Megalith
24-bit/48kHz
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
- Messages
- 13,000
According to a new study from the University of British Columbia, video games are a great idea for boys, but girls should avoid them. While video games can lead to higher math test scores and attractive careers because they enhance the player’s co-ordination and visual-spacial and problem-solving skills, experts are suggesting that only boys are reaping those benefits, as the gaming world is hostile toward females due to “sexist or sexualized female character depictions, and harassment from other online players.”
Gaming culture prioritizes male heroic characters rather than females, and when game characters do appear, they are often sexualized, she says. Many girls who play computer games also face harassment in the games community. At times, it’s vicious. “Closing gender differences in intense gaming by enticing girls to play more may be advisable only if parents pay attention to the gaming content and the gaming community, which is not always female-friendly,” she says.
Gaming culture prioritizes male heroic characters rather than females, and when game characters do appear, they are often sexualized, she says. Many girls who play computer games also face harassment in the games community. At times, it’s vicious. “Closing gender differences in intense gaming by enticing girls to play more may be advisable only if parents pay attention to the gaming content and the gaming community, which is not always female-friendly,” she says.