Perception of Female Video Game Characters in Relation to Gender Stereotypes and Sexism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2026-15-4Keywords:
female representation, video games, old-fashioned sexism, modern sexism, beauty standardsAbstract
The aim of this study was to investigate how individuals engage with games and whether their views reflect or challenge gender stereotypes.
We examined opinions about female characters appearing in currently published popular video games using the ideological systems of old-fashioned and modern sexism. Methods. The study was conducted on a sample of 15, using a one-on-one interview design. Sexism scores were assessed by using the Old-Fashioned and Modern Sexism Scale, which contains 10 questions, measuring both overt and covert manifestations of sexist thinking. Individuals watched 5-minute videos featuring female characters (n = 8) and chose 5 out of 40 personality traits and then explained their choices in a few sentences. Traits were carefully chosen based on stereotypes about men (e.g., brave, aggressive) and women (e.g., sensitive, romantic). The list also contained neutral traits (e.g., intelligent, stingy). Participants also scored characters’ physical traits and likability. Content analysis was performed on participants’ answers, which determined whether they contained information linked to gender stereotypes. Statistical analysis featured T-tests and correlation matrices to assess how individuals view female characters and whether sexist attitudes influence the perception of physical traits, personality, and ingame
roles. Results. Based on the findings, modern sexist views were more prevalent in the sample (p = .002) for female and male participants alike. Character descriptions were most likely influenced by gender stereotypes rather than sexism, as no clear correlation was found. Higher adherence to beauty standards was associated with greater sympathy (p = .034; rs = .55) but did not correlate with perceived story relevance. Assigned traits were majority masculine (n = 9), which differs from past studies’ findings. Conclusion. Our findings
conclude that female characters in today’s video games deviate from preestablished stereotypical gender representations, with appearance not being the primary factor in forming opinions about sympathy or plot relevance. Results indicate that the connections between sexist views and opinions regarding female characters are currently ambiguous and would benefit from further studies.
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