Quote from: Anat13;419010My impression has been that male gamers seem to span about the same weight range as the general population--higher than at the college I work at, sure, but about what I see when I'm out and about anywhere that's not super-wealthy. Haven't noticed a washing problem at the cons I've been at but I haven't been to one of the really huge ones yet. Conversation topics tend to center around RPG game systems pros and cons (I imagine this would be toned down if I weren't a known gamer), movies (granted, not chick flicks, thank GOD), humor, music, books (mostly FSF--yay!), ancient history (triple yay!), technology, politics, occasional sports but not the overwhelming droning you get from non-gamer-guys, and jobs.

Gamers do often seem to be very rule-oriented, which certainly seems to translate to self-policing in the sexual arena at cons. I often can't talk to anyone for very long before one of the guy's friends walks by and rather loudly announces that I am married. (And the vibe is generally not flirtatious, so I find that rather annoying.) I wouldn't be surprised if the rule-orientation led to a lower cheating rate, but I also wouldn't be that surprised if the rate was the same as the general population. I would imagine that getting social needs met at home and with the gaming group might make one less likely to stray as well. (I *have*experienced rather heavy-handed flirtation from several single gamers so the rule-orientation may not be strong enough to dissuade those who ain't gettin any.)

I don't know ... If you had gamer groupies like you have Rock groupies and Football groupies then ...

The idea that RPGers are not as socially adept as other demographics does have legs. In addition the hobby is massively male dominated (though not as much in the US as in the UK). You combine these things and the chance of a typical RPGer hooking up with someone at a con are pretty bloody small. If you compare to the opportunities at a financial sales convention or a Sports fitness convention etc you can see what I am saying.

I find your observations re cons interesting as guys are saying you are married even though its not a flirtacious situation. I think rather than that being indicative of a drive towards self policing its more likely to be a drive towards the oft held concept in geekdom, that you can't have attractive female friends that you don't want to hook up with and in a sense that is the female 'role'.

Quote from: DKChannelBoredom;418815I would love to think, that roleplayers are more faithful than everybody else, but I'm pretty sure, and in my experience, roleplayers are just as cheating as everybody else.

That is my experience, as well.

Quote from: jibbajibba;418992I do not think this relates to the moral superiority of said groups but to  opportunity.

As the great Chris Rock once said, "A man is as faithful as his options.  He can stop chasing it.  But if it's chasing him, no man can run that fast."

Quote from: jibbajibba;419015I don't know ... If you had gamer groupies like you have Rock groupies and Football groupies then ...

The idea that RPGers are not as socially adept as other demographics does have legs. In addition the hobby is massively male dominated (though not as much in the US as in the UK). You combine these things and the chance of a typical RPGer hooking up with someone at a con are pretty bloody small. If you compare to the opportunities at a financial sales convention or a Sports fitness convention etc you can see what I am saying.

I find your observations re cons interesting as guys are saying you are married even though its not a flirtacious situation. I think rather than that being indicative of a drive towards self policing its more likely to be a drive towards the oft held concept in geekdom, that you can't have attractive female friends that you don't want to hook up with and in a sense that is the female 'role'.

I was just giving the issue some more thought and was actually about to post about there seeming to be a higher level of social awkwardness. While gamers tend to talk about a variety of subjects in my own experience, I do think there is often less of a good sense of the give-and-take of a conversation, or particularly of when others in the group are tired of a subject. I'll take that any day over sports, the stock market, and the relative merits of various snow tire brands, but I'm sure it's a problem in conversations with less geeky women than I. I do also tend to socialize more with GMs and con staff than with other players, and I think the social awkwardness level is lower on average for GMs.

Given the demographics, I would definitely agree that the level of opportunity for cheating by men at a gaming con is pretty low. Male gamer cheaters probably would usually need to do their cheating somewhere else lol.

I do think there is self-policing and that rule-orientation is likely a big part of it. But also that the self-policing wouldn't be seen as necessary if the concept you mentioned weren't in irritatingly full force at times. Guy talks to gal --> guy's buddy assumes guy is angling for a hookup --> the buddy feels obligated to walk by and tell him not to break any dang commandments. So, yeah, I wouldn't say the "policers" are really all that pure and virtuous--just that they are being obnoxious about reminding their buddies not to step over the line. And trying to embarrass them at the same time.

Quote from: Anat13;419036I was just giving the issue some more thought and was actually about to post about there seeming to be a higher level of social awkwardness. While gamers tend to talk about a variety of subjects in my own experience, I do think there is often less of a good sense of the give-and-take of a conversation, or particularly of when others in the group are tired of a subject. I'll take that any day over sports, the stock market, and the relative merits of various snow tire brands, but I'm sure it's a problem in conversations with less geeky women than I. I do also tend to socialize more with GMs and con staff than with other players, and I think the social awkwardness level is lower on average for GMs.

Given the demographics, I would definitely agree that the level of opportunity for cheating by men at a gaming con is pretty low. Male gamer cheaters probably would usually need to do their cheating somewhere else lol.

I do think there is self-policing and that rule-orientation is likely a big part of it. But also that the self-policing wouldn't be seen as necessary if the concept you mentioned weren't in irritatingly full force at times. Guy talks to gal --> guy's buddy assumes guy is angling for a hookup --> the buddy feels obligated to walk by and tell him not to break any dang commandments. So, yeah, I wouldn't say the "policers" are really all that pure and virtuous--just that they are being obnoxious about reminding their buddies not to step over the line. And trying to embarrass them at the same time.

*nods*
I'd say so at cons.  And when going to H&FB (Health and fitness Biz) for example, one sometimes brings a stick to be able to clear a path to one's bedroom for a good night's sleep, so I agree, at least on an anecdotal level.

But given the opportunity, etc, I believe that the gaming male/female is just as given to straying if they are not happy with their current situation.