TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender and player characteristics in video game play of preadolescents
AU - Homer, Bruce D.
AU - Hayward, Elizabeth O.
AU - Frye, Jonathan
AU - Plass, Jan L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded in part by Microsoft Research through the Games for Learning Institute. The content and opinions herein are the authors’ and may not reflect the views of Microsoft Re- search, nor does mention of trade names, products, or organizations imply endorsement.
PY - 2012/9
Y1 - 2012/9
N2 - The present study explores the relation among different characteristics of preadolescents and their video game habits and preferences. Specifically, the predictive power of age, gender, and psychological adjustment on time spent playing video games and game preference was explored. Children ages 10-15 were given two surveys: a video game habits survey and the BASC-II self-report assessment of personality. Results confirm previous findings of significant gender differences in both time spent playing video games and game type preference. For preadolescents, males were found to spend more time overall playing video games, but for both males and females time spent playing increased with age. No relation was found between time spent playing video games and negative psychological adjustment, as assessed by the BASC-II. Game type preference was predicted by several psychological characteristics. For example, females' positive feelings about the self were associated with increased likelihood of electing First Person Shooters as a favored game type, and males' internalizing difficulties were associated with decreased likelihood of electing Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). The current findings confirm previous results with preadolescents, an under-studied age group, and lend novel insight into the psychological processes that contribute to video game preference.
AB - The present study explores the relation among different characteristics of preadolescents and their video game habits and preferences. Specifically, the predictive power of age, gender, and psychological adjustment on time spent playing video games and game preference was explored. Children ages 10-15 were given two surveys: a video game habits survey and the BASC-II self-report assessment of personality. Results confirm previous findings of significant gender differences in both time spent playing video games and game type preference. For preadolescents, males were found to spend more time overall playing video games, but for both males and females time spent playing increased with age. No relation was found between time spent playing video games and negative psychological adjustment, as assessed by the BASC-II. Game type preference was predicted by several psychological characteristics. For example, females' positive feelings about the self were associated with increased likelihood of electing First Person Shooters as a favored game type, and males' internalizing difficulties were associated with decreased likelihood of electing Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). The current findings confirm previous results with preadolescents, an under-studied age group, and lend novel insight into the psychological processes that contribute to video game preference.
KW - Game genres
KW - Gender
KW - Preadolescents
KW - Psychological adjustment
KW - Video games
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863727228&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863727228&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chb.2012.04.018
DO - 10.1016/j.chb.2012.04.018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84863727228
SN - 0747-5632
VL - 28
SP - 1782
EP - 1789
JO - Computers in Human Behavior
JF - Computers in Human Behavior
IS - 5
ER -