The Psychology of Esports

Anger

Emotions and Esports

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on April 26, 2021

What positive emotions can we experience from playing video games? The answer may just surprise you.

What positive emotions can we experience from playing video games? The answer may just surprise you.

Attention

“Take a Deep Breath”

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on January 11, 2021

It’s not enough to just tell people to breath, what matters is where we place our attention when doing this activity.

It’s not enough to just tell people to breath, what matters is where we place our attention when doing this activity.

Environment

Are Pre-Performance Routines Appropriate in Esports?

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on November 24, 2020

The feelings, thoughts, and behaviours a competitor engages in can impact how the player performs. How appropriate is it for esport competitors to use a pre-performance routine?

The feelings, thoughts, and behaviours a competitor engages in can impact how the player performs. How appropriate is it for esport competitors to use a pre-performance routine?

Health

Does Physical Activity Impact Esports Performance?

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on October 20, 2020

Do esport competitors need to bother being physically active? There's a range of benefits outside the clear physical health assets.

Do esport competitors need to bother being physically active? There's a range of benefits outside the clear physical health assets.

Leadership

What Does It Take to Be an In-Game Leader?

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on September 20, 2020

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Being an esports leader like N0tail, Karrigan, Gla1ve and Ceb is vital yet difficult. What do you need to know to be an effective in-game leader?

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Being an esports leader like N0tail, Karrigan, Gla1ve and Ceb is vital yet difficult. What do you need to know to be an effective in-game leader?

Intelligence

What Does It Take to Become an Expert Esports Competitor?

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on August 24, 2020

What does it take to be an expert in esports? The power of deliberate practice, the 10,000 hours and factors that lead to expert status, are outlined here.

What does it take to be an expert in esports? The power of deliberate practice, the 10,000 hours and factors that lead to expert status, are outlined here.

Media

Social Media's Impact in Esports

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on July 23, 2020

We all know social media can be a place of joy, connectedness, and more importantly, memes. We all use it for various reasons, but what impact can it have on esport competitors?

We all know social media can be a place of joy, connectedness, and more importantly, memes. We all use it for various reasons, but what impact can it have on esport competitors?

Leadership

What Esports Teams Need To Know

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on June 22, 2020

What are the psychological demands of team esports like Valorant, League of Legends, and Rainbow 6 Siege? Take a look at a few them here.

What are the psychological demands of team esports like Valorant, League of Legends, and Rainbow 6 Siege? Take a look at a few them here.

Environment

What Are the Mental Demands of Esports?

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on May 18, 2020

Esports are more of a psychological battle than you'd originally think. To compete at the highest level, injuries, emotions, and many more factors need to be dealt with.

Esports are more of a psychological battle than you'd originally think. To compete at the highest level, injuries, emotions, and many more factors need to be dealt with.

Sport and Competition

Is An Esport Really a Sport? 

Phil Birch, Ph.D., and Edgar Chekera, M.S. on April 19, 2020

The esports revolution is here. Can it really be considered as a category of sport?

The esports revolution is here. Can it really be considered as a category of sport?