Relationship Between Otome Games and Female Body Image Anxiety

Research Article
Open access

Relationship Between Otome Games and Female Body Image Anxiety

Wenxuan Zhu 1* , Moran Xu 2 , Shuyi Wang 3
  • 1 The Chinese University of Hongkong    
  • 2 Nanjing Jinling High School Hexi Campus    
  • 3 Qingdao No.2 Middle School    
  • *corresponding author zhuwenxuan01@outlook.com
Published on 19 April 2024 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/45/20230343
LNEP Vol.45
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-83558-359-3
ISBN (Online): 978-1-83558-360-9

Abstract

Otome game is a kind of role-playing game developed for female players. In the past few years, otome games have become very popular in China, with the number of female players rising rapidly. Although there are previous studies exploring the impacts of otome games to players in real lives, relationship between players’ body image and otome games has never been studied before. During the research, we collected 286 valid responses from both female and male participants in China, including those who play and not play otome games, and then compared their different extent of body image anxiety according to the data. The research found that female players are more likely to have negative attitudes towards their body image, and otome game players’ perception of body image seems to be more likely to be influenced by games. The deeper relationship the players have developed with the fictional character, the more likely their attitudes towards their body image seem to be influenced. Most players think gaming has made them more confident about their body and appearance. The avatar image in the game does not affect the body image of the majority of gamers.

Keywords:

otome games, body image, impacts of gaming

Zhu,W.;Xu,M.;Wang,S. (2024). Relationship Between Otome Games and Female Body Image Anxiety. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,45,127-134.
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References

[1]. Monro, F., & Huon, G. (2005). Media‐portrayed idealized images, body shame, and appearance anxiety. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 38(1), 85-90.

[2]. CGIGC, 2019. 2019 China Gaming Industry Report. [online] Available at: <https://www.cgigc.com.cn/details.html?id=08da81c4-ceb3-4631-89a4- 2b1b4618cfdc&tp=report> [Accessed 17 December 2022]

[3]. Chen, D. (2023). Female Characters’ Images in Chinese Otome Game and Woman Stereotype.

[4]. Juul, J. (2010). The game, the player, the world: Looking for a heart of gameness. PLURAIS-Revista Multidisciplinar, 1(2).

[5]. Juul, J. (2005). Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds.

[6]. Wichian, S. N., & Sanwong, K. (2010). Effects of Online Games on Undergraduates' Socioeconomic Behaviors. International Journal of Learning, 17(7).

[7]. Cash, T., Fleming, E., Alindogan, J., Steadman, L., & Whitehead, A. (2002). Beyond Body Image as a Trait: The Development and Validation of the Body Image States Scale. Eating Disorders, 10(2), 103–113. doi:10.1080/10640260290081678

[8]. Grogan, S. (2008). Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women, and 35 children (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

[9]. Szymanski, M. L., & Cash, T. F. (1995). Body-Image Disturbances and Self-Discrepancy Theory: Expansion of the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 14(2), 134–146. doi:10.1521/jscp.1995.14.2.134

[10]. Griffiths, S., Hay, P., Mitchison, D., Mond, J. M., McLean, S. A., Rodgers, B., … Paxton, S. J. (2016). Sex differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction, quality of life, and psychological distress. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(6), 518–522. doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12538

[11]. Mond, J., Mitchison, D., Latner, J., Hay, P., Owen, C., & Rodgers, B.. (2013). Quality of life impairment associated with body dissatisfaction in a general population sample of women. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 920. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-920

[12]. De Vries, D. A., Peter, J., Nikken, P., & de Graaf, H. (2014). The Effect of Social Networks

[13]. Cohen, R., Newton-John, T., & Slater, A. (2017). The relationship between Facebook and Instagram appearance-focused activities and body image concerns in young women. Body Image, 23, 183–187. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.10.002

[14]. Smith, A. R., Hames, J. L., & Joiner Jr, T. E. (2013). Status update: Maladaptive Facebook usage predicts increases in body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms. Journal of affective disorders, 149(1-3), 235-240.

[15]. Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2014). NetTweens: The internet and body image concerns in preteenage girls. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 34(5), 606-620.

[16]. Matthews, N. L., Lynch, T., & Martins, N. (2016). Real ideal: Investigating how ideal and hyper-ideal video game bodies affect men and women. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, 155-164.

[17]. Andlauer, L. (2018). Pursuing one's prince: Love's fantasy in otome game contents and fan practice. Mechademia: Second Arc, 11(1), 166-183.

[18]. Gong, A. D., & Huang, Y. T. (2023). Finding Love in online games: Social interaction, parasocial phenomenon, and in-game purchase intention of female game players. Computers in Human Behavior, 143, 107681.

[19]. Herzog, R. (1944). Correlations of critical constants with parachors. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry, 36(11), 997-1001.

[20]. McQuail, D. (1987). Mass communication theory: An introduction. Sage Publications, Inc.

[21]. Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. The public opinion quarterly, 37(4), 509-523.

[22]. Li Z. (2019). Subculture and emotional compensation: Analysis on game mechanics of Yi Nxiang. Media Criticism (00),221-228.

[23]. Baranowski, T., Buday, R., Thompson, D. I., & Baranowski, J. (2008). Playing for real: video games and stories for health-related behavior change. American journal of preventive medicine, 34(1), 74-82.


Cite this article

Zhu,W.;Xu,M.;Wang,S. (2024). Relationship Between Otome Games and Female Body Image Anxiety. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,45,127-134.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Global Politics and Socio-Humanities

ISBN:978-1-83558-359-3(Print) / 978-1-83558-360-9(Online)
Editor:Enrique Mallen, Javier Cifuentes-Faura
Conference website: https://www.icgpsh.org/
Conference date: 13 October 2023
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.45
ISSN:2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Monro, F., & Huon, G. (2005). Media‐portrayed idealized images, body shame, and appearance anxiety. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 38(1), 85-90.

[2]. CGIGC, 2019. 2019 China Gaming Industry Report. [online] Available at: <https://www.cgigc.com.cn/details.html?id=08da81c4-ceb3-4631-89a4- 2b1b4618cfdc&tp=report> [Accessed 17 December 2022]

[3]. Chen, D. (2023). Female Characters’ Images in Chinese Otome Game and Woman Stereotype.

[4]. Juul, J. (2010). The game, the player, the world: Looking for a heart of gameness. PLURAIS-Revista Multidisciplinar, 1(2).

[5]. Juul, J. (2005). Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds.

[6]. Wichian, S. N., & Sanwong, K. (2010). Effects of Online Games on Undergraduates' Socioeconomic Behaviors. International Journal of Learning, 17(7).

[7]. Cash, T., Fleming, E., Alindogan, J., Steadman, L., & Whitehead, A. (2002). Beyond Body Image as a Trait: The Development and Validation of the Body Image States Scale. Eating Disorders, 10(2), 103–113. doi:10.1080/10640260290081678

[8]. Grogan, S. (2008). Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women, and 35 children (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

[9]. Szymanski, M. L., & Cash, T. F. (1995). Body-Image Disturbances and Self-Discrepancy Theory: Expansion of the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 14(2), 134–146. doi:10.1521/jscp.1995.14.2.134

[10]. Griffiths, S., Hay, P., Mitchison, D., Mond, J. M., McLean, S. A., Rodgers, B., … Paxton, S. J. (2016). Sex differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction, quality of life, and psychological distress. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(6), 518–522. doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12538

[11]. Mond, J., Mitchison, D., Latner, J., Hay, P., Owen, C., & Rodgers, B.. (2013). Quality of life impairment associated with body dissatisfaction in a general population sample of women. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 920. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-920

[12]. De Vries, D. A., Peter, J., Nikken, P., & de Graaf, H. (2014). The Effect of Social Networks

[13]. Cohen, R., Newton-John, T., & Slater, A. (2017). The relationship between Facebook and Instagram appearance-focused activities and body image concerns in young women. Body Image, 23, 183–187. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.10.002

[14]. Smith, A. R., Hames, J. L., & Joiner Jr, T. E. (2013). Status update: Maladaptive Facebook usage predicts increases in body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms. Journal of affective disorders, 149(1-3), 235-240.

[15]. Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2014). NetTweens: The internet and body image concerns in preteenage girls. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 34(5), 606-620.

[16]. Matthews, N. L., Lynch, T., & Martins, N. (2016). Real ideal: Investigating how ideal and hyper-ideal video game bodies affect men and women. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, 155-164.

[17]. Andlauer, L. (2018). Pursuing one's prince: Love's fantasy in otome game contents and fan practice. Mechademia: Second Arc, 11(1), 166-183.

[18]. Gong, A. D., & Huang, Y. T. (2023). Finding Love in online games: Social interaction, parasocial phenomenon, and in-game purchase intention of female game players. Computers in Human Behavior, 143, 107681.

[19]. Herzog, R. (1944). Correlations of critical constants with parachors. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry, 36(11), 997-1001.

[20]. McQuail, D. (1987). Mass communication theory: An introduction. Sage Publications, Inc.

[21]. Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. The public opinion quarterly, 37(4), 509-523.

[22]. Li Z. (2019). Subculture and emotional compensation: Analysis on game mechanics of Yi Nxiang. Media Criticism (00),221-228.

[23]. Baranowski, T., Buday, R., Thompson, D. I., & Baranowski, J. (2008). Playing for real: video games and stories for health-related behavior change. American journal of preventive medicine, 34(1), 74-82.