Media studies, Vol. 7 No. 13, 2016.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.7.13.2
Typology of Video Gamers in Croatia: Some Socio-Cultural Characteristics
Krešimir Krolo
orcid.org/0000-0002-4556-7698
; University of Zadar, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Željka Zdravković
; University of Zadar, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Ivan Puzek
orcid.org/0000-0001-7545-9578
; University of Zadar, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Abstract
This article presents the results of a large scale online survey of the video gaming population in Croatia (N=3251) conducted in 2014. The theoretical part discusses approaches to mapping of videogaming
profiles, as well as problems in defining and conceptualizing the video gamer and video gaming as a culture, relying first and foremost on compatible sociological perspectives (Crawford, 2011). The emphasis is laid on the importance of expanding the standard socio- demographic elements of profiling in order to establish a more concise typology of video gamers. The methodological part describes the instruments used, the main characteristics of the sample, as well as the cluster analysis method that was used in creating the video gamers typology. The results of the cluster analysis point to the existence of six different gaming types, grouped mainly around genre preferences but also pointing to differences considering the level of self-identification with gaming culture, intensity of playing, participatory practices and selected dimensions of value orientations. The additional analysis of the clusters shows differences among gamers in terms of technological, content-based and interaction-based characteristics of genres, concluding that specific genres are more compatible with those players that are more tolerant, whilst
others are linked more to the insular and particular socio-cultural frameworks.
Keywords
video games; gamers; typology; genres; cluster analysis; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
166846
URI
Publication date:
20.6.2016.
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