Video Gaming: Violence

Since the 1980s, a primarily quantitative body of literature on gender and video game violence has explored both gender portrayals in violent video games and gender differences in the effects of violent games on players. In terms of textual analysis of story narratives in games, studies have assessed the relationship between character gender and violent behavior, on one hand, and character gender and the violence committed against them, on the other. In the media effects tradition, studies have examined gender differences in the impact of violent content on players' arousal, perceptions, attitudes, and aggressive or violent behaviors. Studies have also examined gender differences in choices to play violent games and in the actual aggressiveness of violent video game play. Because of the relative newness of video-gaming popularity, the effects research in gender and video game violence is still in its infancy, and results regarding violence effects and gender differences in effects remain inconclusive. This may be due both to the rapid changes in gaming technology and to the increasing sophistication of video-gaming research design. Because of these developments, some critics argue that it is unhelpful even to compare effects studies from the 1980s and 1990s to more recent research in this area.

Several content analyses have examined gender stereotyping in relation to violence in video games. A summary of the findings indicates that male characters, representing the majority of available characters in games, overwhelmingly are heroic leads, are more muscular and powerful than female characters, and have a greater number of weapons at their disposal. Female characters tend to be secondary characters and are depicted as weaker, more highly sexualized, and more scantily clothed. In filmed scenes (predominantly found at the beginnings of games), when female characters are violent, their violence is often linked to sexuality, whereas male characters' violence is visually dominated by muscularity.

Gender stereotypes abound in violent video games. Female characters are represented as highly sexualized; male characters possess exaggerated strength, are hypermasculine, are aggressive, and, with the exception of showing hostility, lack emotion. They are also less likely to display helping or nurturing qualities. One study found that the central role for male characters was “competitor,” whereas females' central roles were “victim,” “damsel in distress,” or “evil obstacle” for the hero to overcome. The findings of these violent video game content analyses have remained fairly consistent over time and have been shown to be perceived by audiences. The findings regarding gender and violent representations in video games have also been consistently demonstrated in content analyses of gaming magazines, advertisements, and Websites.

As the popularity of video games and the level of their realistic violence have increased, so have the number of studies examining the effects of game violence. Findings are similar to results regarding the violent effects of other mass media. Some researchers have argued for strong effects, with repeated exposure to violent games linked to severe aggression and violence. Other studies have argued for limited, short-term, or no apparent behavioral effects. Gender differences in violent effects also remain inconclusive.

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