fun is play’s raison d’être: play needs no reason outside

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  • 8/14/2019 Fun is Plays Raison dtre: Play Needs No Reason Outside

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    a model of play

    cycleofcontinuousplay

    cycleoffun

    cycleoflearning

    cycleofrepeatedplay

    Weplayto havefun.Weplay todeveloprelationships,learnnew

    things,andknowourselvesbetter.Play canbecooperative,

    competitive,evenselfish.It occursinavarietyof timesandplaces,

    beginningwhenweare childrenandcontinuingthroughoutourlives.Playis anactivitythroughwhichweexerciseanddevelopour

    creativity;it isa sourceofinnovationandnewwaystosolve problems.

    Yetwhenwetry todefineplay,weface thechallengeofarticulating

    somethingthathas comenaturallyto usourwholelives.Simple

    questionspuzzleus:What isplay?What doesitcomprise?Howdoesitbeginandend?Whatmakesgoodplay?Can thereeverbebadplay?

    Thisposterproposesa modelofplay,definedasa conversation

    betweenindividualsthatcreatesasharedworldintheirimaginations

    andleadstofun. Themodeltakestheform ofa conceptmap:a web

    oftermsthat relateto,andtogetherexplain,asingleconcept.Termsformthenodesof themap,andpropositionslinkanddefinethe

    relationshipsbetweennodes.

    Inplaythe overarchinggoalisto havefunandtokeephavingfun

    tocontinueplaying.Playtakesplacebetweenindividuals,wherean

    individualcanbe asingleperson,anentireteamof people,a particularperspectivewithinoneperson,ora virtualperson.

    Theconversationbeginswithanact, andeachactadvancesthe

    conversation.Anactcan bethrowingaballin agameof catchor

    servingteawhileplayinghouse.Anactby oneindividualis observed

    andassessedbytheother,in preparationforthenext act.

    Asthe conversationgrows,itbuildsa sharedworldintheindividuals

    imaginations.Thesharedworldrequirestheirengagementandcreates

    meaningfor themasthey inhabitanddevelopit. Ayoungboyplaying

    withatoy elephant(witha secondperspectiveinhismind speaking

    fortheelephant)createsmeaningby referringto differentpartsof the

    roomasdifferentpartsofthe world,asheand hiselephanttraveltogether.Thesignificanceofthesharedworldincreasesashefeels

    thatheand hiselephantarebecomingbetterfriends.

    Eventuallyengagementwanes,andthe conversationends.Theend

    crystallizesplaysbenefitsandharms,theexperienceitdelivers.

    Experienceguidesindividualsasthey continueto learnandinteractwithothers.Experienceaffectshowtheywill playinthe futureand

    alsotheirlivesoutsideplay.

    Playprovidesspaceforexperimentopportunitytotry newthingsor

    eventryon newpersonas.Thefreedomandexhilarationwefeelin play

    mayhelpus create.Simplyplayingfoolingaround,messingabout,tinkering,hackinginvitesjuxtapositions, providesexperience,and

    revealsnewpointsofview.Who cansaywhereplaywill lead?

    Thismodelofplay onlybeginstoaddresshowplayaffectsour lives,

    ourwork,andourgrowth,butperhapsit alsobeginstopointout

    theimportanceofandeventhe needformoreplayinourlives.Butenoughtalk.Itstime toplay.

    benefit/harmcrystallizesbenefit/harm adds to an individualscrystallizesaddstoanindividuals

    enriches

    enriches

    influences

    influences

    experience expe

    enr

    enr

    ensuresurvivalofthe

    choosesto

    choosesto

    wants towantsto

    ensuresurvivalofthe

    shapesandmayfulfillshapes and may fulfillprerequisites

    individual individual

    prerequisites

    definesitso

    wn

    re

    gula

    tee

    ac

    h

    informseach

    isguidedbya

    chan

    geable

    topic rules

    createsisbuiltinthe

    giv

    essu

    bstan

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    enrich

    es

    imagination meaning

    Dubberly Design Office prepared this concept map as a project

    of the Institute for the Creative Process at the Alberta College of

    Art+Design. The Institute exists to focus and organize activities,

    enterprises, and initiatives of ACAD with regard to the cultivation

    of dialogue, research, and special projects that directly address

    the nature of the creative process and design thinking. ACAD is

    a leading centre for education and research, and a catalyst forcreative inquiry and cultural development.

    Design and writing by

    Jack Chung and Satoko Kakihara

    Research by

    Satoko Kakihara and ACAD faculty Vera Gartley,

    Wayne Giles, Walter May, and Justin Waddell

    Creative direction by

    Robin Bahr, Hugh Dubberly, and Paul Pangaro

    Please send comments about this model to

    [email protected]

    Copyright 2008

    Printed in Canada

    Dubberly Design Office

    2501 Harrison Street #7

    San Francisco, CA 94110

    415 648 9799

    Institute for the Creative Process

    at the Alberta College of Art+Design

    1407-14 Ave NW

    Calgary, AB Canada

    T2N 4R3

    403 284 7670

    TheCalgaryFoundation

    generouslyprovidedfundingforthis project.

    Playenrichesanindividualsexperience.Experienceinfluences

    decisionsto participateinfutureplay conversations,aswellas

    thelevelof funthatplayconversationscreate.Experiencealsoinformsthechoiceoffutureplaytopics.

    Theexperienceofplay canhaveunexpectedconsequences,

    sometimesmuchlaterin life.RearAdmiralGraceMurrayHopper,

    awell-knowncomputerscientist,toldoffacinga difficult

    programmingproblemandsolvingit afternoticingitsharedastructuresimilartothepatternof passinginaplay fromher

    high-school basketball career.

    Beforeplaycanbegin,individualsmustfulfillcertainprerequisites.

    Theseprerequisitesarecontextual(e.g.,time,place,andfreedom),

    physical(e.g.,rest,nutrition,health,andsafety),andpsychological

    (e.g.,emotionalwell-being).

    Theconversationandthesharedworldit createseventuallycome

    toan end.Externalconditions,oftenoutofcontrolof theindividuals,

    canendconversations,forexample,runningoutoftime,distractions,inclementweather,obligationstotake partinotheractivities

    (e.g.,class,dinner),andinjuries.Voluntaryexits,suchas whenan

    individualis nothavingenoughfun,canendconversationsas well.

    Conversationscanalsobepaused,allowingindividualsa chance

    torestor regroup.Somepausesallowconversationsabouttheconversationmeta-conversationsaboutthe sharedworld.

    Theclockstopsduringafootballgamewhenrefereesdiscussafoul.

    Individualscaneasilyre-enterplay.Endingoneconversationcreates

    anopportunityto beginanother.

    Playoccursina contextthephysicalworldinwhichindividuals

    liveandalsothe socialworldtowhichtheybelong.Thephysical

    worldmayprovideresourcesneededforplay.Thesocialworldmay

    createopportunitiesforplay.Playis onlypossiblewhenindividualshaveastablerelationshipwiththeirenvironment.

    Thecontextofplaymay beinformalneighborhoodkidsin

    anemptylotorformalOlympicteamsina hugestadium.

    Whenplayends,benefitsorharmsnotreadilyapparentduringplay

    maybecomeapparent.

    Playenrichestheindividualsexperienceby enablinglearning,

    bondingwithothers,andemotionalhealing.Itcanalso harmthe

    individualthroughphysicalinjury,harboredgrudge,orlowered

    self-esteem.Obsessionandaddictionmayalso beconsequences

    ofplay,whereindividualscannotstop playingorneglectother

    activitiesin favorofplay.Sucheffectsbeg thequestion:Whenisplaytoo much?

    Assessmentinvolvescomparingobservationsofwhatshappeningwithwhatsdesiredcomparingactualstatewith goalstate.

    AmI movingclosertomygoalor fartheraway?Shouldthis course

    ofactioncontinueorchange?Doesaspecificshort-termgoalstill

    makesenseinthe contextofbroaderlong-termgoals?

    AmI havingfun?Shouldwechangetherulesorthetopic?

    Conversationsarebuiltthroughaseriesof actsspeakingormakingothersounds;gesturingormoving;hitting,kicking,pushing,

    orthrowingotherthings.Theactstakeplacesimultaneouslyor

    ina sequenceof turnsalternatingbetweenindividuals.

    Beforeindividualsact,

    theymayplanhow toaccomplish

    agoal;theychooseandorganizemeans.

    Planningthenext actenablesthemtoconsider

    itsimplications,howit fitswithpreviousacts,

    andhowit helpsachievetheirgoals.

    Thesestepsobserve,assess,plan,actcantake

    placeina splitsecond.Whentheyreunconscious,

    flowisachieved.

    Funis playsraisondtre:Playneedsnoreasonoutsideitself.

    Individualsplayfor thefunof it.Funcomesas anadrenalinerush,

    afeelingofeuphoriamildto wild.

    Funincreasesordecreasesin responseto thesequenceofacts

    ina conversationandthebuildingofa sharedworld.

    Theindividualsimaginationshousea sharedworldandsupply

    referentsto it,eitherby mappingreal-worldobjectsto shared-world

    objects,or bycreatingentirelynew,unrelatedobjectsthatdonot

    existinthe realworld.Forexample,childrenmightpretendacouchisa boattheyaresailing.

    Playhasattractedlotsof research,andscholarshaveidentified

    manytypesofplay.

    RogerCailloisdefinedfourcategoriesofgames:agn(competition),alea (chance), mimicry(simulation),and ilinx(vertigo).

    Incompetitionssuchas sportsanddebate,individualsplayto win.Chancerefersto eventswhereplayersare upagainsttheodds,

    asin gambling.In simulation,childrenpretendto bekingsand

    knights,andadultsperformreligiousrituals.Vertigoinduces

    pleasurethroughphysicaldizziness,suchas spinningor riding

    rollercoasters.

    Cailloisalsoplacedwaysofplayingona continuum,ranging

    from paidia (active,tumultuous,exuberant)to ludus(calculation,

    contrivance,subordinationtorules).A gameoftagexemplifies

    paidia,whilechessexemplifiesludus.

    Playconversationshavetopicsthesubjectofplay.

    Topicsmaybethegameplayed,the environment

    explored(realor imagined;adhocor highlyformalized),

    oreventhemethodof interacting(theperformanceof

    certainsequences,thequalityofsoundor movement).

    Forexample,acoupledancingawaltzengagesinaconversation,probablywiththe maingoaloffun, and

    thusplays.A mathematiciannoodlingonan equation

    mayalsobeplaying.Most humanactivitiesofferthe

    opportunityforplay.Individualsmayshifttopicsas

    playconti nues.

    Playconversationshaverules,guidelinesthat regulateeach

    actanddeterminewhichactsarepermissible.Play isas

    unconstrainedasindividualsallow.Individualsaffectrulesby

    theirchoiceoftopicorby agreeingtotheir ownrules.Throughout

    aplayconversation,individualsmayhavemeta-conversations,

    steppingoutsidethe playconversationtonegotiatearuleorquestionthelegalityofanact.

    Playconversationsbuildsharedworldsintheimaginationsof

    individuals.Sharedworldscontainimaginedtime,place,actors,

    actions,andrelationships.Developingsharedworldscreates

    meaningfor individualsasthey togetherbringdifferentreferents

    tolifeandthusbringtheirsharedworldtolife.

    Referentsmay beobjectsincorporatedintotheplayworldas

    themselvesor symbolsstandingforimaginedobjects.Useof

    symbolsinplaymay establishtheirmeaning;likewise,

    ameta-conversation(steppingoutof theplayconversation)

    canalsoestablishthemeaningofsymbols.Symbols,suchasgamepieces,becometoolsfor remembering,thinking,and

    acting.SusanStarrtermsthissortof symbolaboundaryobject.

    NicholasChrismanpointsouttheirvalueas commonpoints

    ofreference.

    Asharedworldprovidesaninternalcontextforplayacts.Eachplayactmayextendthe scopeofthesharedworld,enablingandeven

    encouragingmoreplayacts,furtherextendingthesharedworld.

    Aconversationisaninteraction

    betweentwoindividuals,

    beginninginsharedlanguage,developingi ntounderst anding,

    movingtowardsagreement,

    andsometimesleadingto transaction.

    Agameof cat-and-mouseisaconversation.

    Thecattriesto catchthemouse.Themousetriestoget away.

    Whenthecatchases,themouseruns;

    whenthecatstops,the mousedrawsnearagain.

    Throughtheconversation,thecatteachesthemouse,

    andthemouseteachesthecat.

    Cat-and-mouseisplayif anindividualsmaingoalisfun, notdinner.

    Individualsobserveeachothersacts.Whatisthe otherindividual

    doing?Whatmightthatmean?Is thisnewact consistentwith

    previousacts?Is itconsistentwithotherinformation?Whatwas

    theeffectof myact?How hastheotherindividualreactedtomy

    acts?AmI beingunderstood?Dowe agree?

    Playrequiresindividualstoactivelyengageinconversation.

    Engagementreflectssomethingofthe qualityofplay.A highly

    engagedindividualisin thezonehasachievedthemental

    immersionpsychologistMihalyCsikszentmihalyitermsflow,

    wherechallengematchesskillandbothboredomandanxiety

    areavoided.Individualsreachflowwhentheyachievesufficientmasterytoactwith littleorno thoughtaboutthe techniqueorthe

    stepsinvolved.

    Asengagementwanes,conversationsuffersandmay fail.

    Withoutengagement,conversationisnotpossible.

    Engagementarisesasplayarises;it isbotha prerequisiteand

    aresult.Engagementtendsto beself-sustaining.Engagement

    contributestofun; funencouragesfurtherplay;furtherplay

    continuesengagement.Yetplay isalsofragile;individualsmay

    loseinterestanddisengageif theyarenothavingfun orif they

    aredistractedbyforcesoutsidetheconversation.

    Playisa conversation,andconversationsrequireparticipants

    atleasttwo individuals.Anindividualcanbe:

    asingleperson

    agroupofpeople(a team)

    oneofmanyperspectiveswithinasinglepersonavirtualperson(aperspectivewithinacomputergame)

    Atypicalconversationinvolvestwopeople,butconversationcan

    takeotherformsaswell. Twoteamshavea conversationasthey

    play;theindividualmemberscometogethertoforma bodythey

    areincorporatedintoateam.Likewise,a singlepersonmayplayalonebutcarryona conversationinherheadaconversation

    betweenherselfandan imaginedfriend.Ora singlepersonmay

    carryonaconversationwithavirtualperson,aswhenplaying

    avideogameor bouncingaball againsta wall.

    -

    -

    --

    Inplay,oneof theprimarygoalsisto havefuntocontinueengaginginthe conversationthatcreatesfun.Individualschoose

    themeansforachievingthatgoal;theychoosethetopicof

    conversation,forexample,whichgametoplay.Withina topic,

    theychoosedifferentstrategiesandpursueaseriesof sub-goals,

    adjustingmeansaccordingtotheireffectiveness.Goalsand

    sub-goalsandassociatedmeansforma tree(orweb)

    ofpossibilitiesforaction.

    Whenindividualsgoalsarenotmet (e.g.,theyare

    nothavingfun),theycantry otherstrategies(othermeans)

    orchoosetoend theplayconversation.

    Thecontextofplayalso includesexternalgoals.Externalgoalsmay impingeonthegoalsof play.Astudent

    mayloveto skateandplayhockey.Goalsrelatedto

    winningpleasingfriends,coaches,parents;receiving

    ascholarship;goingto college;beingsuccessfulinlife

    thesemayoverwhelmorsupersedethe goalofhavingfun.

    Theymaytransformplayintosomethingelse.

    Constructingandinhabitingashared

    worldcreatesmeaningforindividuals.

    Thismeaningboththesignificanceof

    asharedworldandthe sharedreferentsofthe conversationproducespartof

    thefunof playing.

    fun engagement

    sharedworld

    play

    context

    end(pause)

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    experience benefit/harm benefit/harm experience

    conversation

    goals goals

    context

    end(pause)

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