Social Development in a Game Context

Ana Lucia Petty, Maria Thereza C. C. de Souza

Institute of Psychology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2014.512152                

Abstract

Social development is a fundamental subject that challenges professionals who work with children and teenagers. Questions such as how to behave adequately, what limits must be defined, and at the same time, how to stimulate autonomy and create a cooperative environment, are daily made, but solutions are not always satisfactory. The aim of this paper is to present a possible contribution to the discussion, describing highlights of a successful initiative. The practice in seeing children with learning disabilities at the Laboratory of Studies about Development and Learning (University of Sao Paulo), also identifies the same questions and there is a permanent search for creative solutions. For the last 25 years, groups of children from the Fundamental School were seen by professionals who organized activities in a game context, challenging them to play, develop reasoning and construct favourable attitudes. Results show that playing games in an intervention context stimulated changes in attitudes and social behaviour. As a consequence, it enabled children interact and establish a better quality of relation, based on cooperation and mutual respect.

Keywords

Social Interaction, Playing Games, Intervention

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Caillois, R. (1958). Os jogos e os homens—a máscara e a vertigem (Games and mankind—mask and vertigo). Lisboa: Cotovia. (in Portuguese)
[2]	Chateau, J. (1955). O jogo e a crianca (Games and the child). Sao Paulo: Summus. (in Portuguese)
[3]	De Macedo, L., Petty, A. L., & Passos, N. C. (1997). 4 Cores, Senha e Domino: Oficinas de jogos em uma Perspectiva Construtivista e Psicopedagogica (4 Colors, Mastermind and Domino: Game-Workshops in a Constructivist and Psychopedagogical Perspective). Sao Paulo: Casa do Psicologo. (in Portuguese)
[4]	De Macedo, L., Petty, A. L., & Passos, N. C. (2000). Aprender com Jogos e Situacoes-Problema (Learning with Games and Problem-Solving Situations). Porto Alegre: Artmed. (in Portuguese)
[5]	De Macedo, L., Petty, A. L., & Passos, N. C. (2005). Os Jogos e o Lúdico na Aprendizagem Escolar (Games and the Ludic Aspect in School Learning). Porto Alegre: Artmed. (in Portuguese)
[6]	De Souza, M.T.C. Coelho; Petty, A.L. et al. (2002). Assessing Game Activities: A Study with Brazilian Children. In J. Retschitzki, & R. Haddad-Zubel, (Eds.), Step by Step. Suisse: Editions Universitaires Fribourg.
[7]	Huizinga, J. (1938). Homo Ludens—o jogo como elemento da cultura (Homo Ludens—The Cultural Influence). Sao Paulo: Perspectiva. (in Portuguese)
[8]	Petty, A. L., & De Souza, M. T. C. (2012). Executive Functions Development and Playing Games. US-China Education Review B, 9, 795-801.
[9]	Piaget, J. (1932). Le jugement moral chez l’enfant. Paris: P.U.F. (in French)
[10]	Piaget, J. (1945). Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood. New York: Norton Library.