From GG to Grrr

The sweet rewards and sudden frustrations of gaming

Heart pounding. Chest tightening with excitement. Sweat dripping off your palms onto your keyboard as you “spam” the button – victory just a few clicks away! Suddenly, defeat. All at once, it comes crashing down. The loss stings, as you replay the moment in your mind… could have, should have, would have. All this just for a game? That is gaming rage – an emotional rollercoaster fuelled by the very same psychological triggers that make winning a game feel like ruling the world. Gaming taps into our rewards system, from the euphoric feeling of winning to the crushing, devastating feeling of defeat, therefore rendering it highly addictive, especially for teenagers.

 

You know the feeling when in a game you unlock the next level, find the “loot” and treasure, or win it all? That is gamification – the reward system in gaming which works by releasing the neurotransmitter, dopamine, thereby inducing feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Users begin to crave this dopamine rush, which encourages them to play even more, repeatedly aiming to attain the next reward. Creators of these games strategically design them to appeal to our desire for accomplishment, gratification and external validation by utilizing consumer psychology. Gamification leverages the psychological triad of triggers – Reward, Compete, Achieve. Notice how even the laziest of dogs will happily sit, roll over, or give you their paw when they see a treat in your hand. Humans are no different, as they endlessly chase the next reward, brains lighting up with the same feeling of getting a “treat”. 

 

However, there can only be one winner, and therein lies the concept of gamer rage. Losses via failure, teammate errors and technical glitches tend to spark rage within most gamers, especially teenagers. This aligns with the frustration-aggression hypothesis in psychology. When users are subject to frustration (losing) and their goals are blocked, they act out aggressively. This could be in the form of rage-quitting the game or attempting to belittle their opponent using inappropriate language. They experience a strong urge to lash out at the object of their frustration, however when that proves to be impossible or inappropriate, their anger is redirected and placed upon a different target. This aggression could disrupt family harmony and interfere with one’s social life, especially if experienced on a daily basis.   

 

From controller-throwing, rage-quitting lows to dopamine-filled highs, gaming truly reflects our minds’ craving for a reward system. Understanding the psychology behind our reactions to gaming events may not completely erase the rage, but it can help us control our own actions and remind us that a game’s results are not a reflection of our own worth.