Evolution of the comprehensive level of the Quoridor game: a comparison between elderly women and adolescents

ABSTRACT The cognitive aspects related to ageing need a more thorough investigation, in view of the need of creating preventive or maintenance strategies for an active and healthy ageing. This research aimed to compare the evolution of the comprehension level of a game of rules between elderly women and adolescents. Two groups of four participants for each age group were formed: one aged 65-75 years, and the other, 16-17 years. The study was based on Piaget’s theory. As an instrument for investigation, the Quoridor game was used. Throughout four stages, the participants had the opportunity to play amongst adversaries of the same age group, besides being individually interviewed so as to position themselves before problem-situations. The analysis criteria were established from levels of comprehension about the game – from the lowest to the highest one: I, II/A, II/B,III/A,III/B. Results indicated that two elderly women and two adolescents reached the II/B level; an elderly woman did not evolve on the comprehension level, remaining on level I; two adolescents reached the II/B level, and an elderly woman, the III/A. Thus, the highest level was obtained by an elderly woman, contrary to the assumption that cognitive decline is inevitable among young elders, and that an elder shall always have a worse performance than that of an adolescent. When it comes to cognitive aspects, many are the factors evolved, and the age group alone does not guarantee just how much a subject may develop himself.