TABLE 1.
Toxic actions in games and gamer culture from verbal/transient to behavioral/strategic.
| Description | Transient/Strategic | |
| Verbal actions | ||
| Trash talking | Putting down or making fun of other players | Transient |
| Misinformation | Repeating game-unrelated chat | Transient |
| Spamming (verbal) | Repeatedly engaging in an action, such as sending the same verbal message or using the same in-game move, often to the consternation of others. | Transient |
| Griefing | Irritating and/or harassing other players by using the game in unintended ways | Transient |
| Sexual harassment | Insults or comments based on gender, including threats, the criticism of women and their interests, and stalking | Transient |
| Hate speech | Insults based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, or other personal information | Transient |
| Threats of violence | Threats of physical abuse, vandalism, arson, sabotage, possession, or use of weapons or other dangerous act | Transient |
| Flaming | Presenting emotionally fueled or contrary statements with an instrumental purpose | Strategic |
| Behavioral actions | ||
| Spamming (behavioral) | Repeatedly engaging in an action, such as using the same in-game move, often to the consternation of others | Transient |
| Inappropriate role-playing | Pretending you are a different person to obtain a specific reaction or not abiding by role playing norms of the game and/or community | Strategic |
| Contrary play | Playing the game outside of what it is intended by most players | Strategic |
| Inhibiting team | Inhibiting your own team from being successful in winning | Strategic |
| Aiding the enemy | Behaving in a way that strategically aids the opposing team | Strategic |
| In-game cheating | Using methods to create advantage beyond normal gameplay in order to make the game easier for oneself | Strategic |
| Hate raiding | Purposefully infiltrating the gaming space of another with the intention of spreading hate/harassment | Strategic |
| Doxxing | Publicly sharing and/or publishing another player’s identifying information | Strategic |
| Swatting | Prank calling emergency services in an attempt to dispatch armed police officers to a particular address | Strategic |