Mary Flanagan: Games Change How We Think

TL;DR

Games can change biases, increase vaccination rates, promote recycling, and address sexual assault through innovative design.

Transcript

so we're gonna play a game in which you would call out a person fictional a real living or dead who matches the criteria on cards I'm going to show you so we're gonna play this game as a beginning of our session and this afternoon at the beta zone so when you see the two words on the screen shout out a person fictional a real living or dead who mat... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 Games can actively combat biases and stereotypes by engaging players in interactive experiences that challenge perceptions.
• 👾 Fictionalized narratives in games can effectively convey important messages and shift attitudes towards real-world issues.
• 🎮 By embedding social issues in games subtly, behaviors and beliefs can be positively influenced through gameplay.
• 😑 Games have the potential to address pressing social issues like climate change, poverty, and gender inequity by engaging players in meaningful interactions.
• 🥺 Utilizing innovative game design techniques can lead to significant shifts in attitudes and behaviors, promoting positive social change.
• 🎮 Games can be a powerful tool in increasing vaccination rates, promoting recycling, and addressing sensitive topics like sexual assault through creative and engaging gameplay.
• 👾 Subtle messaging and embedded design in games can effectively nudge players towards positive behaviors and attitudes, contributing to societal transformation.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can games help reduce biases and stereotypes?

Games can lead to open-mindedness, disrupt stereotypes, and lower biases by engaging players in gameplay that challenges their perceptions through subtle messaging and interactive experiences.

Q: Can fantastical elements in games effectively convey messages?

Yes, the more fantastic and fictionalized a story in a game, like a zombie-themed vaccination game, the more effective it can be at conveying important messages and changing attitudes towards real-world issues.

Q: How can games promote positive behaviors like recycling?

By subtly embedding climate-related themes in popular games, researchers were able to increase recycling rates by 20%, demonstrating the power of games in influencing behaviors and promoting social change.

Q: How can games address sensitive topics like sexual assault?

Through highly fictionalized worlds, games can effectively address sensitive topics like sexual assault by subtly incorporating messages without overtly preaching, leading to shifts in attitudes and behaviors among players.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Games can reduce biases and stereotypes by engaging players in a fun and interactive manner.

• Using fictionalized and fantastical elements in games can effectively convey important messages and shift attitudes.

• By embedding social issues in games subtly, behaviors and beliefs can be positively influenced.