Monday, January 22, 2007
Video game playing may fulfill innate human need
In her article Video game playing may fulfill innate human need, Anne Harding writes:
My co-inspirer and fellow Funspotter Celia Pearce, adds: "One thing I like about this article is it's saying that most of the studies have been about the potential harms. It also begs the question: who is getting enjoyment out of what? I think some games are actually not that enjoyable for some people, as you know. I hated football when I was a kid!"
It is a great relief to stumble upon this oasis of positivity. My one disappointment is that this article, like so many that have been written in defense of "gaming," is so passionately focused on videogames that it fails to connect with the larger phenomenon of play, in all its manifestations. According to my exhaustive inner research, precisely the same findings related to the enjoyment of videogames is true of all play frames - bowling (speaking of frames), chess, solving puzzles, playing dress-up.
from Bernie DeKoven, funsmith
"Players' enjoyment of games depended on whether the games made them feel competent and independent, and, in the case of multiplayer games, connected to other players. Players who enjoyed their experience showed increases in well-being, self-esteem, and vitality after playing, while those whose needs weren't satisfied reported lowered vitality and mood."
My co-inspirer and fellow Funspotter Celia Pearce, adds: "One thing I like about this article is it's saying that most of the studies have been about the potential harms. It also begs the question: who is getting enjoyment out of what? I think some games are actually not that enjoyable for some people, as you know. I hated football when I was a kid!"
It is a great relief to stumble upon this oasis of positivity. My one disappointment is that this article, like so many that have been written in defense of "gaming," is so passionately focused on videogames that it fails to connect with the larger phenomenon of play, in all its manifestations. According to my exhaustive inner research, precisely the same findings related to the enjoyment of videogames is true of all play frames - bowling (speaking of frames), chess, solving puzzles, playing dress-up.
from Bernie DeKoven, funsmith
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