Exploiting Stereotypes and Gender Roles in Gaming

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Recommended: Examples of sexism within videogames

The world of gaming is expanding with endless possibilities of ways to play. Gaming has advanced greatly over the years by expanding over many different platforms. Smartphones, tablets, and next generation consoles are just a few of the many possibilities to play. This expansion has broadened the demographic of players and changed the way we play today. Although the demographic has widened and the games have become more advanced, there seems to be a reoccurring theme in gaming. White males make up the majority of video game protagonists, while minorities and women are stereotyped and degraded. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) recently released its 2013 sales, demographic and usage report for the computer and video game industry. “Numbers show that 58% of Americans play video games. Fifty-five percent of gamers are male while 45% of gamers are female.” These numbers should suggest a change in the look of gaming to support its wide range of gamers. Yet and still nothing is being done. I feel this is due to a lack of women and minorities in the video game development field. If more knowledge of the field were to be presented to the African American youth, I feel there would be more interest and an increase in the number of minority game developers. What is a stereotype? A stereotype is an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic. While stereotypes can sometimes be true most stereotypes are based on hurtful and demeaning characteristics that undermine an entire culture. By placing stereotypical images in mass media and video games, people begin to build false perceptions based on schema that isn’t factual. These false images can ruin future relati... ... middle of paper ... ... on social judgments. Simulation & Gaming, Jul 2011, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p289-311. Web. 6 Dec 2013 Dill, K. Thill, K “Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles: Young People’s Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media” Sex Roles Vol. 57.Issue11/12(2007) p851-864. Web. 30 Nov 2013. Dill, K. E., Gentile, D. A., Richter, W. A., & Dill, J. C. (2005). Violence, sex, race and age in popular video games: A content analysis. In E. Cole & J. Henderson Daniel (Eds.), Featuring females: Feminist analyses of the media (pp. 115-130). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Depictions Lanis, K., & Covell, K. (1995). Images of women in advertisements: Effects on attitudes related to sexual aggression, Sex Roles, 32, 639–649. Thompson, T. L., & Zerbinos, E. (1995).Gender roles in animated cartoons: Has the picture changed in 20 years? Sex Roles, 32, 651-673.

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