Not just in it to win it : inclusive game play in an MIT dorm
Author(s)
Kolos, Hillary (Hillary Anne)
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Alternative title
Not in it to win it : inclusive gaming in an MIT dorm
Inclusive game play in an MIT dorm
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Comparative Media Studies.
Advisor
Mia Consalvo.
Terms of use
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The recent increase in digital gaming players and platforms does not imply that digital gaming is as inclusive as it could be. There are still gaps in participation that, if left unaddressed, will exclude groups who have been historically marginalized. Women are among those individuals most vulnerable to exclusion from gaming. In order to better understand the motivations and practices of female players, this study focuses on a group of undergraduates at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who have created a community that plays digital and non-digital games together and includes women. The research was conducted over eight months using interviews and participant observations. The study concludes that there are interrelated factors at the group, game play, and individual levels that influence this particular community's inclusiveness. These factors include how the community values the play process over who wins or loses a game, uses games as facilitators of playful socializing, and negotiates their identities in relation to the "gamer" stereotype.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Comparative Media Studies, 2010. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-136).
Date issued
2010Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Comparative Media Studies.