The “Mindset Evolution” Path of Young Adults Under Verbal Violence in Competitive Video Games

Abstract

With rapid growth of esports industry, competitive online games have become a major form of entertainment for young adults in China. While verbal abuse about players' skills or personal attacks is very common in these games, it is unknow how such abuse affects players' immediate emotions, their attention, and long-term mental health. Based on cognitive load theory, this study employed semi-structured interviews to talk in depth with 10 Chinese young adults aged 18–24, trying to find out how they deal with verbal pressure in games, how they regulate their thinking, and how their mindsets change over time. The findings indicate that most players prefer avoidance strategies like muting, ignoring, or reporting instead of fighting back. From the view of cognitive load theory, this is an adaptive behavior that actively reduces external cognitive load. Notably, this mindset change does not carry over into real-life social interactions. Instead, it helps players learn to selectively ignore irrelevant negative information. This allows them to handle external conflicts with lower cognitive and emotional costs. This study extends the application of Cognitive Load Theory to digitally mediated interactive contexts and provides empirical evidence for improving game design and for youth mental health education.