Female Video Game Players: A Different Type of Player?

Lavinia McLean & Mark Griffiths (2012) 1

Female gamers: A thematic analysis Female gamers: A thematic analysis of their gaming experience of their gaming experience

Lavinia McLean & Professor Mark GriffithsLavinia McLean & Professor Mark Griffiths(Nottingham Trent University)(Nottingham Trent University)

Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Interactive Technologies and Games: Education, Health and Disability: Nottingham, 2012. Health and Disability: Nottingham, 2012.

Gender differences in Gender differences in gaming gaming

Males play for longer and more frequently (Rideout, Roberts & Foehr, 2005; Olsen et al, 2009).

Gender differences due to socialisation, design or gender specific skills.

Is there a change occurring: Entertainment software Association (2012) data suggest females over 18 years fastest growing demographic.

Males and females attracted to different genre of games.


Attraction to gamingAttraction to gamingSocial Interaction (Cole &

Griffiths, 2007).Relaxation (Snodgrass, Lacy,

Denagh, Fagan & Most, 2011)Escape (Klimmit, Hefner &

Vorderer, 2009).Stereotypical characters in

games (Dill & Thill, 2007).


Research on female Research on female gamers gamers

The experience of females playing of games.

The impact of violent video games on males and females.

Are these findings relevant to females who prefer to play violent video games?

Some indications that females dislike violent content, competitive elements and stereotypical characters (Griffiths, Davies & Chappell, 2004; Lucas & Sherry, 2004; Hartmann & Klimmit, 2006).


Present Research Present Research Public gaming discussion forum.Favourite games: FPS, RPG, action,

horror. May 2011-May 2012: 409

discussions.Thematic AnalysisSocialGame/Platform MiscellaneousAttitudes/Opinions


ATTITUDES & OPINIONS DISCUSSIONS ATTITUDES & OPINIONS DISCUSSIONS Table 1: Main categories identified within “attitudes/opinions” discussions and the corresponding discussion threads and number of replies

Inductive thematic analysis.

Coded into four main categories based on title and content.

Coded for actual and semantic meaning.

Three main themes emerged.


Threads Posts

Playing Online 10 297

Characters 13 533

Gaming Habits 9 329

Male vs

Female

11 200

Totals 43 1359

.

Social Interaction Social Interaction Interaction peripheral to gaming“Its great to know that these ladies share the same

interest because I personally know few girls who game” (F2) .

Playing with significant others, particularly families. In contrast to previous research (Cole & Griffiths, 2007).Online interaction.“People would talk over me and ignore everything I

said..kicked me out of guild soon after”Sexism, abusive language, unwanted advances and threats. Male and female behaviour.


Identity Identity Identity laboratories (Klimmit, Hefner & Vorderer,

2009).“She’s so realistic...she doesn't have huge boobs or

skimpy clothes” (A12) Self Identification with characters: physically and in

terms of personality characteristics.“ She is kind hearted and soft spoken, kinda like me

(T2) Inspiring characters.

“Shes my hero and we look alike” (B2) Females assuming virtual identity, for different

reasons to previous research. “Its annoying why cant I just be me, without having to hide behind other non gender related gametag” (MJ1).


Integration Integration Gaming integrated into their lives.Time spent playing indicating a flexibility.

“If I didnt have a full time job, it’d be more like 60+ [hours a week]” (LD1)

Form of escapism“I don't mind the skimpy outfits, its like

Halloween to me, pretending to be someone else”

Relaxation “It helps me to unwind from a long day at

work, a stress reliever”


Conclusions Conclusions Move away from “bikini clad girl with an

arsenal of weapons” (C3) Stereotypical characters offer a way to

escape.Gaming key element of their identity

but integrated into their lives. Identity linked to own gaming but also

to behaviour of others online.Similar to research with other genre of

games social interaction key attraction to gaming.

Playing for enjoyment, not just because of others. Lavinia McLean & Mark Griffiths (2012) 10

Future Research Future Research Reliance on secondary data and

different samples.All female posters?May represent a particular group of

participants only. Have we underestimated numbers of

female gamers?Females indicating a similar attraction

to these video games, other research needed on female gamers?



“Because its fun!! And exploding heads are also

pretty satisfying!” (SF1)

References References Cole, H. & Griffiths, M. (2007). Social interaction in massively multiplayer online role-

playing gamers. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 10, 575 – 58. Dill, K. E., & Thill, K. P. (2007). Video game characters and the socialization of gender

roles: Young people’s perceptions mirror sex ist media depictions. Sex Roles, 57, 851 – 864.

Griffiths, M. D., Davies, M. N. O., & Chappell, D. (2003). Breaking the stereotype: The case of online gaming. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 7, 479 – 487.

Griffiths, M. D., Davies, M. N. O., & Chappell, D. (2004). Online computer gaming: A comparison of adolescent and adult gamers. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 87 – 96.

Hartmann, T., & Klimmt, C. (2006). Gender and computer games: Exploring females' dislikes. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11, 910 – 931.

Klimmt, C., Hefner, H., & Vorderer, P. (2009). The video game experience as “true” identification: A theory of enjoyable alterations of players’ self-perception. Communication Theory, 19, 351 – 373.

Lucas, K. & Sherry, J. L. (2004). Sex differences in video game play: A communication-based explanation. Communication Research, 31, 499 – 523.

Olson, C. K., Kutner, L. A., Warner, D. E., Almerigi, J. B., Baer, L., Nicholi, A. M. & Beresin, E. V. (2007). Factors correlated with violent video game use by adolescent boys and girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41, 77 – 83.

Roberts, D. F., Foehr, U. G., & Rideout, V. J. (2005). Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 year-olds. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation.

Snodgrass, J. G., Lacy, M.G., Denagh, H.J., Fagan, J. & Most, D. E. (2011). Magical flight and monstrous stress: Technologies of absorption and mental wellness in Azeroth. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 35, 26 – 62.


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Female Video Game Players: A Different Type of Player?