Shaping Avatars, Shaping Perceptions
by Luca, Zeb, Ayse; former BSc students
What did we do?
This project explored how the narrative context of a video game influences how players design avatars. Using The Sims 4, participants were asked to design a character after reading two short stories—one neutral, the other laced with subtle sexist cues. One study focused on female avatars, the other on male avatars. We used psychological questionnaires, what people were saying during avatar creating as well as a custom coding method to analyze their avatar choices and verbal reflections.
How did we do it?
Each participant read two fictional narratives about a student entering university life—one neutral, one containing sexist cues. After each story, participants created a corresponding avatar in The Sims 4, while explaining their choices using the Think-Aloud Method. We recorded their screens and voices, then analyzed both the avatar designs and what they said. Apart from standard statistical analysis of the questionnaires, we used a custom made 'sexist avatar rating system' (describing appearance and personality traits of the designed avatars) and a qualitative approach involving sentiment analysis to code what people said.
What Happened with Female Avatars?
Sexist narratives nudged participants toward stereotypes—think heavy makeup, tight clothing, or flirtatious traits.Neutral stories inspired more variety: confident, casual, creative, academic. Even when participants didn’t consciously notice the bias, it shaped their designs.
What Happened with Male Avatars?
Characters created after the sexist story showed a clear pattern: muscular, dominant, confident—the typical “alpha” look. The neutral story opened up more diverse designs: thoughtful, artistic, friendly. Personal views on gender didn’t predict these choices—the story did.
What It Means
- The way a character is introduced shapes how players imagine them.
- Subtle bias in a story can reinforce stereotypes—even without players realizing it.
- Inclusive, neutral storytelling leads to more creative and varied avatar design.
- Game designers, educators, journalists and researchers should pay close attention to how narrative framing guides digital expression.