Title

Cyber Sexy: Electronic Game Play And Perceptions Of Attractiveness Among College-Aged Men

Keywords

Attractiveness; Body image; Electronic gaming; Media; Men's health; Video games

Abstract

The current study was conducted to determine if electronic gaming among males is related to body image, formation of body ideals, and appraisals of female attractiveness. A sample of 219 college-aged men (age 18-32) completed a variety of measures that assessed their game play habits, their perceptions of their own attractiveness, and perceptions of women's attractiveness. Results indicated that participants' ratings of women's attractiveness varied across the genres of game most frequently played but was not related to age of commencement or frequency of electronic game play. Additionally, frequency of play and age of commencement of game play were not related to self-perceptions of physical attractiveness, the association of positive attributes with muscularity, or the drive to become more muscular. Men's appearance satisfaction and valuation of muscularity was related to the extent to which they compare their own appearance to that of the characters featured in their electronic games. The results indicate that, unlike other forms of media, electronic gaming may have a weaker relationship to decreased appearance satisfaction or the formation of unrealistic standards of attractiveness. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

12-1-2008

Publication Title

Body Image

Volume

5

Issue

4

Number of Pages

365-374

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.06.003

Socpus ID

52749095654 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/52749095654

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