An analysis of the
top 20 video games of 2003 identified
489separate characters with an underrepresentation of
female characters (70 versus 419). The study found that “in comparison
to male characters, females were significantly more likely to be shown
partially nude, featured with an unrealistic body image,
and depicted wearing sexually revealing clothing and inappropriate
attire.”
In a 2009 study8, researchers modified a video game only with respect to
how ‘sexualized’ a female character appeared and measured participant
responses to self-efficacy measures. They found that “exposure to
sexualized images of women in video games (among female players) may
reduce confidence in their ability to succeed in the real
world”.
Example: Mortal Kombat Female Characters
Example: The Effects of Women Sexualization
