{"id":184,"date":"2016-09-21T13:40:32","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T12:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/crowdsidentities\/?p=184"},"modified":"2016-09-21T13:53:43","modified_gmt":"2016-09-21T12:53:43","slug":"normalising-the-abnormal-pokemon-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/crowdsidentities\/2016\/09\/21\/normalising-the-abnormal-pokemon-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Normalising the abnormal: Pok\u00e9mon GO"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sara Vestergren and Anne Templeton.<\/em><\/p>\n

The phenomenon of Pok\u00e9mon GO has caused crowds to congregate in areas clutching their phones and shouting about rare Pok\u00e9mon. Pok\u00e9mon GO players\u2019 behaviour has been compared to that of zombies<\/a>, which for those who watch \u201cthe Walking Dead\u201d or play \u201cResident Evil\u201d might be quite frightening. The Swedish police even warn about the game giving \u201czombie-like behaviour\u201d<\/a>. Small groups of people have been seen walking together staring intently at their phones trying to get into people\u2019s gardens, or walking in circles in a park in the pouring rain. In short, this game has brought out behaviour that is, on the surface, rather bizarre. We argue that this seemingly \u2018non-normative\u2019 behaviour can in fact be understood as \u2018normative\u2019 within the social context of the game requirements, and can explain why behaviour that may seem odd to members of one group can seem completely normal to members of another.<\/p>\n

Pok\u00e9mon GO is a game based on the Pok\u00e9mon franchise which uses a map of the real world where people can catch Pok\u00e9mon at certain locations, get items for the game from designated Pok\u00e9Stops, join one of three gyms, and battle other trainers at the gyms (for a full explanation of Pok\u00e9mon GO see the company website<\/a>). Crucially, the game is based on Pok\u00e9mon appearing in specific locations for a short period of time, and unlimited players can catch those Pok\u00e9mon if they are within a certain distance of the Pok\u00e9mon (although it may take numerous attempts).<\/p>\n

On one hand Pok\u00e9mon GO has been blamed for bringing people into competition in dangerous situations, and on the other it has been praised for bringing strangers together, co-operating (which can be seen in videos of people shouting out rare Pok\u00e9mon names<\/a> to help other people catch the Pok\u00e9mon), and getting people to go outside and get some exercise. The game has attracted lots of attention, partially due to stories of people acting in ways that are socially \u2018non-normative\u2019. For example, the Swedish police received calls about people acting \u2018suspiciously\u2019<\/a>, in Michigan a man wanted by the police was caught because he visited a Pok\u00e9mon gym located in the police station<\/a>, and Canadian teenagers were detained for illegally wandering across US-Canada border while trying to catch Pok\u00e9mon. Pok\u00e9mon GO has brought out these \u2018non-normative\u2019 behaviours in people, bringing strangers together in coordinated \u2018non-normative\u2019 behaviour. One example of this coordinated \u2018non-normative\u2019 behaviour was when a large group of strangers tried to catch a Vaporeon in Central Park<\/a> and brought some of the traffic to a standstill in their attempt to catch the Pok\u00e9mon before it disappeared. .<\/p>\n

We argue that the requirements of the game necessitate these behaviours and the number of people performing the behaviours normalises them. First, we must question what is \u2018normative\u2019 and what is \u2018non-normative\u2019. Research in social psychology has demonstrated that what counts as \u2018normative\u2019 behaviour depends on the social context<\/a>. Self-categorization theory<\/a> shows that people can be members of social groups and have numerous social identities, and every social group has specific norms associated with that group. These norms set boundaries for what actions are appropriate and seen as \u2018legitimate\/normal\u2019, or not, when acting as a member of that social group in that social context. For example, research in the football<\/a> context showed that certain violent actions were perceived as acceptable amongst English football fans, after perceiving that the police failed to protect them, within the context of their group norms. However, Scottish fans with a different perception had different group norms and saw the violent actions as unacceptable. Pok\u00e9mon GO requires behaviour which may seem \u2018non-normative\u2019 to outgroup members, but can be understood as normative and necessary to ingroup members playing the game.<\/p>\n

We argue that people legitimize \u2018non-normative\u2019 behaviour, making it normative in that specific social context through shared category membership and perceived support. These actions are legitimised the more group members perform them, and this is enhanced when there is something to gain for the group. Pok\u00e9mon GO creates a context where players need to walk around and catch Pok\u00e9mon and take over gyms so that their teams \u2018hold\u2019 the gyms. Within this context, if a rare Pok\u00e9mon is in a stranger\u2019s garden then it is acceptable to stand outside, or even walk into the garden. The non-normative behaviour, standing for a long time outside someone\u2019s house or going into someone\u2019s garden, becomes legitimized by the perception that other players would\/are do the same. Hence the non-normative behaviour is perceived as legitimate and subsequently becomes normative in the Pok\u00e9mon GO context. Moreover, as increasing stories come out of this sort of behaviour emerging, it becomes more acceptable within the group norms to do this \u2013 the \u2018abnormal\u2019 behaviour has become a part of playing the game and being a Pok\u00e9mon GO player if you want to do well.<\/p>\n

One example that could be seen to go against our argument or group normative behaviour, is the controversial videos that emerged of crowds of people rushing to get to a certain locations, even stopping traffic, in order to catch rare Pok\u00e9mon<\/a>. These videos also contain some element of people acting individualistically and competing with one another. Some behaviour can be understood individualistically in the context of the game. The aim of the game is to catch all species of Pok\u00e9mon, but the Pok\u00e9mon only appear for a short amount of time and it can take numerous tries to catch the Pok\u00e9mon \u2013 especially the rare ones that the crowds are running to. In this context, it becomes a competition against other players to get to the front of the crowd to become close to the Pok\u00e9mon. Rather than fostering a shared social identity, this situation promotes individualist behaviour similar to physical crowd behaviour seen at Black Friday<\/a>. Here, the group norms of helping your team is superseded by the norm of catching the rare Pok\u00e9mon, and that requires competition with other players to get close to it.<\/p>\n

Like in the example of the football fans, Pok\u00e9mon GO is a key example of how behaviour that seems legitimate and normative to one group can be perceived as completely illegitimate and non-normative to another. Pok\u00e9mon GO creates a situation where every day \u2018normative\u2019 behaviour goes out of the window, and new social norms are needed in order to do well in the game. The behaviour required by Pok\u00e9mon GO demonstrates the importance of \u2018legitimacy\u2019, \u2018group norms\u2019, and \u2018identity\u2019 in understanding why behaviour is perceived as either normative or anti-normative. The extent to which people are acting seemingly \u2018non-normatively\u2019 by blocking up roads and entering police stations speaks for the power of social context on what behaviour is legitimised, and how fluid social norms can be as the social context changes.<\/p>\n

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By Sara Vestergren and Anne Templeton. The phenomenon of Pok\u00e9mon GO has caused crowds to congregate in areas clutching their phones and shouting about rare Pok\u00e9mon. Pok\u00e9mon GO players\u2019 behaviour has been compared to that of zombies, which for those…<\/span><\/p>\n

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