‘There’s a fine line between trash-talking and cyberbullying’: a qualitative exploration of youth perspectives of online gaming culture

ABSTRACT This study explored male youth’s reflections of their adolescent online gaming experiences including the similarities and differences between trash-talking and cyberbullying. In 2019, qualitative data was gathered from 19 participants ranging in age from 18 to 25 years of age using individual interviews and focus groups. Participants responded to questions about the types of games played, gaming culture, trash-talking and cyberbullying while playing online, and shared their personal gaming experiences. Using male socialization and social norms as theoretical lenses, analysis of the data resulted in three main themes: (1) the complexity of the gaming culture; (2) the role of cyberbullying in online gaming (including three subthemes: what is cyberbullying, how is cyberbullying different than trash-talking, and frequency of cyberbullying); and (3) the role of trash-talking in online gaming (including three subthemes: when talking trash the genre of the game matters, and when talking trash group matters, and why talk trash?). This study provides new insights into the complexity of online gaming culture and norms including the importance of genres of games and sub-cultures, expanding our current understanding of gamers’ perceptions of what cyberbullying is and is not, and the role of trash-talking in gaming.