One of EBED’s aims is to facilitate research into the social benefits of playing bridge, and an important step has been taken in this area at the University of Stirling.

Kevin Judge began an EBED-funded PhD researching the game of bridge through the life course of its players. The project was undertaken in collaboration with EBED, with contributions from the Irish, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh Bridge Unions.

The objectives of the research were to develop a sociology of bridge and, by doing so, contribute to the sustainability of the game. Kevin created a blog where he posted some of his findings. Visit the Sociology of Bridge blog.

Kevin’s work was supervised by Samantha Punch, Professor of Sociology at the University of Stirling and an international bridge player for Scotland. She was interviewed for The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players, discussing bridge and her research into the sociology of bridge. The interview and other episodes are available from The Setting Trick.

Introduction

We partnered with academics at the University of Stirling to undertake a number of projects investigating brain health and ways of supporting healthy ageing through cognitive activities such as playing bridge.

The work was coordinated by one of our trustees, Dr Caroline Small, an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London, working alongside Professor Samantha Punch and her colleagues at Stirling.

The first step was a thorough study of existing work on and related to the subject. This literature review revealed significant opportunities for further research.

• Ashworth, R., Punch, S. and Small, C. (2016), A Review of Possible Interventions into Healthy Ageing and Cognitive Stimulation: Exploring the Links between Bridge and Dementia, (English Bridge Education & Development).

The project then moved on to original research. A summary of the work and information about one of the proposed studies is available in Bridge for Brains, by Dr Caroline Small.

Study 1: the benefits of, and reasons for, playing

The first study was conducted in two parts.

Individual wellbeing and bridge

The first part, completed in 2017, used survey data to consider, among other things, the impact of playing bridge on an individual’s sense of wellbeing. Quantitative methods were used to analyse the responses. The results allowed the researchers to demonstrate, for the first time, that playing bridge has a statistically significant positive effect on wellbeing.

• McDonnell, D., Punch, S. and Small, C. (2017), Individual Wellbeing and Bridge: An Empirical Analysis, (English Bridge Education & Development) full report;
  summary; and leaflet.

Why do people play bridge?

The second part of the study, completed in 2018, used qualitative analysis to consider responses to an open-ended survey question asking why people play bridge.

Professor Punch summarised the responses as showing that bridge “impacts positively on players’ lives in many ways that transcend mental exercise, including friendship, socialising, travel and fun”.

• Galbraith, C., Punch, S. and Small, C. (2018), Competition and Mental Exercise in a Mind Sport: Building Bridges of Fun and Friendship, (English Bridge Education & Development) summary blog; and full report.

Study 2: can playing bridge benefit brain health?

The second area of work aimed to investigate the hypothesis that playing bridge can help to develop and maintain neuronal pathways in the brain through the mental activity required to play the game.

The proposed research would use functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to compare the brain activity of bridge players with appropriate control groups.

This work could benefit wider society by improving understanding of how bridge may alter or preserve brain function. The results could help to promote the health benefits of bridge and encourage more people to take up the game.

A delay in the onset of the ageing process by an average of just one year, or a modest improvement in mental awareness, could have considerable benefits to society. It could generate direct healthcare savings while also enhancing people’s quality of life.

More information about the proposed study is available on pages 4 and 5 of Bridge for Brains, by Dr Caroline Small.

This hypothesis cannot be proved through surveys or anecdotal evidence alone. Scientific research is required to produce the robust evidence needed by organisations such as government departments when considering whether to support the promotion of bridge’s potential health benefits.

This work is therefore expensive, and contributions from donors would be needed for it to be completed to the highest possible standard. We hope you will be willing to donate here to support our work.

Study 3: a PhD in the sociology of bridge

EBED, the UK and Irish bridge unions, and the University of Stirling provided funding for a three-year PhD studentship covering fees and living expenses. This supported the first PhD in the sociology of bridge: Bridging the Gap: An Exploration of Transitions in Play through the Lifecourse.

Understanding what encourages people to take up bridge, and what keeps them playing throughout their lives, was at the heart of this collaborative research project. Bridge provides a contemporary example through which to understand the role of leisure and mind sports in developing social capital and wellbeing through community participation at different stages of life.

The study considered the shared practices and social relationships that emerge through learning and playing bridge, and how these change over the life course.

The research related to the sociological field of intergenerationality. It explored the role that a hobby can play in friendships and personal communities, and how it can create a sense of belonging and collective identity both within and across generations.

Qualitative methods, including life-history interviews and focus groups, were used to engage with people at different stages of life and explore the routes into and out of bridge for people of different ages.

This work can help to identify how more people might be encouraged to play bridge. Equally importantly, it can help bridge organisations ensure that players gain as much as possible from the game and have access to the benefits identified in Study 1 and considered in Study 2.

As part of this work, the University of Stirling established a bridge club involving different generations and members of the local community. Read the university’s press release.

Funding the research

Funding for much of this research came from EBED, which committed a significant portion of the money required to undertake the work.

Two simultaneous pairs events were also held in 2016. The entry fees were used specifically to fund EBED’s work relating to the social and health benefits of playing bridge, including its potential role in combating social isolation and cognitive decline. We thank everyone who took part and the clubs that hosted heats of the events.

Volunteers also gave their time and energy, at no cost to the charity, to help drive the projects forward.

Further donations were needed to help fund future stages of the work and enable it to be completed to the highest possible standard. The proposed fMRI scanning for Study 2 was the most expensive element and was estimated to cost approximately £40,000.

Research funding can have a significant multiplier effect. Successful applications and projects can generate returns far beyond the size of the original investment. In the academics at the University of Stirling, EBED had partners whose body of work and academic reputation considerably exceeded the financial investment needed to work with them.

Robust scientific data is needed to demonstrate claims about the benefits of playing bridge. Anecdotal evidence and common sense alone are insufficient to secure the support of organisations capable of funding, supporting and promoting the development of the game.

We therefore believe this expenditure represented a worthwhile investment and hope you will support our work.