Many American Teens Avoid Games with “Degrading” Depictions of Women

Not everyone is attracted to revealing portrayals.

The Center for Scholars & Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles recently released the results of a survey of 1,500 “teens” in the U.S. (individuals aged 10–24) about their experiences with video games.

The researchers found that 42.1% of women and girls avoid games where female characters are shown in degrading ways, and 36.8% of boys and men reported similarly avoiding such titles.

One of the most prominent concerns among respondents was fear of harassment — inappropriate behavior that causes discomfort.

More than half of female gamers said they feel they must “behave in a certain way” while playing because of their gender or race.

Overall, teens reported feeling pressure related to social conformity, expectations about performance or skill, and the need either to conform to or to resist stereotypes.

The social features that make games vibrant places for interaction can also be a source of social pressure.

About 41.6% of respondents consider the racial diversity of characters and storylines when choosing games. Nearly 47.8% said it was difficult to find games with characters who represented them — a problem especially pronounced for gamers of Asian (55.9%) and Hispanic/Latino (56.3%) backgrounds.

There are positive findings as well: roughly 88% of respondents said they found at least a small community through games, and about 70% felt a stronger connection with friends.

Over 52% of respondents believe games help them manage their emotions.

Fewer than a third reported that games made them feel more aggressive (32.9%) or more stressed (27.8%).

Source: iXBT.games