What drives an individual to insult or threaten for an electronics brand? In this special we try to shed some light on the reasons behind the console war from a psychological and pedagogical point of view. In this special you can discover how absurd it is and what roots this whole way of thinking has.
These days a new generation of consoles is arriving with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series . A moment of joy and jubilation for all of us who love this hobby but which, as is becoming customary, is marred by the everlasting and absurd “console warfare”. From various disqualifications towards companies, developers and even individuals to the most surreal montages to simulate that a console is literally on fire . For anyone arriving from the outside, this absurd harassment and takedown dynamic that we live in the video game sector towards practically any movement of any company, would be little more than a schoolyard fight. However, I think it is important to delve into what causes this reaction in such a large mass of users, unfortunately, since it is obvious that those who join these discussions number in the thousands and that is worth studying.
The “fans” as we popularly know them are divided into two types: those who enjoy video games on any platform and applaud any positive initiative, and those who, like a football team hooligan , chant and defend tooth and nail “their “marks while they attack without regard the opposite, arriving at the insult and even the violence. Not in vain the Royal Spanish Academy defines fanaticism as “passion and excessive tenacity in defending beliefs or opinions, especially religious or political.” As the academy exposes, fanaticism has historically occurred in religions and political opinions. While religion filled the void of those who were lost in life, and gave them a meaning (wrong or not),It served to identify with a specific group and fight for their rights to the detriment of the opposite opinion, the misnamed others. But, how has it gone from a religious or political fanaticism, long studied throughout history by countless psychologists, to a brand fanaticism? What pushes an individual to spend their time insulting, belittling, discrediting and, ultimately, damaging an electronics brand? Why does this individual feel attacked when someone else praises the management or decisions of the brand they hate?
As they say, there is no single correct answer. But everything seems to indicate that it is a mixture of psychology and brutal marketing . Psychology looks for an explanation to the behavior of people, to the functioning of human reasoning. Marketing seeks to alter that reasoning, knowing how to play with its weaknesses and exploiting them to encourage sales.
Turning the user into a tool
Original photo: Picryl.com
The evolution of marketing and the concept that companies have of the user and how to interact with him has evolved a lot, especially since the 70s when brands began to take advantage of technological improvements to reach their customers through new channels. Moving forward a bit in time, I believe that the germ of the current situation of thousands of brands worldwide is the theory of the ” lovemark ” by Kevin Roberts, exposed in his book The lovemarks effect: Winning in the consumer revolution (2006).
Roberts’s theory of “lovemarks” suggested that a company should go beyond creating a brand to creating a lovemark in order to build customer loyalty. According to Roberts, a lovemark is defined as “a deep and emotional connection that distinguishes a consumer’s experience with a brand from that of a consumer in love with the brand.” In Robert’s opinion, a lovemark is defined as a combination of great love and respect for the brand. Roberts discriminated between lovemarks, brands, products and fashions; based on the level of love and respect experienced by a consumer.
Fashions have a high level of love but a low level of respectIt is observed that the products have low levels of love and respect, I need something and I buy it ; fashions have a high level of love but a low level of respect, now it’s the best but I know that soon I will stop needing it ; brands have a low level of love but a high level of respect, we have no empathy for them but we recognize the quality of their products; and lovemarks have high levels of love and respect. For example, Apple can be considered a manual lovemarkWhile Dell may have a low level of love but a high level of respect given its longstanding and flawless track record in the marketplace. Long queues to get a new product is a clear example of how consumers show great love and respect for a brand like Apple, something that consumers have never shown for a new Dell product.
Original photo: Picryl.com
In summary, Roberts defends that lovemarks are brands that not only work on their product with the objective of making money, but also strive to create an image, to define themselves with certain ideals to dazzle and make those fans fall in love . To create and maintain that feeling of belonging to a group, emphasize that self-enhancement and nuance its individuality, many brands use leaders who embody their ideals and show the more human side of the company. The case of Steve Jobs is famous, a technology guru who not only sold his products, but also a lifestyle. His figure has been most influential, not only because of the films about his work and life, but also because of how his sales methods and practices are studied in schools. Returning to the video game sector, perhaps the most similar case today is found in Phil Spencer , the CEO of the Xbox division and who has become one of the four horsemen of a Microsoft in a state of grace .
Phil Spencer embodies the image of hope, the image of the gamer manager who has reached where he is with a lot of work and sacrifice, a guy who makes all the decisions he makes thinking about the well-being of the user and consumer, who prioritizes satisfaction over short and long term of the user even if this means reducing the profit margin for a time, a paradigmatic example of the consumer-centric mindset . Famous is its commitment to Xbox Game Pass , a turning point for an industry whose market has been saturated for years with large releases, but even more interesting is its vision of the Xbox ecosystem; of how the player should be able to access their titles from any device and place and how everything works from a single account.
Original photo: Picryl.com
As the psychologist Sergio Díaz explains to 3DJuegos : “The fan first has to ‘get hooked’ on the brand, and companies have many ways to retain users. However, of all the strategies developed for customer retention, they would more effective those with an emotional component, “says Díaz. “The scientific studies by Gross and John (2003) showed that a message that appeals to the recipient’s emotions is more likely to be internalized, due to a question of identification and empathy”.
It’s something new? Not at all, Nintendo already did it a long time ago with the indelible smile of Satoru Iwata , the witty and always funny Reggie Fils-Aime or the everlasting Shigeru Miyamoto. But let’s not be fooled, leaders do not generate negative synergies between users, on the contrary. Fortunately, we live in a time when social networks bring us much closer to these figures and we can see how they all have a good relationship and congratulate each other on the launch of their new consoles. So why do fans continue with the absurd console war if no brand wants it? Perhaps we can find an explanation from the point of view of psychology.
Love turns to hate, from fan to fan
Original photo: Babarczy Eszter
There is a moment in which a certain type of user, after enjoying the products of a brand and its service, goes from being a fan of that brand to becoming a fan, to taking the future of the company as a personal crusade . You may be wondering where the term fanatic, widely debated in the field of psychology, comes from. A fanatic is understood to be a person who has unconditional adherence to a cause , directly or indirectly, without limits or nuances, to the extent of being able to perform actions that challenge morality. And yet, that person will think in his heart that he is doing the right thing, that he is defending himself from the attack of others.
Díaz himself explains that this step is taken, among other reasons, due to the emotional deficiencies of the user: “Evolving from a consumer to an unconditional ‘ militant’ of the company depends on the degree of emotional imbalance and its urgent need to fill the emotional gaps with that that gives you satisfaction. ” The psychologist Encarnación Irles also tells us that this deviation of behavior usually has a root in the learning of the subject: “we learn what we hear and we do what we see”
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Most studies argue that this strong link occurs due to dopaminesecreted by the brain. Dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter that acts as a reward system that is made up of three elements: stimulus salience (desire), the hedonic component (pleasure), and learning (conditioning). The neurons that control dopamine secretion are closely related to the emotions we experience and these respond based on what happens to us. More recent studies confirm that the amount segregated is much higher when that good news is totally unexpected. To give a couple of examples, let’s think about how we feel when our soccer team, which is losing in the 80th minute, scores a goal. And now, think about how we feel when, going tied, we are awarded a penalty in the 90th minute. And our team scores. Euphoria unleashed.
It is precisely this intense feeling that generates dependency . Our brain gets used to receiving that dose of pleasure in the same way, especially if we take into account that the area in which the greatest amount of dopamine is produced is in the so-called substantia nigra, located in the midbrain (ventral tegmental area or ATV). Exactly the learning zone. This leads people to repeat what they have learned in search of that new dose of pleasure, turning it into an addiction.
Original photo: J-Man11
Fans feel attacked when the rival brand makes a good moveAnd it is right here when the fanatic is born, when that person needs the ecstasy and joy that his football team, his religion, his political party or, in our case, his video game company produces, in order to maintain that bond. “No one is born a fanatic, it is a process that develops in the person from childhood and especially in adolescence”, says Encarnación Irles. And to strengthen what is our own, some cut short by attacking the company or the people they consider rivals since they feel victims, they feel that they are taking away what gave them happiness, that brought them pleasure. This is what happens in fights between fans of rival teams, it is what happens with religious groups and intolerant people, what happens with those who are in favor and against abortion … The same behavior that we have seen millions of times throughout history. How Enrique Echeburúa defines, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of the Basque Country whom we have consulted on this issue, “while non-fanatics have ideas, fans have beliefs, which are adaptive functions to achieve certainty and security.”
That’s why fans feel attacked when the rival brand makes a good business move or when the competition’s exclusive game is a hit.. Because, in his mind, this jeopardizes his beliefs and does not give him the security of enjoying the “dopamine kick” again for the success of his brand. In the same way it works on the opposite side, any blow that makes the opponent stagger will be celebrated and will encourage fans to flood social networks and forums with countless messages attacking and belittling. Because that makes them feel stronger, it gives them reason, it gives them a -false- moral superiority that they need. This is how Díaz explains it: “Studies such as those of Bandura (Social Fundamentals, 1987) also corroborate that the practice of violence is a key to entering within certain circles; vandalism, assaults, insults … are a demonstration of commitment to the cause that would open the doors of also radical nuclei.
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Here comes into play the so-called theory of social identity , perfectly exposed by Groene, SL, & Hettinger, VE in the article “Are you fan enough? The role of identity in media fandoms. Psychology of Popular Media Culture” (2006). Before the study, Groene and Hettinger developed a psychometric test of fan identity they called the Fandom Measure. This includes items related to how fans identify with their interests, how they relate to other fans, and how often they participate in joint activities. After testing it on people from different websites such as forums and others, the authors developed a final version of 44 elements to define the intensity of the link between fan and license.
While this study may provide insight into how the Harry Potter and Twilight fans surveyed view themselves, it is difficult to draw strong conclusions about fan culture in general. No franchise or saga will be the same, so generalizing between different fandoms is not appropriate. Still, the study shows that becoming a devoted fan often means developing a sense of belonging to a larger fan community. That sense of belonging is definitely going to shape the sense of identity.that have many fans and helps explain the enthusiasm we often see at fan conventions, music concerts, and sports arenas around the world. Sergio adds, “Scientific studies on the impact of emotions and affective relationships indicate that emotional deficiencies are filled with generally harmful habits, material objects or by idealizing links to find a way to compensate for them and thus obtain a false balance”. In the same vein, Encarnación Irles is shown: “More insecure people, more rigid minds with overvalued ideas, have a tendency not to stop to think and [b] reduce complex thoughts into simpler ones [b]. On an emotional level they only empathize with their group “.
The fanatic you only see two options: with me or against me
Original photo: Picryl.com
One of the most characteristic features of fanaticism is dichotomy . The fanatic only sees white or black, he is unable to enter to appreciate the gray. We could think that it is a matter of having a very closed point of view, or it could even have something to do with the character of the person – which certainly influences, but is never decisive. Díaz argues that “all scientific investigations come to agree on the same thing: the existence of a distorted reality where the absolute truth is the one exposed by the fanatic, and that truth will be defended to the last consequences because its affections are destined to the elements that they satisfy him and replace shortcomings. ” Encarnación Irles adds: “They have an affective overvaluation of their beliefs; it consists oflive them with a very high intensity . For this reason, if you contradict them, they get angry and this can lead to violent attitudes or aggressive behaviors, whether physical or verbal. “This is also explained through science
The fanatic does not value everything that happens in the same way and for this purpose I consider it very interesting to observe the study carried out by Jonas T. Kaplan, Sarah I. Gimbel and Sam Harris in 2016 entitled “Neural correlates of maintaining one’s political beliefs in the face of counterevidence “on the brain’s response to stimuli received by political evidence contrary to its convictions, extrapolated, in this case, to how devoted users of a brand react to the ads and achievements of the rival brand.
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Summarizing the conclusions of the study, the scientists were able to verify how the fanatic, in this political case, is used to thinking and receiving external stimuli in the same way. Basically, the results suggest that the participants are engaging the same brain regions where we contemplate our identities and feel threats . And it is presumably within these circuits that the obstacles to accepting the facts that contradict our convictions are found.
But these results represent a most intriguing step: The brain processes politically charged information (or information about strongly held beliefs) differently – and perhaps more emotionally – than it processes more mundane facts. And this can help explain why attempts to correct misinformation can backfire completely, leaving people even more convinced of your convictions. What would be, in colloquial terms, adding fuel to the fire .
Can a fan back down and be empathetic?
Original photo: Picryl.com
It remains to be asked if a fanatic person can become more objectiveFinally, it remains to ask ourselves if a person who is a fan of a brand, who has already reacted aggressively and lacks empathy to a contrary opinion, can become more objective. How is this reversal carried out? It does not seem at all easy for such a person to start thinking for himselfin the consequences of their actions, in the repercussions of their threats and grievances. Sergio Díaz explains that the main difficulty lies in a hormonal process: “There is scientific research such as that of Schwartz (2001) that explains why it is so difficult to introduce these educational models and reverse the habitual practice of violence: norepinephrine and dopamine are two hormones that are abundantly secreted in periods of excitement, such as an aggressive act; their appearance generates the containment of the opposite hormonal circuit, the serotonergic, causing, when the excitement has passed, ‘lows’ and mood swings , anxiety , impulsiveness and discomfort “.
The psychologist Ramón Nogueras adds that social pressure can work. “Normally there is either a negative experience and desconfirmatoria that leads to disappointment, or a process that modifies person their views occurs social influence by one It is very difficult for this to occur , since the individual has no incentive to do so. ”
At this point it is time for everyone to draw their own conclusions. I think it is clear that there is a serious problem in the current “gamer” community, that hatred spreads through the networks too easily and that harassment campaigns against people and companies are multiplying . I think at some point some members of this community forgot why they are here. We are here because we are united by a common hobby and passion, we are here because we love losing ourselves in virtual environments and making friends. I believe that we should focus our attention on what unites usInstead of looking for reasons to face With today’s article we have tried to give a well-founded, clear and concise explanation of why this phenomenon of toxic and aggressive fanatics happens. I sincerely hope that it helps those who were once lost to reflect and help them improve. Life is not a game, here our actions define us and it is in our power to change the course of an increasingly toxic and problematic community. Together we can overcome it .
