Using Interactive Games to Connect Older Adults with College Students

Authors

  • Diane Cook Author
  • Valerie Havill Author

Keywords:

intergenerational, service-learning, older adults, gaming

Abstract

A sample of 116 university students enrolled in developmental psychology courses participated in a study examining whether playing interactive video games with older adults would reduce students’ misconceptions and negative stereotypes about older adults and increase their willingness to interact with older adults in the future. A service-learning group (n = 84) spent 10 hours playing interactive video games with older adults, while a comparison group (n = 32) participated in alternate activities. Results indicated that the service-learning group endorsed fewer negative stereotypes and had an increased desire to interact with older adults in the future than the comparison group.

Published

2024-06-11