Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Publication Date

Fall 8-19-2022

Abstract

Understanding the social identity construction of Saudi college-level students who self-identify as gamers in Saudi Arabia is essential when designing a student-centered education. Although support exists within the literature for exploring what it means to be a gamer from the perspective of gamers, a review of the literature revealed a gap in this regard in the context of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this grounded theory study explored self-identification as a gamer in Saudi Arabia using Tajfel's (1981) three tenets of self-identification with a group. A social identity framework was used to understand the characteristics of Saudi gamers, their positive or negative evaluation of the gaming group and their membership, and their feelings of belonging or not belonging to the gaming group. This study's focus was to explore gamers' social identity among Saudi college-level Saudi students. The data collection method for this study was semi-structured interviews. The findings show the definition of self-identification as a Saudi gamer, the characteristics of the Saudi gamer social group, and the interaction between their social identity and the languages used. Findings also show the Saudi gamers' evaluation and the emotional significance of their social group and membership.

Keywords

Tajfel’s social identity, social identity of gamer, gamers’ social identity, Saudi gamers’ social identity.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies

First Committee Member (Chair)

Pisarn Chamcharatsri

Second Committee Member

Rebecca Blum-Martinez

Third Committee Member

Aijuan Cun

Fourth Committee Member

Assem Alqarni

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