The result of a recent study, conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, were recently published in the journal Media Psychology, showing that Pokemon GO players are more likely to be positive, friendly and physically active.
The researchers, including grad student Irene Sarmiento and communication arts Professor Marie-Louise Mares, surveyed about 400 people three weeks after the game was launched, asking questions about their emotional and social lives and levels of physical activity before starting Pokemon GO.
More than 40 percent of their respondents turned out to be Pokemon Go players, and those people were more likely to be exercising (walking briskly, at least) and more likely to be experiencing positive emotions and nostalgia.
They were also more social. Players were more likely than nonplayers to be making new friends and deepening old friendships.
“The more people were playing, the more they were engaging in behaviors that reflected making new connections – making Facebook friends, introducing themselves to someone new, exchanging phone numbers with someone, or spending more time with old friends and learning new things about them” – University representative
Surprisingly, the survey respondents who showed more social anxiety were not less likely to be Pokemon Go players, even though aspects of the game encourage chance interactions with people (including strangers).
To conclude, a UW-Madison graduate shared this:
“[…] for the most part, the Pokemon Go players said more about positive things that were making them feel their life was more worthwhile, more satisfactory, and making them more resilient.”
