"Virtual-Self" and Gamergirls' Values in Game Scenarios: an Ethnographic Analysis of Single-Player Gameplay Practices in the Sims

The Sims is a popular life simulation game among females, in which it is possible to play individual scenarios to construct the desired reality. The characters in the game are completely dependent on the gamergirl, thereby imposing on her a certain number of responsibilities. This study examines the influence of the virtual space of the game on how the value orientations of female videogame users are expressed in conflict moments in the game - situations when a female's desires collide with her obligations to virtual characters and often contradict them. The object of the study is females from 18 to 35 years old inclusive, who have experience of game conflicts in The Sims, a purposeful criterion sample is chosen. The set objective is achieved by in-depth interviews and a piloting phase conducted by walk-along interview method for greater integration into the research topic. The theoretical part of the work focuses on the concept of “virtual-self” and the fundamental sociological works on personality theory written by C. Cooley, I. Goffman and J. G. Mead. The study reveals the existence of 4 main types of strategies (adaptation, compromise, damage, cheats/mods) that gamergirls use to create the most comfortable gameplay during conflict of interest. It is confirmed that gamergirls' value orientations influence the choice of strategies, and the video game itself serves as a tool for self-expression and can influence them in the opposite direction, modeling their real life and behavior. The validity of the virtual-self concept is demonstrated: digital identity can be closely related to real identity. The study makes a significant contribution to the field of sociology of games and digital ethnography by outlining the relationship between the real values of female users and their virtual practices.