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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/

Synopsis:

22 young adults (11 men and 11 women) played numerous 24-second intervals of a game while a functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, machine measured which parts of their brains were active during game play.

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:
- During game play the portion of the brain associated with reward and addiction are more active in males than females.
- During game play, both males and females were motivated to succeed. However, males were a lot more motivated to succeed than females.
- Males have neural circuitry in their brains that makes them more liable than women to feel rewarded by a computer game and thus more motivated to continue playing the game.

investiGaming - Research Findings on Gender and Games

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