As technology has advanced and become a more prominent part of people’s lives, the influence of the media on individual’s interactions has also increased. From magazines, advertisements, and the news to TV shows, movies, and video games, the media provides a lens in which to view the world. In the last century, video games have, in particular, risen in popularity as a form of entertainment and as a hobby. While this pastime seems harmless, studies have shown that extended usage of these forms of media can affect perceptions of reality and the individuals that inhabit it. Although the main focus on video games typically involves the impact of violence, there has been an increase in research on the affect that these games have on the perception
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These beliefs are defined as “[prejudiced] against people based on their biological sex” (Wade and Ferree 2015:118). Because of the influence the media can have on individuals’ perceptions, the research question I posed was whether or not sexism, particularly against women, was prevalent in the gaming industry. Throughout this research, theories such as social learning theory, cultivation theory, benevolent and hostile sexism, gender schema theory, ambivalent sexism, hegemonic masculinity, hierarchy of men, and evolutionary theory are provided as evidence to support my research question. In the gaming industry, women battle rampant sexism, evident by their under representation in games and portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes, including but not limited to the hypersexualization and objectification of their …show more content…
For example, in the popular MMO World of Warcraft, lore and myth are male focused and driven. While lore involving female characters can be found, it’s exceedingly more rare, functions as a support for the male lore, or functions as an evil storyline to emphasize the negative qualities of women in comparison to the positive roles of men (Brehm 2013:8). According to Williams, Martins, Consalvo, and Ivory in 2009, the lack of female character representation paired with the emphasis of male character representation attracts men to the games, rather than women, which increases the likelihood that men will take part in the video game making process and perpetuate the cycle of a male dominated gaming industry (Brehm 2013:3). Game Developer Research’s survey in 2007 indicated “that 89% of the professionals in the video game industry were male”, which provides additional support for why male characters are more prominent in games than female characters (Martins, Williams, Harrison, and Ratan 2009:824). This inequality in representation produces a cycle of interaction within the industry and within the consumers that is perpetuated by the lack
These beliefs are defined as “[prejudiced] against people based on their biological sex” (Wade and Ferree 2015:118). Because of the influence the media can have on individuals’ perceptions, the research question I posed was whether or not sexism, particularly against women, was prevalent in the gaming industry. Throughout this research, theories such as social learning theory, cultivation theory, benevolent and hostile sexism, gender schema theory, ambivalent sexism, hegemonic masculinity, hierarchy of men, and evolutionary theory are provided as evidence to support my research question. In the gaming industry, women battle rampant sexism, evident by their under representation in games and portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes, including but not limited to the hypersexualization and objectification of their …show more content…
For example, in the popular MMO World of Warcraft, lore and myth are male focused and driven. While lore involving female characters can be found, it’s exceedingly more rare, functions as a support for the male lore, or functions as an evil storyline to emphasize the negative qualities of women in comparison to the positive roles of men (Brehm 2013:8). According to Williams, Martins, Consalvo, and Ivory in 2009, the lack of female character representation paired with the emphasis of male character representation attracts men to the games, rather than women, which increases the likelihood that men will take part in the video game making process and perpetuate the cycle of a male dominated gaming industry (Brehm 2013:3). Game Developer Research’s survey in 2007 indicated “that 89% of the professionals in the video game industry were male”, which provides additional support for why male characters are more prominent in games than female characters (Martins, Williams, Harrison, and Ratan 2009:824). This inequality in representation produces a cycle of interaction within the industry and within the consumers that is perpetuated by the lack