Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2020
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA Public Relations
Department
Communication and the Arts
Advisor
Ruth Tsuria, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Renee Robinson, Ph.D.
Keywords
online video games, public relations, reputation management, reputation crisis, online toxicity, toxic behavior
Abstract
Online video games are plagued with toxic behavior, which has a strong potential to cause a reputation crisis for online video game developers. A grounded theory study was conducted to determine what online video game players consider to be toxic. An analysis of online forums for Overwatch and League of Legends was conducted alongside the observation of player behavior in Apex: Legends. Behaviors that were found to be toxic include flaming, poor teamwork, trolling, cyberbullying, and hate speech. The results were used to create a series of recommendations for online video game developers in their attempts to address toxicity. Recommendations included emphasizing transparency with a game's player base, overhauling the in-game report function, and introducing a system for reinforcing positive behaviors.
Recommended Citation
Lapolla, Matthew, "Tackling Toxicity: Identifying and Addressing Toxic Behavior in Online Video Games" (2020). Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). 2798.
https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2798
Included in
Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons
