The Impact of Gender on Perceived Constraints and Participation Motivations of Iranian Gamers: A Study Based on the Psychological Continuum Model

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
milad khodadadian 1
rasool norouzi seyed hossini 2
Marjan Saffari 2
1 Master student in sports management, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22054/nms.2023.66927.1366
Abstract
Introduction
Based on the available statistics, video games currently represent the world's most popular form of leisure activity. Reports suggest that, by 2023, almost half of the global population will devote a significant portion of their free time to playing video games. Research and surveys highlight the existence of gender dynamics in the context of video games, similar to other leisure activities. Historically, the number of female gamers has been significantly lower than that of male gamers, but today, females comprise nearly half of the world's gaming community. This shift represents a reduction in gender disparities across various recreational domains. Moreover, the use of video games can be an effective method for raising awareness of gender issues in other social contexts. Studies indicate that males and females possess distinct motivations for playing computer games, and these incentives and perceived constraints have a significant impact on their engagement in such leisure activities. To gain a deeper understanding of the role that gender plays and to analyze these motivations and constraints, it is essential to employ a relevant and suitable framework. One of the most effective models for examining the motivations behind leisure activities is the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM), developed by Funk and James in 2001. This model enables the assessment of gamers' motivations and constraints based on gender throughout the different stages of their gaming experiences.
Materials and Methods
Data were gathered through a questionnaire, and reports suggest that the average age of gamers is 22 years old, with individuals who engage in gaming seriously spending about one and a half hours playing each day (ICVGF, 2019). Therefore, the target population for this research is occasional gamers aged 30, who spend between 1 and 6 hours playing video games per week. The required sample size for this study, as calculated by PASS software, is 300 individuals. The research included several survey instruments, including a demographic form, Cianferone et al.'s Participation Motivation Questionnaire (2011), Crawford's Leisure Limitations Questionnaire (1991), and Funk's Psychological Continuum Questionnaire (2008). The demographic questions covered age, gender, education, income, marital status, and the number of hours spent gaming per week. The response scale for the questionnaires measuring participation motives, leisure constraints, and psychological continuum was a seven-point Likert scale. To analyze the data, participants were initially categorized into one of four groups (awareness, attraction, attachment, and allegiance) based on their scores in the psychological continuum model (PCM) questionnaire. Next, male and female gamers were compared using an independent t-test, based on their group placement. Multiple Diagnostic Analysis (MDA) via the SPSS software was utilized to categorize the samples into the aforementioned groups, with data analysis undertaken at a significance level of p<0.05.
Results
The descriptive statistics for Perceived Leisure Constraints, Motivations, and PCM indicate notable findings. In terms of Perceived Constraints, the dimension of "Cost" demonstrated the highest average score of 4.83, whereas the dimension of "Psychological" had the lowest average score of 3.28. Similarly, for Perceived Motivations, "Entertainment" displayed the highest average score of 4.75, and "Social Interaction" had the lowest average score of 4.19. In the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM), "Pleasure" attained the highest average score of 4.71, followed by "Sign" with an average of 4.10, and "Central" with an average of 4.06. Based on the scores obtained in the PCM questionnaire, the participants in the sample were categorized into four stages of the PCM: Awareness, Attraction, Attachment, and Allegiance. Specifically, the sample consisted of 42 individuals in the Awareness stage, 79 individuals in the Attraction stage, 126 individuals in the Attachment stage, and 53 individuals in the Allegiance stage. Analysis of the independent t-test results for male and female gamers across the four levels of the PCM revealed the following:

At the "Awareness" level, no significant difference was found between female and male gamers in the variables of "Perceived Constraints" and "Participation Motivation" (P > 0.05).
At the "Attraction" level, no significant difference was observed between female and male gamers in the variables of "Perceived Constraints" and "Participation Motivation" (P > 0.05).
At the "Attachment" level, significant differences were found between female and male gamers in the variables of "Perceived Constraints" and "Participation Motivation" (P < 0.05). This indicates that in the "Allegiance" stage of the Psychological Continuum, female gamers exhibited a lower average score in "Perceived Leisure Constraints" compared to male gamers, while male gamers demonstrated a higher average score in "Participation Motivation" compared to female gamers.
At the "Allegiance" level, significant differences were identified between female and male gamers in the variables of "Perceived Constraints" and "Participation Motivation" (P < 0.05). This implies that in the "Allegiance" stage of the Psychological Continuum, female gamers displayed a lower average score in "Perceived Leisure Constraints" compared to male gamers, while male gamers demonstrated a higher average score in "Participation Motivation" compared to female gamers.

Discussion and Conclusion
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of gender in understanding perceived constraints and motivations of Iranian gamers based on the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM). The results indicate that at the initial stages of the PCM (i.e., Awareness and Attraction), gender does not significantly affect the understanding of participants regarding the perceived constraints and motivations. Nonetheless, as individuals progress through the stages of the PCM and arrive at higher levels (i.e., Attachment and Allegiance), perceived constraints and motivations exhibit differences based on gender. Notably, male gamers tend to obtain higher scores in both variables. This study's findings suggest that there is no significant difference in motivation and perceived constraints between male and female players at the initial stages of the PCM. Upon examining the data, it becomes evident that both female and male gamers possess similar motivations and perceived constraints. However, it is the intensity of their understanding of perceived constraints and the strength of their motivations that contribute to the advancement of males within the stages of the PCM more so than females. Ultimately, distinct differences exist between male and female gamers in video game participation in Iran, with the infrastructure and cultural context of the activity being more catered towards masculine interests. Despite the significant number of female gamers in Iran, their allegiance and loyalty to the activity do not increase to the same extent as that of males, even after becoming attracted to the activity. This is attributed to males demonstrating stronger motivations and the ability to overcome constraints, resulting in the development of a stronger allegiance to the activity.
Keywords
Video Games
Leisure Constraints
Participation Motivations
PCM
Gender
 
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