The Play-World Setting of the Auction

Abstract

Little is known about adult leisure, specifically adult play, in unstructured settings. An empirical study investigated the commercial, personal-goods, auction sale as an adult play-world setting. Huizinga's conception of play was employed in an application of symbolic interaction theory, using participant observation methodology. Findings suggest that auctions are a play-world setting for adults. They are a performance in which boundaries are defined, auction participants become players, and the event can be replayed, transforming ordinary life into something special and limited in time and space. Contests were orderly and decisions followed fair-play rules. Use of multiple confirmatory sources indicates findings are valid.