There are many parallels to be drawn between the worlds of video games and sports, but perhaps one is more prominent than all others: both involve competitive play.
Both gamers and athletes must be able to demonstrate intense periods of concentration, high reaction speed, quick thinking under pressure, etc. However, there are some fundamental differences between the two types of competition. For example, video gamers do not need to be physically strong or fast, while athletes must train to develop strength and speed. While both groups exhibit similar mental toughness, there is one area in which athletes excel over their virtual opponents: social skills.
Athletics and play
In terms of popularity among peers, gamers don't do well with their fellow athletes. One study found that nearly 70 percent of athletes consider video games a waste of time. Another study reported that most male student-athletes would rather play another sport or no sport at all than play video games. Of the athletes surveyed, 89 percent considered gamers to be lonely, unsportsmanlike loners, antisocial and unsociable.
This contrasts with research that shows gamers tend to have above-average social competence, demonstrating better social skills than non-gamers. It seems clear that the stereotypes of these two groups contradict each other.
Comparison of female and male gamers
In a study published in 2011, psychologists examined the social competence of male video gamers through four different experiments. In the first experiment, they measured empathy using both self-reporting and tests of awareness and understanding of participants' emotions. In the second experiment, they measured social dominance using a social agency questionnaire. In the third and fourth experiments, they used personality tests to measure gamers' levels of self-esteem, narcissism, and Machiavellianism-in other words, their antagonistic interpersonal tendencies that can harm individuals or society as a whole. Experimental results showed that male gamers scored significantly higher than non-gamers on measures of empathy and social competence, and slightly lower on narcissism.
While many studies show that gamers tend to be more socially competent than others, there is one area where this stereotype does not work: research shows that female gamers are much less social than their male counterparts.
In the second study published in 2013, examined the relationship between self-esteem of appearance and social competence among men and women who played video games. They found that gamers were more socially competent than non-gamers, but this was only true for men. The findings also showed that women who played games often considered themselves less socially competent than those who did not play games. Women who did not play video games at all were the most confident in their social skills and considered themselves neither more nor less socially competent than male gamers. The authors concluded that playing video games was associated with increased social competence in men and a self-perception of decreased social competence in women.
While it seems that men are more likely than women to immerse themselves in their games, they are also more likely to report better social skills with others, while female gamers may be less confident in their abilities when surrounded by others. The research shows that male gamers can communicate well with their friends at school or work, while women may have a harder time making new friends.
It is possible that these differences may be due to social conditions in gaming culture-where men must dominate women because of male privilege, and this leads to lower self-esteem among female gamers. These results suggest that more awareness of social exceptionalism in gaming culture is needed, especially for women. It is important to educate people about the social benefits of gaming, as more people, especially women, may be dissuaded from playing if they think it will make them less socially competent.
Ultimately, both male and female gamers can gain a lot from playing video games regularly. VesCity Online Casino offers a 100% welcome bonus to its players.
If you are a woman who enjoys gaming, go for it. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the hobby regardless of your gender. The great thing about gaming is that you can play alone, beside company or even compete in tournaments with thousands of people around the world; there truly is something for everyone.
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