Do Sexy Avatars Influence Women Gamers?

A recent study published by Jesse Fox and colleagues in Computers in Human Behavior suggests women who employ sexy avatars in virtual reality (VR) may objectify themselves or blame rape victims in surveys given shortly afterward. In many news accounts, this study is reported as indicating harmful effects for girls playing video games, although implications of the study may be less clear. Fox immersed female undergraduate students in a simple VR world where they looked into a mirror. In the VR mi...