Relationships between moral identity, self-esteem, and antisocial media exposure with aggressive behaviour among Malaysian online gamers

Aggressive behaviour, characterised by harmful actions directed toward others, is a complex phenomenon influenced by various personal and situational factors. This study seeks to determine the relationship between moral identity, self-esteem, antisocial media exposure (gaming and non-gaming media exposure), and aggressive behaviours among local online gamers. The sample comprised 384 participants from the Klang Valley region using the non-probability sampling method selected through the purposive sampling technique. The study utilized several instruments, including the Gaming and Non-Gaming Media Exposure Scales, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Moral Identity Questionnaire, and the Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaires. The reliability of the instruments was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding coefficients between 0.716 and 0.929 which indicates good internal consistency. The study used a cross-sectional survey design and the Statistical Equation Model-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). Findings on demographic results revealed that most of the sample were young adult Malay males from the B40 income group who had been exposed to antisocial media. Meanwhile, non-gaming media exposure varied significantly across different levels of education and employment status. The study found that individuals with lower levels of education and those who are unemployed tend to have higher levels of non-gaming media exposure. There was also a significant difference in moral identity between males and females, with females having a higher moral identity than males. Furthermore, the correlation analysis shows significant positive associations between aggressive behaviour and antisocial media exposure, meanwhile negative correlations with moral identity and self-esteem. Moderation analysis indicated that moral identity did not significantly moderate the relationship between self-esteem, gaming media exposure, and non-gaming media exposure on aggressive behaviour. Effect size analysis revealed that gaming media exposure had the largest effect, followed by non-gaming media exposure, self-esteem, and moral identity. The proposed model demonstrated strong explanatory power, accounting for 74.9% of the variance in the dependent variable (R² = 0.749), exceeding the recommended benchmark. Next, the model demonstrated a high degree of predictive relevance for the independent variables, accounting for a considerable amount of the variance observed in aggressive behavior, specifically 68%, where (Q² = .681). These findings suggest that enhancing moral identity could potentially reduce aggressive behaviour among gamers. These findings contribute to theoretical implications for refining the General Aggression Model by proving that personal and situational factors significantly predict aggressive behaviour. On the practical front, the results of this study are expected to further promote the development of the e-sport industry in Malaysia over a prolonged period, leading to benefits for the legislative body, investors, and the government. Finally, the results of this study have successfully demonstrated that the variables of moral identity and self-esteem have a significant relationship in decreasing the level of aggressive behaviour, while antisocial media exposure shows a significant positive correlation with increased aggressive behaviour.

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