{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.02108433734939759, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.923611111111111, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Considering taste after gamification: collective selection, cultural intermediation, and casual gaming

ABSTRACT In the past few years, Covet Fashion and Redecor have emerged as popular options in the invest/express genre of casual games, where players create outfits and decorate rooms, respectively, to be judged by other users. This paper considers how such gamification—by turning taste considerations into a literal game—can impact judgments in everyday life. Drawing on symbolic interactionism, this paper positions taste judgments as being constructed through communication and social position. As such, by altering who players are in communication with, these games have the potential to rework learned taste and aesthetic judgments, thereby modifying sociocultural considerations like cultural capital. Taking a phenomenological approach, this paper finds these games frequently support the negative aspects of contemporary consumer culture, but have the potential to be more empowering.