Research Symposium

BIO

Hi! My name is John Askew and I'm from Salt Lake City, Utah. I plan on pursuing a career in Social/Clinical Psychology, and I'm intending on minoring in philosophy and sociology.

Portrayals of Mental Health in Video Games

Abstract

Stigmatization influences how a given society feels about, thinks of, and acts toward perceived others. Stigmatizing portrayals of people with mental illness as propagated by older forms of media such as television have been well documented, but stigmatization in video games remains an area with little research. Building off previous studies, this research involves compiling video game footage to be coded for stigmatizing portrayals of people with mental disorders. The study is ongoing, but previous research indicates that portrayals of mental health will be overwhelmingly stigmatizing, relying on stereotypes rather than informed and accurate depictions. This is concerning as the unique interactive features of video games make such stigmatization especially harmful. However, notable exceptions of games with constructive portrayals show implications for positive social change driven by interactive media.

Keywords: Video Games, Psychology, Stigma, Communications