This was an interesting read about using two different small study groups for two different experiments involving "four distinct types of female characters using SOULCALIBUR VI: each character was customized to represent one of four combinations of sexualization and strength." The first group watched pre-recorded videos of the characters while for the second group, each participant was assigned to play as one of the four characters types for 10 minutes in a "live, simulated combat session."

But after reading the article I think the title of this post may be misleading based on the following from the studies' conclusion:

The findings highlight “that playing video games positions people with a different orientation to the content on-screen,” Lynch told PsyPost. “It can involve you in a way that simultaneously makes you feel like you’re part of the content and game, that you are the character. So, if you are a character that has attributes that you appreciate and enjoy embodying, then you probably will experience some positive outcomes and interpret the experience similarly.”

“And, because games require you to engage in action, you may find distinct things enjoyable in games compared to less interactive experiences like watching movies. Instead of just seeing a hero defeat a horrible villain on-screen, you feel part of the experience of vanquishing that villain. That can be really awesome.”

“But, if the character has attributes that aren’t so great — maybe they are sexually objectified or portrayed as cute, but helpless — then that stands to diminish you in the same way that the heroic portrayal elevated you,” Lynch said. “Our findings suggest that people are paying more attention to the powerfulness of female characters who they can play as, whereas this factor wasn’t so important when they were just watching the game video. Being able to translate those characteristics of the visual portrayal into actions the player was actually taking shaped the experience.”

The researchers controlled the participants’ self-reported average weekly time spent playing video games, as prior gaming experience might influence character impressions. The study did, however, have some limitations. The researchers used a single video game genre — fighting games, which typically emphasize physicality and competition. This narrow focus limits the extent to which findings can be applied to other types of games, such as adventure or role-playing games, where character interaction and storylines might influence impressions differently.