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<p>Online gaming has the potential to enhance life satisfaction. The formation of social capital and sense of belonging to virtual gaming communities shapes players’ experiences. Yet, existing research has largely overlooked the comprehensive investigation of these interconnected mechanisms. This study uses social capital theory and social presence theory to examine how participation in online gaming, bonding social capital, and sense of community influence life satisfaction in a Chinese sample (<i>N</i> = 542). It presents a validated moderated mediation model, highlighting the significant positive impact of gaming participation on life satisfaction. The research reveals the partial mediating role of bonding social capital and the positive moderation of sense of community in this relationship. Offering both theoretical and empirical insights, the study provides evidence for the bridging role of social attributes in online games, contributing to players’ subjective well-being. It moves beyond simple linear binary analysis to explore the psychological mechanisms through which online gaming affects life satisfaction.</p>

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Well-being in gaming communities: the relationship between online gaming participation, social capital, and life satisfaction

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月28日

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  • Shengnan Pang,
  • Zixuan Zhang,
  • Xiaopei Wang

摘要

Online gaming has the potential to enhance life satisfaction. The formation of social capital and sense of belonging to virtual gaming communities shapes players’ experiences. Yet, existing research has largely overlooked the comprehensive investigation of these interconnected mechanisms. This study uses social capital theory and social presence theory to examine how participation in online gaming, bonding social capital, and sense of community influence life satisfaction in a Chinese sample (N = 542). It presents a validated moderated mediation model, highlighting the significant positive impact of gaming participation on life satisfaction. The research reveals the partial mediating role of bonding social capital and the positive moderation of sense of community in this relationship. Offering both theoretical and empirical insights, the study provides evidence for the bridging role of social attributes in online games, contributing to players’ subjective well-being. It moves beyond simple linear binary analysis to explore the psychological mechanisms through which online gaming affects life satisfaction.