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Transactions on Computational Science XXVI pp 142–160Cite as

The Influences of Online Gaming on Leadership Development

Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (TCOMPUTATSCIE,volume 9550)

Abstract

This study seeks to identify the effects gameplay has on leadership behaviors and establish how video games can be use as a didactic tool for leadership development. The leadership behaviors, present in both multiplayer online battle arena games (MOBA) and the real world, are identified. A self-report questionnaire that categorizes respondents’ game roles (carry, support, ganker) and real-world leadership styles (autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire) was conducted. Through contingency leadership theory, this study found that the continuous practice of specific game roles in MOBAs facilitates development of real-world leadership styles. Effects of gameplay on leadership behaviors were estimated using propensity score matching and doubly robust estimation. The empirical analyzes revealed that game players who predominantly play a specific role in games exhibit stronger real-world behaviors of the corresponding leadership style. This study concludes that playing video games helps improve leadership skills and leadership style development.

Keywords

  • Leadership style
  • Game role
  • Behavior
  • Online game
  • Multiplayer online battle arena
  • MOBA

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Fig. 1.

Notes

  1. 1.

    For detailed information on implementing PSM methodology, please refer to Some Practical Guidance for the Implementation of Propensity Score Matching [63].

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Acknowledgement

The author would like to express his appreciation to Hitoshi Mitomo, Atsuyuki Kato and Chutipong Keesookpun for their vast knowledge and generous advice. A sincere gratitude is extended to Ai Lu Wang for her insightful comments, support and motivation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Tinnawat Nuangjumnong

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  1. Tinnawat Nuangjumnong
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Correspondence to Tinnawat Nuangjumnong .

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  1. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Marina L. Gavrilova

  2. Sardina Systems OÜ, Tallinn, Estonia

    C.J. Kenneth Tan

  3. University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain

    Andrés Iglesias

  4. Toho University, Tokyo, Japan

    Mikio Shinya

  5. University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain

    Akemi Galvez

  6. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Alexei Sourin

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Nuangjumnong, T. (2016). The Influences of Online Gaming on Leadership Development. In: Gavrilova, M., Tan, C., Iglesias, A., Shinya, M., Galvez, A., Sourin, A. (eds) Transactions on Computational Science XXVI. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9550. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49247-5_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49247-5_9

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