Pink shirts and sharp axes: interaction and communication in
online games from a gender perspective

Abstract: This thesis is a study of interaction and communication in online games from
a gender perspective with the purpose of studying the phenomenon of a
growing gender neutrality amongst the younger generations in online
environments. The study has been carried out in the online environment of
the game World of Warcraft, one could say that it is a case study.

The research has mainly been done through a hermeneutic and qualitative
approach. The empirical work consists of a study of the chosen environment
and eight interviews with players of the game, four males and four females.

The research is supported by theories concerning information and
communication technology (ICT) and the psychosocial life environment as well
as theories about gender roles and the impact these have in everyday ICT use
as well as their impact on computer games more specifically. The teories
concerning ICT and the psychosocial life environment are focused around
convergence, a theory that the different roles we have in life all are
converging into one life role as a result of ICT and globalization.

The results of this study show that in the case of the game World of
Warcraft there is no process of gender neutralization going on. There is
howerver an ongoing process of gender equalization. It is my opinion that
this process will be ongoing and develop stronger as the effects of the
convergence of life roles starts to spill over more and more to a convergens
of the life role and the avatar, our online role. The role of ICT in this
equalization process is crutial.