Subjective attitudes moderate the social connectedness in esports gaming during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundElectronic sports (esports) has become a practical intervention for young people craving social connections since the COVID-19 pandemic. Past studies have shown an equivocal role of esports participation in boosting social ties or social connectedness. It is unclear if their relationship is affected by subjective attitudes of gamers. Moreover, the present COVID-19 pandemic may further modify this relationship to a greater extent.ObjectiveThis study primarily aimed to investigate the moderating effect of participants' subjective attitudes toward esports gaming on the relationship between in-game interaction during esports participation and participants' anticipated social connectedness among Chinese young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in China.MethodsWe conducted a nationwide online questionnaire survey through the Credamo platform among 550 Chinese young adults in the present study. The Social Connectedness Scale-Revised was used to assess participants' social connectedness levels.ResultsFour hundred and fifty-three participants were included in the final analysis. The effective response rate was 82.4%. Our results showed that the esports participation measured by in-game communication frequency among participants, as an independent factor, was negatively associated with participants' social connectedness scores (β = −0.13, p < 0.05). However, when the moderating effect of subjective attitudes toward esports gaming was considered, the association between communication frequency and social connectedness scores was turned into the opposite direction with a larger effect size (β = 0.35, p < 0.001).ConclusionOur primary finding revealed that a positive mindset in esports gaming is indispensable in boosting social connectedness. Overall, our study provided supporting evidence for the benefits of esports on individuals' social connectedness. In future circumstances similar to the COVID-19 era, playing esports games is strongly encouraged in an attempt to maintain social connections and relieve psychological stress. In the meantime, we believe that having a positive esports experience, often associated with a positive mindset during gaming, can better promote social connectedness. Nevertheless, the amount of time spent on gaming per day should be of great concern, as esports games can be addictive, especially for teenagers and college students.

Volatility of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: sentiment analysis conducted in Brazil

“…Thus, the government's action on social media to reduce VH must be agile so as not to distance itself from the topics that are being addressed. It is important to emphasize, that if the government does not quickly combat tweets that encourage vaccine hesitancy, these messages can lead to an adverse result in the vaccination process, regardless of the frequency of communication (52). This perspective validates VH as a social process under the influence of multiple meanings and logics, circumscribed to the individual and collectivity.…”

“…Thus, the calculation of contamination risk and collective responsibility acted as elements of positive reinforcement for vaccination (17,51). Additionally, the attention given to sport-related activities during a pandemic outbreak can positively influence social connections and relieve psychological stress (52). Another interesting aspect observed in this period involves primary and secondary school teachers.…”

The Mediating Role of Positive Attitudes on the Relationship Between Esports Gaming Hours and Psychological Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Additionally, long periods of sedentary behavior should be avoided when possible. Therefore, it is recommended to play esports games for no more than 2 to 3 hours per day to prevent excessive indulgence and internet addiction [38][39][40][41][42].…”