The Association Between Personality Traits and eSports Performance

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sports Science
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Electronic sports (eSports) is a rapidly growing field with increasing professionalization.
• Understanding the psychological factors influencing eSports performance is crucial for player development and team strategy.
• The Big Five personality traits model is a well-established framework for assessing individual differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between personality traits, as defined by the Big Five model, and performance in the video game League of Legends (LoL).
• To identify specific personality characteristics associated with higher levels of competitive success in eSports.
• To contribute to the nascent research on personality in eSports and compare findings with traditional sports.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 206 League of Legends players using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) to assess personality traits.
• Categorized players into higher and lower ranked groups based on their in-game competitive division.
• Analyzed personality data in relation to players' eSports performance levels.

Main Results:

• Players achieving higher ranks in League of Legends demonstrated lower levels of extraversion.
• Higher-ranked players also exhibited lower levels of agreeableness.
• Conversely, successful eSports athletes tended to be more open to experience compared to lower-ranked players.

Conclusions:

• Specific personality profiles are associated with superior performance in League of Legends.
• The findings suggest that traits like openness to experience may be advantageous in competitive eSports.
• This research provides foundational insights into the psychology of eSports performance, drawing parallels with traditional sports psychology.