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.
Author: Royse , Pam, Joon Lee , Baasanjav Undrahbuyan , Mark Hopson , Mia Consalvo
Date: 2007
Source: New Media & Society, Vol. 9, No. 4, 555-576
Full Text Link:
one day access $15.00 at http://nms.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/9/4/555
Keywords:
games Foucault gender identity play technology video_games women power_gamers non-gamers competition
Abstract:
Abstract from Sage http://nms.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/4/555?rss=1
This study examines how individual differences in the consumption of computer games intersect with gender and how games and gender mutually constitute each other. The study focused on adult women with particular attention to differences in level of play, as well as genre preferences. Three levels of game consumption were identified. For power gamers, technology and gender are most highly integrated. These women enjoy multiple pleasures from the gaming experience, including mastery of game-based skills and competition. Moderate gamers play games in order to cope with their real lives. These women reported taking pleasure in controlling the gaming environment, or alternately that games provide a needed distraction from the pressures of their daily lives. Finally, the non-gamers who participated in the study expressed strong criticisms about game-playing and gaming culture. For these women, games are a waste of time, a limited commodity better spent on other activities.