Orientations to Video Games Among Gender and Age Groups

Abstract

Questionnaires were completed by 5th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade public schools students in rural and suburban school districts and by undergraduates at two universities in the United States (n = 1,242). They were asked about their orientation to video games-the amount of time they played, their motives for doing so, and the game types they preferred-to better understand the context in which effects research might be organized. The conceptual schema for this research was the uses-and-gratifications perspective. The males in the sample played video games at twice the weekly average of the females, were consistently stronger in all measured motives than the females, and preferred physically oriented video games over the females' preference for more traditional, thoughtful games. Younger players opted for the fantasy motive in their playing and older players more so for competition. Preference for physical games declined among the older males, and generally motives were stronger in the middle years of playing for both males and females than in the youngest and oldest age groups. Regression analyses explained considerably more variance in game playing for males than for females.

Children's Motivations for Video Game Play in the Context of Normal Development

“…For example, children under 10 are less able to process plot features, and may become more interested in and able to follow complex storylines as preteens or teens (Greenberg et al, 2008). This is why a 10-year-old may view and interact with Grand Theft Auto as simply a driving game.…”

“…However, over half (61%) of girls in our survey who regularly played video games enjoyed competition, including 28% who strongly agreed with this reason for play. Greenberg et al (2008) surveyed students of various age groups, ranging from fifth graders to college undergraduates. They found that motivations for game play varied by age or developmental stage.…”

“…A number of studies indicate that electronic games are now a routine part of normal childhood and adolescence (e.g., Greenberg, Sherry, Lachlan, Lucas, & Holmstrom, 2008;Ito et al, 2008;Lenhart et al, 2008;Olson et al, 2007;Roberts, Foehr, & Rideout, 2005). Until recently, most studies on video games have focused on potential harms to children from exposure to inappropriate game content.…”

Attitudes towards and Effects of the Use of Video Games in Classroom Learning with Specific Reference to Literacy Attainment

“…Students in their early teens and male students (Greenberg et al, 2010) tend to be more predisposed towards the use of video games in lessons. Some students have expressed extreme boredom when using computers at school, which is mainly used for word processing (McFarlane et al, 2002).…”

Mom, Dad It’s Only a Game! Perceived Gambling and Gaming Behaviors among Adolescents and Young Adults: an Exploratory Study

“…In fact, according to Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980), it is thought that belief (i.e., an individual's subjective knowledge and the perceived costs and benefits of the behavior) influences attitude (i.e., an individual's positive and negative feelings about a particular behavior), that in turn shapes behavioral intention. In fact, research has found that adolescents perceive video gaming as a (i) social tool that allows boys to work cooperatively with peers (Olson, Kutner, & Warner, 2008), (ii) way to compete (Greenberg, Sherry, Lachlan, Lucas, & Holmstrom, 2010), and (iii) way express fantasies of power, when boys gain status among peers by owning or mastering these popular games (Olson, Kutner, & Warner, 2008;see Olson, 2010, for a review).…”