Stereotypes in Video Games and How They Perpetuate Prejudice

Systemic research has only recently begun to examine the psychological effects of video games on users. To date, only two studies have examined how the exaggerated stereotypes of minorities in these games affect those who play them. During both studies, game play was found to bring about increases of prejudice, even in users who in screening initially rated low in prejudicial thinking. Taking the theories of how learning and stereotypes work, this paper integrates theoretical approaches into existing research on video games in order to bring about more awareness of the effect of racist images of minorities in the video game industry. LITERATURE REVIEW Society is becoming more electronically connected, thanks to advancements in communication technologies such as computers and the Internet. The Internet is used to augment nearly all forms of social interaction (e.g., shopping, dating, business meetings, entertainment and much more). These technologies have not only begun to permeate all aspects of traditional human interaction, but they have also spurred myriad new forms of socialization. The video gaming industry has produced revenues of $21 billion dollars in sales (Ortutay, 2009), making it more profitable than movies and television. Research shows that forty percent of Americans now regularly enjoy playing video games (Williams, Nicole, Consalvo, & Ivory, 2009). Video games offer many possibilities for cheap and easy entertainment, ranging from free, to fees of sixty dollars per game. However, as with any such new technology, one must examine the psychological repercussions on players. This paper aims to explore