but if it's an observational study (rather than an experimental one), the title of this article should be "Players in a guild report less stress."
yenaled Sep 14th 2009 2:43PM
They've certainly not played in my guild then.