GAME INVOLVEMENT IN ADULTS.

In previous cross-cultural research, relationships were established between child training variables, game playing, and general cultural variables. Using three national surveys with adults the following hypotheses derived from the cross-cultural study were confirmed within this culture: 1. Because games of strategy are associated cross-culturally with severe primary socialization, psychological discipline, high obedience training, and complex cultures, they will be preferred in this culture by the persons who have had greater experience of such a child training pattern, that is by the higher status groups as compared with the lower and by women as compared with men. 2. Because games of chance are associated cross-culturally with high routine-responsibility training, punishment for the display of initiative, and a belief in the benevolence of the gods, they will be preferred in this culture by members of the lower status groups as compared with the higher and by women as compared with men. 3. Because games of physical skill are associated cross-culturally with high achievement training, they will be preferred in this culture by the upper as compared with the lower status groups and by men as compared with women. The results were conceptualized in terms of a conflict-enculturation theory of games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]