Gender Related Experiences of Online Gamers

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Objective. This study was conducted to compare the gender related experiences in motivation for male and female adults who regularly engage in online gaming. It explores the variety of experiences between genders and adults of various ages. Background Much of the online gaming research focuses on the male population, providing little research on the female perspective of online gaming (Jenson & De Castell, 2010). Consequently, the problem occurs when results from one gender of research is generalized to both populations, creating gender bias in application of study results. This generalization also lends to potential assumptions about the female online gaming population that are not necessarily accurate. Methods. For this study, each participant was screened over the phone and eligible participants were scheduled either for a face-to-face interview or through a video streaming interview. Results. Several prevalent themes consistent with our literature review were found; stress relief, achievement, socialization, immersion, and exploration. Though no major gender differences between male and female gamers and competitive habits could be discerned, motivations to online gaming varied between participant, game type, gender, and are dependent on what individuals hope to gain from playing. Some motivators pertaining to genders remain inconclusive and will continue to be explored. Conclusion. It was revealed through the motivational themes that people play online games due to their ability to explore and interact with game content, achievements, socialization, stress relief, as well as the personal experience gained from the game. Grants. This study did not require funding from any entity.