Exergaming: Meaningful Play for Older Adults?

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Dutch historian Johan Huizinga viewed games as a fundamental aspect of life. As long ago as 1938, he observed that, next to “homo faber” (man the maker), there is also the concept of “homo ludens” (man the player). The aim of this paper is to explore what we can learn from previously conducted empirical studies about the motivation and capability of older adults to use exergames. We were guided by the following questions. To which extent: (1) Are older adults motivated to play exergames and why is this the case?, (2) Are older adults able to play exergames and why is this the case? and (3) Can the voices of the older players be heard in the empirical studies on exergaming in later life? We conducted a narrative literature review to gain insight, not only into the factors relating to older adults’ engaging in exergames, but also into the ways older adults themselves experience playing such games. To avoid a mainly functionalist perspective on play, we will also include hedonic aspects of playing exergames.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHuman Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. Applications, Services and Contexts
Subtitle of host publicationThird International Conference, ITAP 2017, Held as Part of HCI International 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada, July 9-14, 2017, Proceedings, Part II
EditorsJ. Zhao, G. Salvendy
Place of PublicationSwitzerland
PublisherSpringer
Pages254-265
Number of pages12
Volume2
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-319-58536-9
ISBN (Print)978-3-319-58535-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
EventHCI International 2017 : Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population (ITAP) 2017 - Vancouver, Canada
Duration: 9 Jul 201714 Jul 2017

Publication series

NameLNCS
PublisherSpringer
NumberII
Volume10298
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

ConferenceHCI International 2017
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver
Period9/07/1714/07/17

Keywords

  • Exergaming
  • Older adults
  • Meaningful play
  • Narrative literature review

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