A study in the United States looked at gender differences in more than 2,400 gamers playing EverQuest II. The participants, who were recruited directly out of the game, completed a web-based questionnaire about their gaming habits and lifestyles. They received an in-game item as a reward for taking part - a condition which has led to some questioning of the results.
BBC
In addition Sony Online Entertainment, Everquest's creator, gave the US researchers access to information about the players' in-game behaviours. Lead researcher Scott Caplan of the University of Delaware said the result showed that, although more of the players were male, it was the female players who were the most dedicated players, spending more time each day playing the game than their male counterparts.
The pressure to conform to traditional gender roles might mean that some women are put off activities seen as "masculine", whereas women who reject traditional gender roles might be more likely to play MMOs such as EverQuest II. Perhaps in support of this the survey revealed an unusually high level of bisexual girls who took part in the study - over five times higher than the proportion of bisexual girls in the general population.
Dmitri Williams, a researcher at the University of Southern California and a co-author on the study, said the study also found that men and women played computer games for different reasons, with men more likely to play to win and women more likely to play for social reasons.
Furthermore, a high proportion of women reported playing the game with their romantic partner, supporting the idea that game playing is becoming an increasingly sociable activity. The researchers say that this trend is reflected in patterns of general computer and internet use.
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