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Gender Games: a Content Analysis of Gender Portrayals in Modern, Narrative Video Games

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Gender Games: a Content Analysis of Gender Portrayals in Modern, Narrative Video Games Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Sociology Theses Department of Sociology Spring 5-9-2015 Gender Games: A Content Analysis Of Gender Portrayals In Modern, Narrative Video Games Jared Friedberg Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/sociology_theses Recommended Citation Friedberg, Jared, "Gender Games: A Content Analysis Of Gender Portrayals In Modern, Narrative Video Games." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2015. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/sociology_theses/52 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Sociology at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sociology Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GENDER GAMES: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER PORTRAYALS IN MODERN, NARRA- TIVE VIDEO GAMES by JARED FRIEDBERG Under the Direction of Dr. Wendy Simonds ABSTRACT Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry; 67% of households in the United States have at least one game player. The considerable reach of this medium makes it crucial to assess the messages that audiences are taking away concerning gender in these games. In this content analysis, I investigate the representation of binary gender in the narratives of modern video games from the perspective of cultiva- tion theory. Ten popular games from 2007 through 2013 are selected for this investigation. The character- istics of each game’s main character are evaluated in the context of the narrative to uncover emergent trends, tropes, and themes over the course of gameplay. Men outnumber women in protagonist roles, and women serve as catalysts for the central conflicts throughout the narrative. Gaming narratives also tend to embody the male power fantasy trope, with both male and female protagonists becoming masculinized through the story’s progression. INDEX WORDS: Video games, Media, Gender, Cultivation Theory, Gender Schema Theory, Narrative GENDER GAMES: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER PORTRAYALS IN MODERN, NARRA- TIVE VIDEO GAMES by JARED FRIEDBERG A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University 2015 Copyright by Jared Robert Friedberg 2015 GENDER GAMES: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER PORTRAYALS IN MODERN, NARRA- TIVE VIDEO GAMES by JARED FRIEDBERG Committee Chair: Dr. Wendy Simonds Committee: Dr. Mindy Stombler Dr. Dawn Baunach Electronic Version Approved: Office of Graduate Studies College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University May 2015 iv DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my amazing partner who listened patiently to my rantings and ravings as I changed my methodology again and again. It is also dedicated to everyone out there discussing, writing, and fighting for gender equality in video games. Keep fighting the good fight. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to endlessly thank my committee chair, Dr. Wendy Simonds, for her efforts to improve my writing and to tackle a medium that she originally was unfamiliar with. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Dawn Baunch and Dr. Mindy Stombler, for waiting patiently as I revised my draft over and over again. Thank you all for your patience. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ ix 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Creation ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Controversy ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Background and Purpose ............................................................................................... 5 1.4 Cultivation Theory .......................................................................................................... 9 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .............................................................................................. 10 2.1 Defining Video Games .................................................................................................. 10 2.1.1 The Avatar and The Player ........................................................................................ 12 2.2 Gender and Media ........................................................................................................ 14 2.3 Gender and Games ........................................................................................................ 19 3 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................ 25 3.1 Sample ............................................................................................................................ 26 3.2 Procedure ....................................................................................................................... 27 3.3 Explanation of Coding Sheet ........................................................................................ 28 3.4 Updates to Previous Research ...................................................................................... 29 4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ................................................................................................ 30 4.1 Findings .......................................................................................................................... 31 5 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................ 39 vii 5.1 Cultivation Theory and Findings ................................................................................. 39 5.1.1 Representation ........................................................................................................... 39 5.1.2 Power Fantasy ........................................................................................................... 40 5.1.3 Women in supporting roles ........................................................................................ 42 5.1.4 Sexualization .............................................................................................................. 44 5.1.5 Characterization ........................................................................................................ 46 5.2 Sociological Impact ....................................................................................................... 47 5.2.1 Gender Schema Theory .............................................................................................. 48 5.2.2 Self-Discrepancy and Social Comparison ................................................................. 49 5.2.3 Agent of Socialization ................................................................................................ 50 6 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 51 6.1 Future Direction ............................................................................................................ 53 6.2 Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 54 7 References .............................................................................................................................. 55 8 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................ 58 Assassin’s Creed 2 .................................................................................................................... 58 Bioshock .................................................................................................................................... 60 Dishonored ................................................................................................................................ 63 Fallout 3 .................................................................................................................................... 66 Infamous ................................................................................................................................... 69 Portal 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 72 viii Red Dead Redemption ............................................................................................................. 74 Resident Evil 5 .......................................................................................................................... 76 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword .................................................................................. 78 Tomb Raider ............................................................................................................................ 81 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Avatar Representation in Sample ................................................................................ 30 1 1 INTRODUCTION “For the longest time in human history, stories were told only face-to-face. A community
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