The Induction of Emotions in Online Subcultural Groups and Its Relationship with Cyberbullying: Taking E-Sports as an Example

E-sports, which are marked by fierce competition, strong group identification, and high emotional commitment, have emerged as a dominant type of modern online subculture due to the quick growth of Internet technology and digital culture. This study investigates how the distinct cultural ecology of e-sportswhich includes anonymity, instantaneous communication, and fiercely divided fan communitiescreates an environment that is conducive to cyberbullying and emotional escalation. Based on the SIDE model, social identity theory, subculture theory, and mechanisms of moral disengagement, the analysis demonstrates how e-sports communities create inflexible in-group and out-group boundaries through player, team, and community hierarchy allegiance. While cognitive methods like responsibility dispersal and dehumanization justify hostile acts toward competitor groups, depersonalization and group polarization exacerbate collective emotions. Because of this, emotionally charged competition settings frequently turn casual onlookers into participants in online animosity. Developing successful governance measures and educational interventions to promote healthier involvement and lessen cyberbullying in digital subcultures requires an understanding of these socio-psychological processes.