Home Gaming Science proves no link between gaming and sexist attitudes

Science proves no link between gaming and sexist attitudes

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Samus tribute

In the past year or so, ‘gamer’ has become synonymous with sexist. It’s a sad fact. Sure, there were always elements in games that weren’t representative of reality, and I’m glad that these were highlighted so that developers could be pushed to make better games. Unfortunately, many jumped onto this and the topic of women or sexism in gaming has become a ridiculously messy topic. However, research into this subject started way before these problems, and the findings exonerate the maligned gamers of the world.

A German longitudinal study is out (thanks Forbes) and looked into the idea of cultivation theory – this posits that long-term exposure to media content can affect our perception of the world around us. Funded by the European Research Council (not a games publisher), it’s been quite an extensive study:

Longitudinal studies are undertaken over a period of time, with snapshots of data taken within that. In this instance large samples of participants from the age of 14 and up were included in three waves of testing over a few years, starting back in 2011. That’s a lot of data and, more importantly, it also predates any current controversy regarding the belief that playing games somehow makes people sexist.

Alright, so we’ve got a long-term study looking at what impact (if any) gaming has on sexist attitudes. Are people right? Do games change the way gamers perceive the world in this regard? Well, no.

Controlling for age and education, it was found that sexist attitudes—measured with a brief scale assessing beliefs about gender roles in society—were not related to the amount of daily video game use or preference for specific genres for both female and male players.

So, regardless of genres or genders, gaming had zero impact on sexist tendencies. Good to know. Not particularly surprising to me, but still nice to have this confirmed. It’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of gamers who have sexist ideals, even ones who like women often have ingrained beliefs about women’s inherent abilities, strengths or value. However, that socialization is from a myriad of sources, not just gaming.

[Header image from Wen-JR on Deviant Art]

Last Updated: April 17, 2015

41 Comments

  1. Sgt. M

    April 17, 2015 at 14:42

    WOW

    Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    April 17, 2015 at 14:42

    • Sgt. M

      April 17, 2015 at 14:44

      How the hell did you like my comment so fast?!?!?!?!?!

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        April 17, 2015 at 14:48

        I stare at the screen the whole day. Always watching… waiting….

        Reply

        • Sgt. M

          April 17, 2015 at 14:49

          *RUNS*

          Reply

        • RinceThis

          April 17, 2015 at 14:57

          I know! It’s scary!

          Reply

      • ReaperOfSquirrels

        April 17, 2015 at 14:50

        He’s the ultimate liker… no one can like like he likes!

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 17, 2015 at 14:50

          XD

          Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          April 17, 2015 at 14:53

          Like, likely no one can like, like, like he can like to like.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            April 17, 2015 at 14:55

          • Deceased

            April 17, 2015 at 14:59

            bahahahaha!!!

            I like this, it’s fitting to Hammersteyn

          • HvR

            April 17, 2015 at 15:31

          • Hammersteyn

            April 17, 2015 at 15:40

            XD

          • RinceThis

            April 17, 2015 at 14:57

            Shurrup!

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            April 17, 2015 at 14:58

            No, I must English!

        • Sgt. M

          April 17, 2015 at 14:56

          For a second there I read licker. *Shivers*

          Reply

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            April 17, 2015 at 14:58

            lekker!

  3. oceanembers

    April 17, 2015 at 14:48

    It should be noted that gamers not being more inclined to sexism does not mean there is not a very vocal minority of sexist gamers, nor that we should act like sexism in gaming culture is a non-issue

    Reply

    • Sageville

      April 20, 2015 at 11:51

      Don’t worry, there is still stuff to have issue with.

      Reply

  4. Blood Emperor Trevor

    April 17, 2015 at 14:57

    I’d have been surprised if it had. It’s not going to make you anything you’re not.

    It’s the same as drunk people blaming booze for doing stupid stuff. It doesn’t make you do it, it takes away the inhibitions that make you stop yourself from doing it – plus you still have to think about it in the first place.

    Reply

  5. Ryanza

    April 17, 2015 at 14:57

    Gaming links to hand and eye coordination, reasoning and thinking, quick decision making, strategic planning, resource management, and blah blah blah.

    The brains reads video games as fake.

    When it comes to violence, rape, murder, sexism, racism, theft, and blah blah blah, can’t list them all. Issues like that stems from environment, your up bringing, influences from parents, friends, community, the world, and how your brain processes information from your surroundings and situations that you are placed into during your lifetime. Real ass shit.

    For instance. If you see a video game character getting killed in all sorts of nasty ways and if you see a real person getting killed in front of your eyes, the brain is going to read the two situations differently. One, that’s fake, haha and two, omg what the fuck, because so much emotions and information the brain has to deal with. Not just haha fake and dismiss that shit.
    Real shit is real and real plays a big fucking part in our lives.

    Anyway back to topic. Sexism. Video games can’t teach you to became a sexist. How your father treats your mother is your first step into learning how women should be treated. From there it’s friends and family talking shit jokes about women and then there’s the work place that also dictates how women are treated.
    Video games plays a zero factor when it comes to sexism.

    Don’t Support DRM. Triss is not coming with a sandwich.

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      April 17, 2015 at 15:04

      But isn’t Geralt sexist?

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        April 17, 2015 at 15:07

        I don’t think Geralt is sexist. He loves women and Triss, Yennefer and Ciri are strong female characters. Yes sex plays a role but the women are not his bitches, he loves them.

        If Geralt demanded Yennefer to make him a sandwich, she would fuck him up.

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          April 17, 2015 at 15:16

          I was trolling 😉 And she totally would!

          Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          April 17, 2015 at 15:18

          Isn’t it what that nympho Geralt wants? To get *ahem* fucked up?

          Reply

      • Deceased

        April 17, 2015 at 15:07

        What?! No, Geralt kills men and women alike…

        Reply

        • Ryanza

          April 17, 2015 at 15:08

          lol.

          Reply

  6. Deceased

    April 17, 2015 at 15:06

    Just proving what we all knew 🙂

    I couldn’t care less whether my character is male or female, black or white ( or any other ethnicity ), homo-/hetero-/pan-/a-sexual, and the same applies for teammates and/or opponents…

    What I do care about, is that the game is good, believable ( depending on various variables ), has a good story – and most importantly – that I ENJOY the game… Everything and anything that hinders that last point SHALL receive hatred from me.

    And I actually think the majority of gamers will agree.

    Reply

  7. SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

    April 17, 2015 at 15:08

    Hahahahahaha. “Science”.
    Hahahaha.

    Reply

  8. David

    April 17, 2015 at 15:29

    But how does this pander to my perceptions that I believe to be fact – if I ‘feel’ something is sexist, doesn’t it just automatically make it sexist. I mean, my worldview is real right? So that makes it fact. What does science have to do with it?

    /s

    Reply

  9. Ranting Raptor

    April 17, 2015 at 15:31

    [insert all the mind blown gifs but with sarcastic overtones] Duuuuh. Can’t believe they wasted money to prove what should have been obvious

    Reply

    • spideynut71

      April 17, 2015 at 15:41

      Hey, that grant money isn’t gonna spend itself.

      Reply

    • Ryanza

      April 17, 2015 at 15:42

      Sometimes we need proof. Gaming gets used a lot as the root of school shootings, violence and all types of ill shit.

      So if they can start proving that video games has like no effect on certain issues, then maybe we can get Fox News to shut the fuck up.

      Reply

      • Ranting Raptor

        April 17, 2015 at 15:51

        urr… Ok yeah. Flawless logic

        Reply

  10. spideynut71

    April 17, 2015 at 15:39

    LOL…science didn’t “prove” shlt ; that’s just common sense. SMH…

    Reply

  11. CAE9872

    April 17, 2015 at 16:38

    Hopefully now we can all get on with the serious business of games i.e. having fun playing them.

    Reply

  12. Junior Silva

    April 17, 2015 at 17:34

    But … but now Anita Sarkeesian suffer a huge existential crisis? what she will do now that one of the biggest problems of the human race, which is sexism in the virtual world of games is not true?

    http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/sad_sam_game_of_thrones.gif

    Reply

    • Snow

      April 18, 2015 at 10:12

      That’s easy, she’ll just deny it.

      Reply

  13. Darren Peach

    April 20, 2015 at 13:20

    This topic is a minefield. But…..

    “Good to know. Not particularly surprising to me, but still nice to have this confirmed. It’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of gamers who have sexist ideals, even ones who like women often have ingrained beliefs about women’s inherent abilities, strengths or value. However, that socialization is from a myriad of sources, not just gaming.”

    Is that your opinion ? Cause that kinda sucks. Why is it okay to walk around passing judgement ?

    Reply

  14. Darren Peach

    April 20, 2015 at 13:23

    And to validate my point, Xenophobic violence is currently destroying SA from within and that was of course just because of one mans opinion which he unfortunately vocalised………….

    Reply

  15. A.

    April 23, 2015 at 17:21

    The study *suggests* that games don’t make you sexist, not that games are or are not sexist in themselves. And it’s only one study, which means it doesn’t amount to anything without more studies that agree with it. Games don’t cause sexism just like games don’t cause violence but it doesn’t make sexism in games OK.

    Reply

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