Leveling Up: How Posters on r/StopGaming Describe Video Gaming, Its Consequences, and Trying to Stop John Gregory Daues M.A. Thesis Spring 2017 University of Houston Department of Sociology * *Department of Sociology, 3551 Cullen Blvd Room 450, Houston, TX 77204-3012,
[email protected]. LEVELING UP INTRODUCTION Video games are popular enough to be considered normal in the United States today (Gamespot 2010; Martins, Williams, Harrison, and Ratan 2010; Yao, Manhood, and Linz 2010; Greitemeyer and Osswald 2011; Cooley 2013; Jordan 2014; Entertainment Software Association 2013; Near 2013; Mason 2014; Copenhaver 2015; Dalisay 2015; DeCamp and Ferguson 2015; Iwen 2015; Kondrat 2015; Weststar 2015; Charrieras and Ivanova 2016; Kampler and Joseph 2016; Turner 2016; Choi 2017; Markovits and Green 2017). They are marketed to people of all ages and accessible to anyone that can afford them (Gamespot 2010; Entertainment Software Association 2013). In the United States, video gaming as an industry is worth several billion dollars and comprised of millions of players (Gamespot 2010; Entertainment Software Association 2013). It is a major source of entertainment, particularly in the middle class, among children, and among adults ages 18 to 30 (American Psychiatric Association 2000; Behm-Morawitz and Mastro 2009; Gamespot 2010; Coyne, Busby, Bushman, Gentile, Ridge, and Stockdale 2012; Entertainment Software Association 2013). While there are stereotypes about the culture of video gaming (particularly, as a culture that reflects hegemonic masculinity), it is safe to say that men, women, and children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds in the United States are exposed to video games or video game advertising (Connell 1987; Kimmel, Brod, and Kaufman 1994; American Psychiatric Association 2000; Behm-Morawitz and Mastro 2009; Gamespot 2010; Colburn 2011; Coyne et al.