Not Only for the (Tom) boys: Gender Variables as Predictors for Playing Motivations, Passion, and Addiction for MMORPGs

Abstract

Background. Research on playing motivation and passion for MMORPGs and gender has so far mainly focused on biological sex and neglected variables related to social gender such as masculinity and femininity. As some playing motivations and obsessive passion are assumed to be related to problematic game play, problematic game play is still considered a male phenomenon, often based on mainly male samples and disregarding underlying causes in problematic tendencies that could explain or extent findings on biological sex difference. Method. This survey based quantitative study investigated the impact of masculine and feminine personality on game play motivations, passion, and problematic game play. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) players (N = 375, 44.3% female) were recruited via Facebook and online games. Feminine and masculine personality traits were assessed along with game play motivations, passion, and problematic game play. Results. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that gender traits add significant value for almost all variables of interest. Negative masculine traits were positive predictors for achievement as game play motivation while positive feminine traits predicted social interaction. Harmonious passion was predicted by positive masculine traits. Negative feminine traits were found

Sex Differences in Competitiveness in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs)

“…Men being more likely than women to work to acquire expensive items might be similarly viewed in terms of men's greater independence and also in terms of their greater motivation to achieve success within MMORPGs (Jansz et al, 2010;Williams et al, 2009;Yee, 2006). By contrast, women being more likely than men to seek in-game awards and achievements seems difficult to reconcile with the sex difference just mentioned (i.e., men more likely to work to acquire expensive items), but it may indicate that the sex difference in achievement motivation in MMORPGs may be less reliable than is sometimes assumed (Kneer et al, 2019). A related possibility is that achievement motivation does not differ in men and women overall, yet the contexts that evoke achievement motivation may differ.…”

“…In particular, the MTurk sample will be biased towards individuals who choose to work on that platform, and the Reddit sample will be biased towards those who are active in that particular community. One indication of this bias is that the percentage of women in the Reddit sample (11%) is substantially lower than in other academic studies (20-45%), although these studies mainly use convenience samples and thus may also not be representative of all MMORPG players (Huh & Williams, 2010;Kneer et al, 2019;Lou et al, 2013;Martey et al, 2014;Williams et al, 2009;Yee et al, 2011Yee et al, , 2012. A few counterpoints warrant mentioning, however.…”

“…Prediction 2 : Sex differences in dueling will be absent (or smaller) when men and women are represented by avatars of the same sex (e.g., men and women both represented by female avatars) rather than by avatars that match their own sex (i.e., men represented by male avatar and women represented by female avatar). This prediction follows from the logic of SRT which suggests that, in online role-playing settings where one's identity is concealed, individuals can more freely express their true preferences, and these preferences do not differ substantially in men and women (Haraway, 1990; Kneer et al, 2019; Plant, 1999; Yee, 2014). An evolutionary perspective, by contrast, predicts that sex differences will persist to a similar degree whether men and women are represented by avatars of the same sex or by avatars whose sex matches their own, because men's and women's differing preferences are not a product of social roles.…”

Same Gaming: An Exploration of Relationships Between Gender Traits, Sexual Orientation, Motivations, and Enjoyment of Playing Video Games

“…For instance, in some studies, men showed predominantly achievement, control, and manipulation motives, while women indicated social and immersion motives with higher scores in the seeking of relationship, socialization, and escapism (Jansz et al, 2010;Yee, 2006). However, as Kneer et al (2019) showed, these motivations are also predicted by gender-related personality traits.…”

Preserving and Presenting Simulations and Games

“…Likewise, Julia Kneer, Sanne Franken, and Sabine Reich’s (2019) article, “Not only for the (tom)boys: Gender variables as predictors for playing motivations, passion, and addiction for MMORPGs”, contribute to more than one discourse. Issues of gender and gaming, and addiction to gaming, are still under heavy debate, rational as well as highly toxic critique, and repeated media (mis)representation.…”