Three Waves of Awkwardness

A Meta-Analysis of Sex in Game Studies

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2409641
AutoresJ Tuomas Harviainen (0000-0002-6085-5663, Hanken School of Economics, autor de correspondencia), Ashley M L Brown, Ahmmad Brown (0000-0001-5859-2094, Brunel University of London), Jaakko Suominen (0000-0003-1352-7699, University of Turku)
Año2018
Volumen13
Número6
Páginas605-623
Fecha de publicación2018-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaGames and Culture (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1555-4120 • E-ISSN: 1555-4139
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1555412016636219
OpenAlexW2296750746
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas47

This article critically evaluates and questions the growth and maturity of game studies as a scholarly set of related approaches to the study of games, by providing an account of studies of sexuality in (mostly digital) games from 1978 to present. The main goal of this article is to highlight overarching themes and patterns in the literature, with a focus on theories and methodologies commonly used and the way game studies is still risk aware, even awkward in its discussions of sexuality. In addition to a review of 37 years of literature, the article employs a chronological and thematic metaphor analysis of past research texts to analyze whether game studies is growing up or in perpetual puberty and whether it really is exploring sexual maturity alongside the games we study. It finds that while different periods of time can be identified in research as far as approaches to sexuality in games go, game studies is still to a large extent engaged in the management of the stigma that discussing sexuality may cause. Rather than a maturation process, the waves are shown to be manifestations of different types of environmentally influenced risk awareness, consecutive risk avoidance, and a resulting awkwardness

Developmental psychology · Epistemology · Game studies · Human sexuality · Maturity (psychological · Media studies · Metaphor · Multimedia · Qualitative research · Set (abstract data type · Social science · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Video game · Computer Science · Digital Games and Media · Educational Games and Gamification · Gender Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sports, Gender, and Society