TY - JOUR
T1 - Keeping abreast of hypersexuality
T2 - A video game character content analysis
AU - Downs, Edward
AU - Smith, Stacy L.
PY - 2010/1/1
Y1 - 2010/1/1
N2 - This study examined male and female sexuality in video game characters. The top 20, best selling console (Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation2, and Nintendo GameCube) video games from the U.S. market for fiscal year 2003 were content analyzed. The 60 video games yielded a total of 489 separate characters with an identifiable sex for coding. Chi-square analyses indicated that female characters (n=70) were underrepresented in comparison to their male counterparts (n=419) as hypothesized. In comparison to male characters, females were significantly more likely to be shown partially nude, featured with an unrealistic body image, and depicted wearing sexually revealing clothing and inappropriate attire as also predicted. Implications for these findings are discussed using social cognitive theory as a theoretical anchor.
AB - This study examined male and female sexuality in video game characters. The top 20, best selling console (Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation2, and Nintendo GameCube) video games from the U.S. market for fiscal year 2003 were content analyzed. The 60 video games yielded a total of 489 separate characters with an identifiable sex for coding. Chi-square analyses indicated that female characters (n=70) were underrepresented in comparison to their male counterparts (n=419) as hypothesized. In comparison to male characters, females were significantly more likely to be shown partially nude, featured with an unrealistic body image, and depicted wearing sexually revealing clothing and inappropriate attire as also predicted. Implications for these findings are discussed using social cognitive theory as a theoretical anchor.
KW - Content analysis
KW - Sexuality
KW - Social cognitive theory
KW - Video games
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954688862&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954688862&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11199-009-9637-1
DO - 10.1007/s11199-009-9637-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954688862
VL - 62
SP - 721
EP - 733
JO - Sex Roles: A Journal of Research
JF - Sex Roles: A Journal of Research
SN - 0360-0025
IS - 11
ER -