Customization and Engagement

The purpose of this study is to contribute empirical data pertaining to the factors and effects of existing theories of user control in social games. The increasingly prominent role of user control in the form of customization and online social environments in our lives warrants attention from researchers. Although study as proposed will focus on the context of MMOs with adult users, implications of the findings will be of interest to educators who are interested in utilizing possibilities of virtual worlds, and to technology and social game developers concerned with maximizing the potential benefits of customizable and sociable technologies.