investiGaming - Research Findings on Gender and Games

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investiGaming is a publication of the Serious Game Design group in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University, 2007

This gateway is partially supported by grant supported by grant 0631771 from the National Science Foundation.

The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent Michigan State University or the National Science Foundation.

Video games activate reward regions of brain in men more than women, Stanford study finds

Author: Hoeft, Fumiko, Christa L. Watson, Shelli R. Kesler, Keith E. Bettinger and Allan L. Reiss
Date: 2008
Source: Journal of Psychiatric Research
Full Text Link:

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Video-games-activate-reward-regions-of-brain-in-men-more-than-women--Stanford-study-finds-10927-1/

Keywords:

journal, brain research, motivations, survey,

Abstract:
The Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play.

"These gender differences may help explain why males are more attracted to, and more likely to become 'hooked' on video games than females," the researchers wrote in their paper, which will soon be published online in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

More than 230 million video and computer games were sold in 2005, and polls show that 40 percent of Americans play games on a computer or a console. According to a 2007 Harris Interactive survey, young males are two to three times more likely than females to feel addicted to video games, such as the Halo series so popular in recent years.

Implications for Game Industry:
(fMRI) as subjects played simple computer game involving balls and a verticle line. The implicit goal of the computer game was to gain ‘‘space”. The 22 male and female subjects selected for the study not different in how much time they spend gaming in a typical week.

The findings "suggest that males code the space-infringement task as more rewarding relative to females."

Implication
Game mechanics involving acquiring or protecting territories are more rewarding to male players.

Gender differences in brain function shown here are also consistent with the behavioral literature on drug intake and addiction which has been related to disparities in the sensitivity of the male and female brain to drug stimuli.

Implication
Addictive pleasure centers in male brains are more strongly activated during "territory acquisition" game play. It is probably easier to create a territory acquisition game males find enjoyable and addictive. Games seeking a similar level of female addiction and enjoyment need build in other appealing aspects of play. No clear answers here, just a suggestion designers need to work harder at other aspects of the player experience.


Research Highlights:
No Highlights have been written for this entry.