TY - JOUR TI - Virtual Worlds of MMORPG. Part II. Remedy for Social and Psychological Ill-Being (in Russian) T2 - Psychology. Journal of Higher School of Economics IS - Psychology. Journal of Higher School of Economics KW - virtual worlds KW - MMORPG KW - artificial reality KW - virtual reality KW - avatar-mediated interaction AB - The present text is the continuation of the article "Virtual Worlds of MMORPG: Part 1, Definition, Description, Classification" and it discloses the psychological aspects of the socially active form of adult and senior leisure - avatar-mediated non-game joint activity in virtual worlds, meant for entertainment. Specific characteristics of avatar-mediated friendly and romantic relationships in virtual worlds, positive distinctions of avatar-mediated friendly companionships, as well as common for MMORPG condition of group flow are analyzed. Group entertainment in MMORPG is the virtual analogue of extreme tourism, which demands coordinated activity in the joint danger resistance that provokes display of inner moral qualities. This, in turn, contributes to growth of trust and strengthening of interpersonal relationships. Friendly companionships in MMORPG are the good alternative of the "face to face" companionships thanks to easiness of gathering, frequent entering into individual and group state of flow and large assortment of group entertainment. Avatar-mediated activity takes place in conditions of physical comfort, low physical fatigue and anonymity, which makes it greatly attractive for people with disabilities. Leisure in virtual worlds MMORPG replaces such asocial form of hobbies as TV-programs and movies watching, desensitizates the impact of a wide variety of phobic stimuli (of height, darkness, fire, water, closed premises, open spaces, various animals, etc.), has the effect of pain relief, diminishes depression, can be used as a palliative remedy. The possibility of a goal-oriented usage of this leisure for the improvement of quality of living of socially vulnerable groups is indicated. AU - Sergey Belozerov UR - https://psy-journal.hse.ru/en/2015-12-1/148010166.html PY - 2015 SP - 71-89 VL - 12