Virtual Cultivation: Online Worlds, Offline Perceptions

Abstract

The first longitudinal, controlled experiment of a video game explored the presence of cultivation effects due to play. Over the course of 1 month, participants in an online game changed their perceptions of real-world dangers. However, these dangers only corresponded to events and situations found in the game world, not other real-world crimes. This targeted finding is at odds with the broader spreading activation postulated by some cultivation researchers. The results, their implications for theory, and the study of games are discussed.