ABSTRACT

Toxic behavior in online video games is frequent and problematic. Previous research has linked toxic behavior with worsened performance. No study, however, has investigated a causal relationship between toxic behavior and worsened performance, nor investigated potential moderators such as individual motivation. Using 716 players of League of Legends, a popular team-based video game, the effect of toxic behavior on performance and the influence of motivation was assessed. Players were exposed to either a control condition where a confederate behaved neutrally or an experimental condition where a confederate operationally “flamed” participants. Performance statistics were gathered from the NA.OP.GG database. Motivation was self-reported after matches (N = 139). Toxic behavior significantly worsened the multivariate vector of team and individual performance. Motivation influenced baseline individual performance but did not significantly moderate the effect of toxic behavior on individual performance. These results encourage individuals to refrain from engaging in online toxic behavior and provide motivation for gaming communities to take steps to decrease toxic behavior. Future research should take a closer look at the role of individual differences and underlying cognitive processes involved in toxic behavior.

摘要

在线视频游戏中的有毒行为是常见且有问题的。先前的研究已将毒性行为与性能恶化联系起来。然而，没有研究调查过有毒行为与表现恶化之间的因果关系，也没有调查过潜在的调节因素，例如个人动机。使用流行的基于团队的视频游戏《英雄联盟》的 716 名玩家，评估了有毒行为对表现的影响和动机的影响。玩家要么暴露在同盟者表现中立的控制条件下，要么暴露于同盟者在操作上“煽动”参与者的实验条件下。性能统计数据来自 NA.OP.GG 数据库。比赛后的动机是自我报告的（N = 139）。有毒行为显着恶化了团队和个人绩效的多元向量。动机影响基线个人表现，但没有显着缓和有毒行为对个人表现的影响。这些结果鼓励个人避免参与在线有毒行为，并为游戏社区采取措施减少有毒行为提供动力。未来的研究应该仔细研究个体差异和有毒行为所涉及的潜在认知过程的作用。这些结果鼓励个人避免参与在线有毒行为，并为游戏社区采取措施减少有毒行为提供动力。未来的研究应该仔细研究个体差异和有毒行为所涉及的潜在认知过程的作用。这些结果鼓励个人避免参与在线有毒行为，并为游戏社区采取措施减少有毒行为提供动力。未来的研究应该仔细研究个体差异和有毒行为所涉及的潜在认知过程的作用。