Other Concentration
Digital Culture Lab
Summary
From examining how online friendships bloom on Minecraft to studying the effects of doomscrolling TikTok on our mental health, The University of Canterbury Digital Culture Lab researches our interactions with video games and social media.
Our Mission
How does our experience with video games and social media affect the formation of our attitudes and identities? What does that mean for our mental health? We tackle these complex questions with a breadth of scientific methodologies, ranging from qualitative insight to computational analyses of game telemetry, and anything in-between. Our goal is to understand the emergence of online cultures and their effects on individuals and society.
Our Research
How does culture form in internet communities?
Multiplayer video games, Twitch channels, and Discord servers, these are examples of spaces where communities are formed by individuals who share certain interests, attitudes or beliefs. Through online social interactions within these communities, how are these values transmitted and how do they impact offline behaviours? How can we leverage technological interventions like AI to bring a positive impact to these online communities?
Why do people play Video Games?
People have different motivations and reasons for playing video games. How are these related to their psychological tendencies, and can we detect these psychological traits through observing their play-styles in-game?
Multiplayer video games, Twitch channels, and Discord servers, these are examples of spaces where communities are formed by individuals who share certain interests, attitudes or beliefs. Through online social interactions within these communities, how are these values transmitted and how do they impact offline behaviours? How can we leverage technological interventions like AI to bring a positive impact to these online communities?
Why do people play Video Games?
People have different motivations and reasons for playing video games. How are these related to their psychological tendencies, and can we detect these psychological traits through observing their play-styles in-game?
Heads
Other Concentration contact
- University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand