RESEARCH ARTICLE
Competitive game motivation and trait aggression among Chinese adolescent players of Glory of the King: The mediating role of avatar identification and game aggression
Shuai Chen,
Zhenshuo Yi,
Xu Wang,
Yali Luo,
Yanling Liu,
Shuai Chen
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorZhenshuo Yi
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorXu Wang
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yali Luo
Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, China
Correspondence Yali Luo, Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Baosheng Ave No. 301, Chongqing 401120, China.
Email: [email protected]
Yanling Liu, Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yanling Liu
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Correspondence Yali Luo, Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Baosheng Ave No. 301, Chongqing 401120, China.
Email: [email protected]
Yanling Liu, Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorShuai Chen,
Zhenshuo Yi,
Xu Wang,
Yali Luo,
Yanling Liu,
Shuai Chen
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorZhenshuo Yi
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorXu Wang
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yali Luo
Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, China
Correspondence Yali Luo, Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Baosheng Ave No. 301, Chongqing 401120, China.
Email: [email protected]
Yanling Liu, Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yanling Liu
Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Correspondence Yali Luo, Center of Mental Health Education, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Baosheng Ave No. 301, Chongqing 401120, China.
Email: [email protected]
Yanling Liu, Research Center of Mental Health Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Previous studies have shown that competitive video gaming is associated with aggression; however, little is known about the relationship between personal competitive factors and aggression. Thus, we used structural equation modeling to examine the association between competitive game motivation and trait aggression, as well as the potential mediating roles of avatar identification and game aggression, among 1584 (59.66% male; Mage = 14.58 years, SD = 1.49, range = 12–19) Chinese adolescent players of Glory of the King. The results showed that the direct effect of competitive game motivation on trait aggression was statistically significant, as were the indirect effects of competitive motivation—via both avatar identification and game aggression—on the three indicators of aggressive behavioral tendencies in everyday life. These results support the General Aggression Model, suggesting that competitive motivation is a personal factor predicting trait aggression. It contributes to our understanding of the roles of competition in video gamers' real-life aggressive behavior from an individual perspective.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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