Those who perform poorly as men often behave towards women in online games like a “battle axe in the forest.” A new study claims to have demonstrated why this is the case.
Fear of Status Loss
Every player has likely experienced or at least heard about men behaving towards their female teammates like “the battle axe in the forest.” Often, one wonders whether this behavior stems from a lack of upbringing, puberty-induced hormonal surges, an antiquated view of women, or a mix of all these factors. A study has now found a reason that aims to explain at least a large part of these behavioral patterns: Men fear status loss.
Video games are still a male-dominated area today, but in recent years, more and more women have taken to this hobby. According to the study, many men now fear losing their position in the “natural hierarchy” that establishes itself within these games.
The researchers examined the social behavior of men in the shooter Halo 3 and checked how they reacted to female players. The result was not surprising, but it does allow for some conclusions:
Insults to Protect One’s Own Position
Men who perform poorly behave more aggressively and unfriendly towards women. The researchers attribute this to the fear of status loss. The “natural hierarchy” in a shooter is often automatically structured in such a way that the best male player is seen as the authority. If a woman establishes herself in the game and plays better than our “poor” male player, he faces demotion and falls further down the ranking.
In short: When a well-playing woman appears, insults are directed at her, and her mistakes are pointed out so openly that other players also perceive her as “bad,” thereby protecting one’s own position in the ranking.
This behavior rarely applies to good male players. It is suspected that, aside from the fact that they might simply be well-mannered individuals, these players tend to be helpful and friendly to support women and gain their attention in return. After all, they do not face a loss within the hierarchy.
Those interested in the full study can view it here.
