Virtual Universe Study Proves 80-Year-Old Theory On How Humans Interact

"A new study analysing interactions between players in a virtual universe game has for the first time provided large-scale evidence to prove an 80 year old psychological theory called Structural Balance Theory. The research, published in PNAS, shows that individuals tend to avoid stress-causing relationships when they develop a society, resulting in more stable social networks.

This study, carried out at Imperial College London, the Medical University of Vienna and the Santa Fe Institute...