Gamers’ EGO identity influences referral program involvement

We explored the relationship between referral program involvement and the ego identity of online gamers. We recruited 429 participants who had used the World of Warcraft referral program to recruit a friend. The results revealed significant relationships between referral program involvement and ego identity, and three canonical factors were extracted. The first canonical correlation analysis revealed that higher overall referral program involvement is more likely to catch the attention of online gamers with ego identities that are aimless, disobedient, unsociable, or paranoid. The second canonical correlation analysis suggested that referral program involvement is positively associated with the ego identity factors of being self-willed or paranoid, and negatively associated with those of being aimless, multi-exploring, and having gender identity issues. The third canonical factor showed that those respondents with referral program involvement for exciting, fascinating, and appealing factors are positively associated with ego identity characteristics of liking challenges, being self-willed, and having gender identity issues.