The value of time together
A longitudinal investigation of mentor-protégé interactions in an online game
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12420564 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Dmitri Williams (0000-0001-7995-4429, University of Southern California, corresponding author), Sukyoung Choi (0000-0002-0274-2361, University of Southern California), Paul L Sparks (0000-0003-2769-5036, University of Southern California), Joo-Wha Hong (0000-0002-6555-3074, University of Southern California) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 519-537 |
| Publication date | 2023-03-26 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Internet Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1066-2243 • E-ISSN: 2054-5657 |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1108/intr-11-2021-0832 |
| OpenAlex | W4361028563 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 35 |
Purpose The study aims to determine the outcomes of mentorship in an online game system, as well as the characteristics of good mentors. Design/methodology/approach A combination of anonymized survey measures and in-game behavioral measures were used to power longitudinal analysis over an 11-month period in which protégés and non-mentored new players could be compared for their performance, social connections and retention. Findings Successful people were more likely to mentor others, and mentors increased protégés' skill. Protégés had significantly better retention, were more active and much more successful as players than non-protégés. Contrary to expectations, younger, less wealthy and educated people were more likely to be mentors and mentors did not transfer their longevity. Many of the qualities of the mentor remain largely irrelevant—what mattered most was the time spent together. Research limitations/implications This is a study of an online game, which has unknown generalizability to other games and to offline settings. Practical implications The results show that getting mentors to spend dedicated time with protégés matters more than their characteristics. Social implications Good mentorship does not require age or resources to provide real benefits. Originality/value This is the first study of mentorship to use survey and objective outcome measures together, over time, online
Developmental psychology · Generalizability theory · Longitudinal study · Medical education · Mentorship · Originality · Value (mathematics · Applied Psychology · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Medicine · Mentoring and Academic Development · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |