ABSTRACT

Female game characters are often shown "as passive beings, kidnapped princess to rescue, or sex objects to win or to use". Also, players' perceptions of the character's gendered attributes determine the appeal of a game and the inclination to identify with the game character, with many male game characters offering little that women would naturally feel inclined to identify with. Therefore, the reason for the evident gender differences in game preferences and play styles has to be sought either within the individuals or the video game medium itself. Gender stereotypes, like all social stereotypes, are cognitive structures aimed at helping to categorize a person in a social group on the basis of attributes that are believed to be characteristic for the whole group as well as for its individual members. According to cultivation theory, repeated exposure to media content influences how social realities are perceived and understood.