Examining Factors of Performance Under Pressure in Esports Contexts
Date
2025-01-23
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0001-9137-7994
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Doctoral
Abstract
Competitive online games frequently invoke high-pressure situations that demand players maintain performance; however, performance may be hindered by an anxiety-induced shift from procedural to declarative
processing—resulting in a phenomena colloquially understood as ‘choke’. While performance under pressure is an inescapable component of competitive play, there is limited knowledge of what governs successful, or thwarted, performance in competitive online gaming contexts. The eruption of esports into the mainstream has galvanized the need to understand the mechanisms underpinning performance failures and successes in competitive gaming spaces. In this dissertation, we examine the factors of performance under pressure in esports contexts, and how we as researchers, game developers, and esports personnel can support the development and maintenance of optimal performance under pressure. In Manuscript 1, we systematically reviewed the state of the literature to better understand the role emotions and emotion regulation play in esports performance—revealing the complex interplay between emotions and performance. In Manuscript 2, we qualitatively explored experiences of choke among both amateur and professional esports players, finding that the antecedents to, and underpinnings of, choke differ among player populations. In Manuscript 3, we conducted a mixed-methods laboratory experiment investigating the influence of spectator presence and tone on competitive video game play, and if this relationship is moderated by player traits—counterintuitively
finding that supportive spectators are more detrimental to performance than critical spectators. In accordance with our findings, we posit implications for researchers, game designers, and esports management, as well as discuss avenues for future research. Overall, this dissertation provides a comprehensive understanding of performance under pressure in esports contexts, and better equips esports scholars and stakeholders with the knowledge required to support all players in performing their best.
Description
Keywords
esports, performance, video games, pressure, skill, explicit-monitoring theory, emotions, emotion regulation, choke, clutch, amateurs, professionals, spectator
Citation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Computer Science
Program
Computer Science