The value of time together: a longitudinal investigation of mentor-protégé interactions in an online game

Abstract

PurposeThe study aims to determine the outcomes of mentorship in an online game system, as well as the characteristics of good mentors.Design/methodology/approachA combination of anonymized survey measures and in-game behavioral measures were used to power longitudinal analysis over an 11-month period in which protégés and non-mentored new players could be compared for their performance, social connections and retention.FindingsSuccessful people were more likely to mentor others, and mentors increased protégés' skill. Protégés had significantly better retention, were more active and much more successful as players than non-protégés. Contrary to expectations, younger, less wealthy and educated people were more likely to be mentors and mentors did not transfer their longevity. Many of the qualities of the mentor remain largely irrelevant—what mattered most was the time spent together.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a study of an online game, which has unknown generalizability to other games and to offline settings.Practical implicationsThe results show that getting mentors to spend dedicated time with protégés matters more than their characteristics.Social implicationsGood mentorship does not require age or resources to provide real benefits.Originality/valueThis is the first study of mentorship to use survey and objective outcome measures together, over time, online.