Games: Impact on Interests and Motivation

Playing is an important part of human development that facilitates social, cognitive, and affective growth. Oftentimes, the process of playing is situated formally or informally in a game. A game is a system that allows individual and multiple players to compete with other players or with the game system in a rule-structured environment to accomplish predetermined game objectives such as winning. The game-playing process is usually voluntary and entertaining. In some cases, gameplaying may have purposes beyond entertainment such as serious games, which combine gameplaying with the development of knowledge or skill. Games are designed to allow players to enter a state of disequilibrium wherein players continuously accomplish tasks and objectives to reach a goal. At the end of a game, there are no game ...