Author:

Keywords:

Social Sciences, Psychology, Social, Psychology, VIDEO, PATTERNS, GAMES, Adult, Female, Gender Identity, Humans, Male, Motivation, Play and Playthings, Video Games, 0806 Information Systems, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Clinical Psychology, 4609 Information systems, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

This study addresses the female player of massively multiplayer online (role-playing) games and investigates how gender identity (GI), indicating a person's identification with characteristics that are traditionally defined as masculine or feminine, can be used to explain playing patterns within the female gender group. Results from an online survey (n=466) show that females' player motivations and play styles vary as a function of their GI, indicating that it is a relevant and additional predictor of play behavior and confirming that female play behavior cannot be generalized based on stereotypical male/female conceptions.