Forschungsbericht | Research report

Why girls play: results of a qualitative interview study with female video game players

"Qualitative interviews with 7 female players were conducted to gather information on the motives and attitudes of female users of video and computer games. Participants were asked about the importance of different gratifications of game play, critical incidents that initiated their interest in games and their perceived competence in the use of computer technology. Special attention was paid to potential shortcomings of contemporary video and computer games in addressing female players specific needs and the question whether female users can identify with in-game characters of today's computer games. The results indicate that the motive to win is of minor importance for female players. Additionally, many interviewees reported a lack of support for their hobby, especially from same-sex friends. Identification with the avatar is an important component of the gaming experience for the female players in this study. At the same time, contemporary computer games that are often situated in primarily masculine contexts (e.g. war, competition) make it difficult for female users to identify with in-game characters." (author's abstract)

Why girls play: results of a qualitative interview study with female video game players

Urheber*in: Reinecke, Leonard; Trepte, Sabine; Behr, Katharina-Maria

Free access - no reuse

Alternative title
Warum Mädchen spielen: Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Befragung von Videospielerinnen
Extent
Seite(n): 15
Language
Englisch
Notes
Status: Veröffentlichungsversion

Bibliographic citation
Hamburger Forschungsberichte zur Sozialpsychologie (HaFoS) (77)

Subject
Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie
Publizistische Medien, Journalismus,Verlagswesen
interaktive, elektronische Medien
Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung
Mädchen
Computerspiel
Motivation
Freizeitbeschäftigung
geschlechtsspezifische Faktoren
Identifikation
empirisch
empirisch-qualitativ

Event
Geistige Schöpfung
(who)
Reinecke, Leonard
Trepte, Sabine
Behr, Katharina-Maria
Event
Veröffentlichung
(who)
Universität Hamburg, Fak. für Erziehungswissenschaft, Psychologie und Bewegungswissenschaft, FB Psychologie, Arbeitsbereich Sozialpsychologie
(where)
Deutschland, Hamburg
(when)
2007

URN
urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-393756
Rights
GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
Last update
21.06.2024, 4:26 PM CEST

Data provider

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Object type

  • Forschungsbericht

Associated

  • Reinecke, Leonard
  • Trepte, Sabine
  • Behr, Katharina-Maria
  • Universität Hamburg, Fak. für Erziehungswissenschaft, Psychologie und Bewegungswissenschaft, FB Psychologie, Arbeitsbereich Sozialpsychologie

Time of origin

  • 2007

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