英文摘要 |
Taiwan is an aging society, and building good social interactions and interpersonal relationships with others is a key element for aging people to realize the status of ''successful aging''. Social interaction can actually empower the elderly to reach this status. This study examines social interaction building among aging people who play mobile games with an augmented function. The qualitative research methods adopted are in-depth interviews, focus groups, and field research spanning six months. Sixteen aging people accepted our invite for an interview. The research questions are divided into ''Gaming behavior'', ''Social interaction'', and ''Life re-thinking''. The results reveal the following. First, leisure capital is needed in order to maintain the social interaction built up through mobile game playing by aging people. It is not achieved suddenly, but rather through personal investment. Second, aging people are unfamiliar with the Internet and find it hard to trust others easily, however, augmented reality games can combine exercising with fun, so that the elderly can play games with their friends at the same place and same time in a sort of social ritual. In this way, aging people not only consolidate relationships with acquaintances, but have the possibility of getting to know strangers through regular face-to-face encounters. Third, games blur the generation gap and social class boundaries. Games also help consolidate older adults’ original interpersonal relationships and assist them at broadening new interpersonal ties with others. If social welfare policy wants to set up a suitable leisure activity for the elderly in the future, then our findings suggest that the concept of cultivating mutual interests without age barriers can help aging people to build relationships with others and embark on the road to successful aging. |