Analyzation of the Influence of Video Games on Young People’s Social Satisfaction

In recent years, with the rapid development of digital entertainment technologies and the increasing sophistication of storytelling in interactive media, video games have evolved beyond mere leisure activities to become complex social and psychological spaces. The parasocial interaction (PSI) between players and game characters is becoming increasingly significant. As a one-way emotional connection, PSI might affect the player's psychological experience and social behaviours. Through questionnaire survey and interview, this study explored the influence of PSI's cognitive, emotional and behavioral factors on players' social satisfaction. The results showed that cognitive and behavioral factors were significantly related to social satisfaction, while emotional factors did not show significant correlation. However, the interview showed that different types of game players may be affected by different factors. Importantly, the study found that PSI might has a positive effect on social satisfaction, and might be able provide some optimization directions for game designing to enhance the social experience of players.