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Serious Games as Positive Technologies for Individual and Group Flourishing

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Technologies of Inclusive Well-Being

Part of the book series: Studies in Computational Intelligence ((SCI,volume 536))

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Abstract

By fostering continuous learning experiences blended with entertaining affordances, serious games have been able to shape new virtual contexts for human psychological growth and well-being. Thus, they can be considered as Positive Technologies. Positive Technology is an emergent field based on both theoretical and applied research, whose goal is to investigate how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be used to empower the quality of personal experience. In particular, serious games can influence both individual and interpersonal experiences by nurturing positive emotions, and promoting engagement, as well as enhancing social integration and connectedness. An in-depth analysis of each of these aspects will be presented in the chapter, with the support of concrete examples. Networked flow, a specific state where social well-being is associated with group flourishing and peak creative states, will eventually be considered along with game design practices that can support its emergence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Studies in Communication Sciences—CESCOM, University of Milan-Bicocca, Building U16, Via Giolli, angolo Via Thomas Mann, 20162, Milan, Italy

    Luca Argenton

  2. Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy

    Stefano Triberti & Giuseppe Riva

  3. Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

    Silvia Serino & Giuseppe Riva

  4. Department of Sport Sciences, Nutrition and Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Marisa Muzio

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  1. Luca Argenton
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  2. Stefano Triberti
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  3. Silvia Serino
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  4. Marisa Muzio
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  5. Giuseppe Riva
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Correspondence to Luca Argenton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, Esbjerg, Denmark

    Anthony Lewis Brooks

  2. Computer Information Systems, Missouri State University, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

    Sheryl Brahnam

  3. Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Mathematics, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

    Lakhmi C. Jain

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Argenton, L., Triberti, S., Serino, S., Muzio, M., Riva, G. (2014). Serious Games as Positive Technologies for Individual and Group Flourishing. In: Brooks, A., Brahnam, S., Jain, L. (eds) Technologies of Inclusive Well-Being. Studies in Computational Intelligence, vol 536. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45432-5_11

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