Effects of individual toxic behavior on team performance in League of Legends

Abstract

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.