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ABSTRACT
Game developers potentially convey socio-cultural values about gender through design choices. This study interpreted the designs of 11 purposively selected female game characters, developed by studios located in the United States and Japan, through the lens of ambivalent sexism. This social psychological theory posits that sexism consists of hostile and benevolent attitudes about women. Two themes emerged across characterizations: bodies as objects, bodies as weapons and (in)dependence. Both consisted of empowering qualities paired with problematic beliefs about women. This analysis contributes to interdisciplinary literature by using an empirical perspective to interpret gender representations in video games.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Dr. Radhika Parameswaran for guidance on the research methodology. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful feedback.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Jessica E. Tompkins
Jessica E. Tompkins (M.A. University of South Carolina) is a PhD candidate at Indiana University. Her research interests include games user experience, fandom, and the social psychological effects of video games.
Teresa Lynch
Teresa Lynch (Ph.D. Indiana University) is an assistant professor at The Ohio State University. Her research interests include processes and effects of video games with specific focus on emotion, sex, gender, and identity.
Irene I. Van Driel
Irene van Driel (Ph.D. Indiana University) is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam. Her research interests relate to new media use and effects and include information-processing, self-regulation and individual differences.
Niki Fritz
Niki Fritz (M.A. Indiana University) is a student of sexual health communication and mass media effects at Indiana University. Her interests include sexual consent, college messaging, and sexual mass media content.