Digital Games as a Source of Enjoyment in Later Life

Bibliographic Data

ID3028703
AuthorsBob De Schutter (0000-0003-3401-5174, Miami University, corresponding author), Julie A Brown (0000-0002-6463-2360, Ohio University)
Year2016
Volume11
Issue1-2
Pages28-52
Publication date2016-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGames and Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1555-4120 • E-ISSN: 1555-4139
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1555412015594273
OpenAlexW2338998006
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited42

As playing digital games has become a popular pastime among older adults, the study of the older audience of digital games would do well to exchange exploratory research for more specialist and focused areas. This article follows this reasoning and focuses on game enjoyment in later life. This topic is explored through two qualitative studies with actively playing older adults. The first study ( n = 35, aged between 49 and 73) took place in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), while the second study ( n = 40, aged between 44 and 77) was held in the U.S.A. (Virginia and Kentucky). Using the principles of Grounded Theory, three interpretations of game enjoyment in later life were identified, namely, telic, hedonic, and eudaimonic enjoyment. The article offers a number of design recommendations based on its findings and discusses how the interpretations are influenced by context and player gender, and are subject to change throughout the life span of an aging player

Context (archaeology · Epistemology · Eudaimonia · Exploratory research · Grounded theory · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Subject (documents · Aging and Gerontology Research · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology · Technology Use by Older Adults

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