A Virtual Escape Game for Intergenerational Play: Exploring Social Interactions and Intergenerational Perceptions
Abstract: Our research team has developed a collaborative, virtual escape game in collaboration with novice student-developers and older adults. It is a simulation of real-life escape rooms and incorporates a literary theme familiar to a wide range of age groups. The game addresses the age-related constraints, while it could be engaging to both older and young adults. In this study, we tested the game with six intergenerational pairs, who played the game twice, to investigate how it could, first, facilitate social interactions between age groups and, second, affect intergenerational perceptions. The findings of our research revealed that playing the game promoted social interactions between the intergenerational players. However, the depth of the interaction depended on the roles they played in the game. An important determinant in fostering meaningful interaction is the quality of the contact, regardless of the quantity of the contact. In addition, the attitude of the players was mostly positive towards each other; however, to affect intergenerational perceptions through digital games, the young and the old players would need to be actively involved in the game for a longer period of time.
Presider: Diana Bogusevschi, Dublin City University