Reducing toxic behaviors in the gaming community: A social-psychological intervention with lasting effects

Zsila, Ágnes and Orosz, Gábor and Demetrovics, Zsolt (2026) Reducing toxic behaviors in the gaming community: A social-psychological intervention with lasting effects. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR, 176. No. 108827. ISSN 0747-5632 (print); 1873-7692 (online)

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Abstract

Toxic behaviors in multiplayer online gaming environments have become a growing concern, as aggression between players can diminish game enjoyment and reduce psychological well-being. This preregistered randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of a brief social-psychological intervention designed to reduce both involvement in and the psychological consequences of toxicity by exposing gamers to adaptive strategies against toxicity in the form of peer testimonials. A total of 722 gamers (93.6 % men; Mage = 31.40 years, SD = 8.13) were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (n = 372) or the control group (n = 350). The treatment group was exposed to materials focused on toxic behaviors, while the control group read about peer experiences related to disruptive external circumstances in the gaming environment. Maladaptive and adaptive reactions to toxicity, rumination, game enjoyment, and toxic disinhibition were assessed before the intervention and one month later. Compared to the control group, players in the treatment group reported lower levels of rumination and more adaptive responses to toxicity in anticipated situations of toxicity immediately after the intervention. Moreover, participants in the treatment group reported fewer maladaptive reactions to toxicity immediately after the intervention and also one month later compared to the control group. These findings indicate that social-psychological interventions targeting social norms can effectively foster adaptive and reduce maladaptive responses to toxic behavior, which were previously identified as major contributing factors to the social contagion of toxicity in gaming environments.

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