Gender Attribution in Online Video Games

Demographic research and anecdotal evidence suggest that, historically, games have been dominated by male players. However, newer research shows gains by female players, especially in online games. Therefore, how gamers perceive the masculinity of other gamers in game has become relevant. Two experiments examine how two variables - game genre and player skill - inform gender perception in online games. Results from both studies show that game genre is a salient cue for gender perception, but that perception of player skill is not. A number of gender differences in perceptions of player skill and the relationship between genre and perceptions of player masculinity are also identified. These findings are an important first step in understanding the perception of others in online entertainment environments.