A Gender-based Typology of Determinants of Video Games Use by Primary School Children

 
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      A Gender-based Typology of Determinants of
      Video Games Use by Primary School Children
      Evangelia POLYZOU, Nikolaos HASANAGAS and Konstantia TAMOUTSELI

1     Introduction
1.1   Aim
This research examines factors which make children video games users, either incidentally
(namely just preferring video games to outdoor play) or systematically (long duration). A
gender-based typology of determinants is proposed. The results are expected to contribute
to a more accurate understanding of conditions stimulating children to become video game
users. They also suggest an understanding of the factors affecting the different reasons
video games are used, either as a substitute for outdoor reality of outdoor play or as a
complementary pedagogic tool. According to research findings the role of video games
varies depending on factors including gender, the educational level of the family, the degree
of socialization and individual integration into outdoor play activities.

1.2   Literature review
Extensive research data GEE (2003), GENTILE & GENTILE (2008), SANFORD & MADILL
(2007), SQUIRE (2006), LIVINGSTONE & BOVILL (1999), LUCAS & SHERRY (2004),
PROVENZO (1992), and SELNOW (1984) refer to the educational and social role of video
games, with very little concern for the examination of gender relevance to the perception
and use of video games. Gender as a factor affecting preference of place for play is
examined in the research of FROST & KLEIN (1979) as well as PELLEGRINI & SMITH (1998).
However their studies were not focused on digital landscapes.
FREITAS & NEUMANN (2009) have laid emphasis on the visual learning experiences but not
on the pedagogic influence of the interactive virtual landscape of video games which may
also offer such experiences. SCARFO (2007), HAMALAINEN (2008), MORENO-GER et al.
(2008), VIRVOU & KATSIONIS (2008), ÜZÜN et al. (2009), KRIPPNER & MEDER (2011),
VANGSNES at al. (in press) have pointed out the didactical usability of virtual reality and
computer games. HERRINGTON & STUDTMANN (1999) and JANSSON (2010) have analyzed
the pedagogic function of landscape but they did not focus on the pedagogic function of
video games which are also based on digital landscapes. ORLAND et al. (2001) have
emphasized the possibility of using virtual worlds as tools for perceiving landscapes but
without pointing out the pedagogic framework of digital landscapes.

1.3   Innovation and applicability in Landscape Architecture
Research results concerning factors which affect the attitude of young people toward video
games have not been developed until now. Thus, such a research can be considered as
purposeful and innovative. In this research it is intended to develop a gender-based
typology of determinants and user groups.
142                       E. Polyzou, N. Hasanagas and K. Tamoutseli

Landscape Architects are not only involved in design of real playgrounds. Some them are
also interested in designing virtual landscape used in video games (ADAMS 2002, PACYGA
2011). Therefore, Landscape Architects should be aware of the free-time behavior and
preferences of children regarding playing not only in real landscapes but also in video
games. They should also be aware of certain determinants which have proven to exert
important influence on this behavior and preferences such as gender, family and social
environment. The knowledge of such factors can be useful for designing more attractive
digital landscapes with more desirable or effective pedagogic and social influence
depending on gender and the social and family environment of the users. The paper is only
going to point out that users of different gender present different preferences and behavior
as video game users. The exact elements they prefer on the digital landscape does not
pertain to the aim of this paper but it may constitute a question for further research. Certain
landscape features whose perception and preference depends on the gender of the observer
have been proposed (DOWLER et al. 2005, HASANAGAS et al. 2007, LEVI-STRAUSS 1969):
„private“ (feminine) vs „public“ (masculine), „exotic“ (feminine) vs „European/ western“
(masculine), water (feminine) vs land (masculine), „nature“ (feminine) vs „culture“
(masculine), while it is also research-worthy whether „wilderness“ is perceived as a
feminine or a masculine property of a digital (and also real) landscape. More specific
features whose possible gender-related perception may be examined in future research
projects could be situations of danger or risk, colors and color-related values, landscape
diversity, biotic and abiotic elements, categories of fauna or flora (e.g. meso- or
megafauna). Moreover, preferable combinations of these features and thereby landscape
types can be proposed by future research. The applicability of findings related to digital
landscape in real landscapes is also a question for future research.
This paper has basic rather than applied research orientation. Moreover, an important
education-related function of this paper is to show to Landscape Architecture students that
the gender as well as social and family characteristics should be taken into account in the
design of digital landscape of video games as well as of real landscapes which are expected
to exert a pedagogic influence as playgrounds and this topic constitutes a challenging
research issue.

2     Material and Methods
Two hundred fifty two (252) fifth and sixth-grade students constitute the sample in this
study. The participants belong to different primary school classes from various
geographical areas in Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki, Kastoria and Crete). The balanced
synthesis that has been achieved corresponds to analytic statistics (correlation between
variables) that has been used to extract results. It was a judgement sample achieving the
best possible balance of basic charcteristics (variety of places ranging from rural to urban
areas etc). This is the most appropriate sample for analytic statistics, as it makes
correlations more valid.
Standardized questionnaires were distributed to the pupils and were filled out with the help
of teachers, when necessary. Pupils were asked to answer questions about their satisfaction
with outdoor play time, the duration of their play time with video games and their preferred
landscape elements in virtual world. In-depth interviews with pupils were conducted first to
A Gender-based Typology of Determinants of Video Games               143

formulate the questionnaires and to interpret the quantitative results. The correlations were
extracted by using the Pearson test, after normality control (HASANAGAS 2009 and 2010).
The gender-based typology was constructed considering the moderating effect of gender on
the correlations.

3      Results - Determinants of Susceptibility to Playing Video
       Games
3.1    General determinants
Gender (Table 1) seems to be a basic factor of susceptibility to acquiring a preference for
the digital experience of the imaginary world of video games (-0,226). Children who are
not well integrated into groups (0,172) or are not quite satisfied with the time available to
them for outdoor play (0,127) tended to use video games as an alternative. On the contrary,
children who feel that they have enough time to play outdoors tended to avoid using video
games (-0,210).

                                                                        Play (play outside =1,
252 total                                                                play video games=2)
Gender (boy=1,.girl=2)                                                              -,226(**)
                                                                                         ,000
Exclusion from outdoor play activities                                               ,172(**)
                                                                                         ,006
Inadequacy of outdoor play time                                                       ,127(*)
                                                                                         ,044
Adequacy of outdoor play time                                                       -,210(**)
                                                                                         ,001
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Table 1: General determinants of susceptibility to playing video games

3.2    Determinants in the case of boys
Τhe lack of outdoor play integration (0,176) (Table 2) and the inadequacy of available
outdoor play time (0,186) appear to be the main factors of susceptibility to digital
experience for boys. This can be attributed to the aggressiveness typically displayed in
boys’ behaviour in everyday life which often leads to adventurous activity which can often
make integration into play groups more difficult (GENTILE & GENTILE 2008, LUCAS &
SHERRY 2004).
144                           E. Polyzou, N. Hasanagas and K. Tamoutseli

                                                                              Duration of playing
                                                                              video games (no=1,
                                                   Play (play outside =1,   1-2h/w=2, 3-14h/w-3,
 149 boys                                           play video games=2)           up to 14h/w=4)
 Exclusion from outdoor play activities                          ,176(*)                    ,153
                                                                    ,031                    ,063
 Inadequacy of outdoor play time                                 ,186(*)                    ,032
                                                                    ,023                    ,697
 Adequacy of outdoor play time                                 -,286(**)                    -,096
                                                                    ,000                    ,243
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Table 2: Determinants in the case of boys

3.3    Determinants in the case of girls
Inadequate integration or the lack of outdoor play time does not affect girls’ video game
experience. Their experience with video games is typically related to the educational level
of their parents (0,203, 0,261) and is a factor related both to the time they spent with video
games and the type of video games chosen. Girls use videogames as a pedagogic tool rather
than as an escape from a social reality. This could be explained based on research that
views entertainment video games as learning experiences that offer excellent educational
design with challenge, motivation, and learning principles that may even be used to
improve formal educational approaches (GEE 2003, GENTILE & GENTILE 2008, SANFORD &
MADILL 2007, SQUIRE 2006).

                                                                              Duration of playing
                                                                              video games (no=1,
                                                   Play (play outside =1,   1-2h/w=2, 3-14h/w-3,
 103 girls                                          play video games=2)           up to 14h/w=4)
 Father’s studies (no=1, yes=2)                                     ,004                  ,203(*)
                                                                    ,966                    ,040
 Mother’s studies (no=1, yes=2)                                     ,064                ,261(**)
                                                                    ,524                    ,008
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Table 3: Determinants in the case of girls
A Gender-based Typology of Determinants of Video Games                145

4     Conclusions and Outlook
Gender has a moderating effect on the variables and thus can be a sound basis of typology.
In the case of boys, socialization factors, particularly the social game environment outside
the home, seem to be the driving forces for their becoming mainly incidental users of video
games, while girls tend to become systematic users of video games due to family-related
factors. Thus, video games tend to be a means of escape for boys with socialization deficits,
whereas for girls video games become an educational tool under the guidance of parents.
Challenges for future research include the collection of a larger sample from a wider
geographical area and a possible typology according to the place of origin or of residence.
A basic question for future research is also what types and characteristics of digital
landscapes the users prefer and what the determinants of this preference are.

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