Crafting closeness: Building connection through collaborative creativity in Minecraft
Date
2026
Authors
Berger, Phaedra
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Abstract
We investigate how designing to support collaborative creativity can foster social connection in interactive systems. Although creativity and social connection are conceptually linked, engaging in digital creative activity has not been examined as a mechanism for explicitly fostering social connection. We conducted a mixed-methods survey study of people who play Minecraft with others, combining measures of creativity, social connection, and features of digital collaboration with open-ended responses. Quantitative analysis revealed that both creative self-perception and the creativity support of the tool influenced the building of social capital through creative collaboration. Furthermore, creativity support was more influential in informing bonding ties than bridging ties. Qualitative thematic analysis identified three phases of the creative process (problem-finding, brainstorming, and implementation) and four experiential factors (unity, agency, playfulness, and achievement) that shaped experiences of social connection and disconnection. We contribute a set of general design implications for leveraging collaborative creativity to support social connection in digital systems.
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creativity, collaborative creativity, video games, Minecraft, social connection, social computing, human-computer interaction, mixed methods