O brincar e o espaço potencial no ambiente virtual / Playing and potential space in the virtual environment

Este artigo analisa os impactos subjetivos advindos das novas formas de interação permitidas pelos avanços tecnológicos no campo virtual. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com seis participantes adultos que possuíam um personagem em jogos online com um complexo mundo virtual. A estratégia metodológica para análise das entrevistas seguiu a análise temática do seu conteúdo e interpretações psicanalíticas winicottianas. Pôde-se constatar que a atividade criativa inserida nesses jogos permite uma interação particular entre o sujeito e o personagem pertencente ao universo virtual, se estabelecendo como potência para a constituição de um espaço potencial e para a emergência de novos processos de subjetivação.

This article analyzes the subjective impacts from new forms of interaction allowed by technological advances in the field of virtuality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six adults participants who had a character in online games with a complex virtual world. The methodology for the analysis of the interviews followed the thematic analysis of its content and winicottian psychoanalytic interpretations. It was found that creative activity inserted in these games allows a particular interaction between the subject and the character belonging to the virtual world, establishing itself as potency to constitute a potential space and the emergence of new processes of subjectivity.

More than Just Child's Play?: An Experimental Investigation of the Impact of an Appearance-Focused Internet Game on Body Image and Career Aspirations of Young Girls.

In recent years, elements of the modern environment (such as television, Internet, toys and clothes) have been criticized for having an increasingly sexualized or appearance focus, which has been suggested to be detrimental to girls' development. The current study examined the impact of an appearance-focused Internet game on young girls' body image and career cognitions and aspirations. Eighty British girls aged 8-9 years were randomly assigned to play an appearance-focused or a non-appearance focused game for 10 minutes. Girls in the appearance-focused game condition displayed greater body dissatisfaction compared to the control condition. Type of game did not impact girls' perceived capacity to do various jobs. However, girls who played the appearance-focused game reported a greater preference for feminine careers compared to the control group. This provides preliminary evidence that appearance-focused Internet games may be detrimental to young girls' body image and aspirations. Internet games should be included in our consideration of influential messages for young girls.