ABSTRACT
As more and more people spend more and more of their waking hours participating in online virtual worlds (OVWs) of one type or another, we are left to consider the simple question of how to explain this. As Castronova suggests, OVW usage is often associated with addiction (see, for example, Charlton and Danforth 2004; Chiu, Lee, and Huang 2004; Clarke and Duimering 2006; Fisher 1994; Whang and Chang 2004; Yee 2006). This is not surprising considering its very essence, that is, its virtual reality, could be taken to imply an escape from actual reality.1 Yet, besides pathological explanations, what else could account for a robust attachment or sense of belonging that individuals may experience with regards to an OVW?
