Abstract

This study explores the relationship between the big five factors of personality and esports engagement, comparing audiences in the U.S. and China. Using survey data, this research examines how personality traits like extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism influence behaviors such as real-life event attendance, dedication to esports, online community interactions, and spending habits in both countries. Results show that extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness are positively associated with different forms of engagement in both countries, while neuroticism has different results depending on the region. Cultural differences were observed in the relationship between spending patterns and high player engagement: U.S. players spent more on real-life events and streaming services, while Chinese players showed little interest in these items. Both the U.S. and Chinese players showed little interest in fandom merchandises. These findings highlight how personality and culture shape esports engagement and provide insights for targeted strategies in marketing, game design, and community development.

Degree Date

Spring 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.I.T.

Department

Production

Advisor

Elizabeth Stringer

Second Advisor

Karl Steiner

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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