Content Analysis of Gender Stereotypes in Video Games
Location
CSU 202
Start Date
10-4-2018 10:00 AM
End Date
10-4-2018 11:00 AM
Student's Major
Communication Studies
Student's College
Arts and Humanities
Mentor's Name
Jim Dimock
Mentor's Department
Communication Studies
Mentor's College
Arts and Humanities
Description
Over the course of the last 30 years video games have not only grown in their usage but their technology has vastly improved. However, because technology has created a media that is completely malleable and open to interpretation, it is important to look at what messages and ideas are transmitted through video games. Having had experienced gender under representation and gender stereotyping in video games that I have played, I decided that I wanted to engage these issues further by doing a content analysis of popular video games. The purpose of this study is to look at the gender stereotypes and representation as it is portrayed in video games. Contemporary video games often have complex narratives and game play can stretch over the course of weeks or months based on the gaming skills the player possesses and the difficulty of the game in question. Due to the immense length of video games, it is important to look at all aspects of the game. While there are many studies revolving around the effects and messages transmitted through video games, this study focuses on the qualitative data rather than quantitative results. I am able to gather more data from my research by looking more closely at fewer games. Through a content analysis that utilizes Mertens pGSM coding method, a method used to generate numerical data based off of “typical” or “atypical” content in games. I was able to quantify the stereotypical behavior that's conveyed though the video game platform.
Content Analysis of Gender Stereotypes in Video Games
CSU 202
Over the course of the last 30 years video games have not only grown in their usage but their technology has vastly improved. However, because technology has created a media that is completely malleable and open to interpretation, it is important to look at what messages and ideas are transmitted through video games. Having had experienced gender under representation and gender stereotyping in video games that I have played, I decided that I wanted to engage these issues further by doing a content analysis of popular video games. The purpose of this study is to look at the gender stereotypes and representation as it is portrayed in video games. Contemporary video games often have complex narratives and game play can stretch over the course of weeks or months based on the gaming skills the player possesses and the difficulty of the game in question. Due to the immense length of video games, it is important to look at all aspects of the game. While there are many studies revolving around the effects and messages transmitted through video games, this study focuses on the qualitative data rather than quantitative results. I am able to gather more data from my research by looking more closely at fewer games. Through a content analysis that utilizes Mertens pGSM coding method, a method used to generate numerical data based off of “typical” or “atypical” content in games. I was able to quantify the stereotypical behavior that's conveyed though the video game platform.
Recommended Citation
Cain, Sarah. "Content Analysis of Gender Stereotypes in Video Games." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 10, 2018.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2018/oral-session-02/1
