| Abstrakt: |
This research uses content analysis to examine gender in a sample of 10 trailers of mostly downloaded volumes of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) websites from Taiwan and the United States. It is proposed that online role-playing games, similar to other media forms, are extensions of cultures. This analysis revealed a sex bias that male avatars outnumber female avatars, whether in U.S. or Taiwan MMORPGs. In addition, body revelation seemed to be a female "privilege" without cultural difference. Notably, female avatars in U.S. MMORPGs incline to have the shape, cleavage breasts and abdomen barer than female avatars in Taiwan MMORPGs do. Furthermore, female avatars in U.S. MMORPGs are more aggressive than in Taiwan's. With regard to male androgyny, male avatars in Taiwan MMORPGs look far more androgynous than U.S. male avatars do. 65% of male avatars are apparently androgynous (i.e., more than 60% degree androgyny according to our definition) in Taiwan MMORPGs, whereas almost none of the male avatars are androgynous in U.S. MMORPGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
