Esports Players Are Less Extroverted and Conscientious than Athletes

Abstract

The worldwide status of esports as a sporting phenomenon has been developed in the past decade. However, as the esports industry has grown, it has remained an understudied scientific field. Esports is often contrasted with traditional sports regarding various aspects, including lack of physical activity and the online nature of social interactions. However, little is known whether individuals competing in esports—esports players—differ from individuals competing in traditional sports—athletes. To address this question, we examined the personality characteristics of both types of performers. We collected cross-sectional data on esports players' ( n = 416) and athletes' (n = 452) personalities and performance characteristics. We found that esports players were less extroverted and conscientious than athletes. Furthermore, greater sports and esports experience was positively related to being more extroverted. Our findings contribute to the literature by documenting the preferences for competitive activities based on individuals' personality characteristics. We suggest that esports (rather than sports) might be a more suitable form of competition for less extroverted and conscientious individuals.

Examination of Differences in Pre-Competition Anxiety and Big Five Personality Traits in Esport Players and Athletes

“…The obtained result in analyzing the first hypothesis shows that the difference is statistically significant (t(65)=4.09, p<.0001) and that the first hypothesis is confirmed (Table 1). According to the results, athletes and Esports differ significantly on the dimension of Extraversion (E), which was also confirmed in one research (Behnke et al 2023). The assumption at the core of this hypothesis was that Esports players are more introverted and are inclined towards gaming and Esports, i.e.…”

“…With this research, we have confirmed the assumptions from which we started, namely that athletes show statistically significantly higher levels of Extraversion (E) and Agreeableness (A), and significantly lower levels of Neuroticism (N). Behnke et al (2023) have also confirmed higher levels of Extraversion in athletes compared to Esports players. Just as there is a hypothesis of gravitating toward sports, so in recent times there is a gravitation of young people towards Esports, where the main difference is on the Extraversion-Introversion dimension, and research has shown that Esports players are truly more introverted.…”

“…Evaluation is done on a Likert-type scale, i.e. from 1 to 5, and each of the selected values expresses the degree of agreement or disagreement with a certain statement, ranging from "completely disagree" (1) to "completely agree" (5 ), in such a way that the respondent writes/circles the degree of agreement with that statement (Larsen & Buss 2008). The measured reliability was α=0.78.…”

Applying a synergistic mindsets intervention to an esports context

“…In games like first-person shooters, males make up most of the player base [166]. Our latest study found that only 7% of CS: GO players in Poland were women [167]. As this gender balance changes, we hope future studies will focus on the relationship between affect and performance among professionals and female gamers.…”

The Relationship Between Digital Game Playing Motivation and Mental Toughness Levels of Electronic Sports Players: Descriptive Research

“…4 Bu oyunları kendisini oyun içi veya oyun dışı faaliyetler ile geliştirmek için düzenli olarak oynayan oyuncular ise e-sporcu olarak tanımlanmıştır. 5 E-spor, hızlı reaksiyon gerektiren, refleks hareketleri içeren ve aynı zamanda satrançtaki gibi hamleleri planlamayı ve düşünmeyi gerektiren fiziksel ve zihinsel mücadeleleri içerir. 6 E-spor oyuncuları oyun esnasında ani kararlar alabilmeli ve bu kararları hızlı bir şekilde uygulayabilmelidir.…”