- 24/11/2023
- Category: Commentaries
Author: Leonardo
Editor: Perdana Karim & Alfredo Putrawidjoyo
Currently, online games have become a primidone. By 2023, Indonesia has at least 173.27 million online game user accounts (Statista, 2023). Additionally, APJII (2023) indicates that the majority (42.23%) of them play online games for >4 hours.
On the other hand, various studies mentioned that the indicator of excessive internet usage is a daily duration of >5 hours (Lin et al., 2015; Tamura et al., 2017). The Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) does not directly mention it. However, previous studies often show that internet usage >5 hours per day can lead to physical problems (insomnia, headaches, decreased vision) (Bener et al., 2019) and psychosocial issues (impulsivity, aggression, addiction) (Stojković et al., 2022).
We Are Social (2023) states that the average internet usage among Indonesians amounts to 7 hours and 42 minutes per day. Online gaming is just one among various interests in utilizing the internet. Other needs, such as social media, podcasts, etc., still contribute to daily internet usage exceeding 5 hours (Agatha, 2023). Thus, the public’s internet usage falls into the category of excess.
This fact is concerning, as excessive internet usage is susceptible to problematic use (Brailovskaia et al., 2021; Brooks & Clark, 2019). Meanwhile, inappropriate internet use can lead to various psychological issues, as mentioned earlier.
However, the “excessive” indicator only applies to peripheral internet usage. Central usage, such as for academic and professional purposes, does not fall into the category even if it is >5 hours (Filiz, 2015). This is because excessive peripheral usage tends to negatively correlate with individual preferences (favorite ones) and aspirations (important ones), meaning that individual self-control becomes weakened (Cocchi et al., 2013). In contrast, central usage of>5 hours strengthens individual self-control (Buckner et al., 2008).
Therefore, logically, the usage of the internet and online games by e-sports athletes does not fall into the excessive category. The e-sports industry ecosystem demands its athletes to use devices, the internet, and online games more intensively (Ma et al., 2013). This is affirmed by Gong et al. (2019), who found that the cognitive functions of top-tier e-sports athletes are superior compared to lower-tier players.
However, other studies have found that e-sports athletes tend to experience cognitive issues similar to problematic internet users (Ioannidis et al., 2019; Şenyiğit & Kıran, 2019). In other words, e-sports athletes are not immune to problematic usage disturbances despite their coherent preferences and aspirations and the professional nature of their usage. So, why might this be the case?
E-Sports Athletes, Non-Athlete Players, and Problematic Internet Users
While both may engage in online gaming, each exhibits distinct characteristics and behavioral patterns. E-sports athletes are distinguished by their competitive orientation and professional commitment to gaming (Ma et al., 2013). Until now, there are 18,219 active e-sports athletes, including 720 from Indonesia (eSports Earnings, 2023). Therefore, it creates a disparity in the daily average duration of online gaming between e-sports athletes (8.54 hours) (Limelight Networks, 2021) and non-athlete players (+4 hours) (APJII, 2023).
Beyond demographic disparities, neuro-psychological variances also come to light. E-sports athletes demonstrate a heightened coherence between the Default Mode Network (DMN), which is responsible for regulating preferences, and the Central Executive Network (CEN), which governs aspirations (Gong et al., 2019). This suggests a notable ability among e-sports athletes to direct their behavior effectively towards achieving personal goals, a trait less pronounced in non-athlete players (Gong et al., 2019).
However, a nuanced picture emerges when considering inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. While e-sports athletes exhibit lower inhibitory control (Deleuze et al., 2017), akin to problematic internet users, they also share reduced cognitive flexibility, as observed in Klaffehn et al.’s (2018) findings. Inhibitory control involves the capacity to dismiss distractions, and cognitive flexibility reflects the ability to solve problems adaptively and adjust to new challenges—both intricately tied to the functioning of the DMN and CEN (Diamond, 2013). The results indicate that the Default Mode Network (DMN) and Central Executive Network (CEN) work anticorrelated. The same phenomenon occurs in problematic internet users.
Competitive E-Sports Ecosystem
Leis and Lautenbach (2020) classified e-sports into competitive and non-competitive. The difference between these two types lies in the level of cortisol hormone secretion associated with stress (van Paridon et al., 2017). This secretion not only occurs during competitions but is also anticipatory. This means that e-sports athletes tend to experience cortisol exposure and stress intensively over an extended period.
Exposure to stress can lead to a cognitive imbalance between the DMN and CEN (Clemens et al., 2017). The DMN of the brain experiences increased regulation and activation in response to stress and anticipation of it. In the chronic stage, the DMN can even induce a prolonged alert default state—the body feels like it is in a constant state of danger. Meanwhile, the CEN experiences decreased regulation and activation.
This imbalance is further reinforced by disparities in connectivity with the Salience Network (SN) of the brain, which plays a role in attention regulation (Pyeon et al., 2021). The DMN experiences hyperconnectivity with the SN, while the CEN experiences hypoconnectivity—a decrease in connectivity levels. These various anti-correlated relationships contribute to individual self-regulation and control decline, especially in e-sports athletes.
The solution to the Contradictions
The competitive nature of e-sports serves as a key moderator aspect that can address the disparities found in various previous studies (Leis & Lautenbach, 2020). Certainly, this systemic uniqueness cannot be separated from the e-sports ecosystem and the internalization of competitive orientation by its athletes. Therefore, a psychological intervention is needed to ‘outsmart’ these challenges.
The time gap between tournaments emerges as the most significant period for the psychological recovery of e-sports athletes (Andre et al., 2020). Apart from recreation, the altruistic personality of the athletes also needs to be nurtured through social activities. A meta-analysis study found that altruistic social interactions, such as volunteer activities, can enhance the functional integration between the DMN and the CEN (Feng et al., 2021). This improvement is influenced by the secretion of serotonin when someone engages in altruistic social activities (Kiser et al., 2012). Serotonin exposure has effects that tend to counteract cortisol, such as stabilizing emotions and reducing anxiety. Therefore, serotonin is often referred to as the “happiness hormone.”
Based on the above findings, stakeholders in the e-sports industry, including clubs and organizations, need to anticipate harm and maximize benefits for their athletes. Some measures that can be taken include regularly conducting psychological interventions by sports psychologists, reducing training intensity at specific times, and fostering altruistic behavior among athletes through social activities. These steps are not just obligations but essential for e-sports’ sustainability.
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