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The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games As "Empathy

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The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games As United Nations Mahatma Gandhi Institute Educational, Scientific and of Education for Peace Cultural Organization and Sustainable Development WORKING PAPER 2017 - 05 | DECEMBER 2017 THE LIMITS AND STRENGTHS OF USING DIGITAL GAMES AS “EMPATHY MACHINES” Matthew Farber, Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado Karen Schrier, Ed.D., Marist College Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development / UNESCO Working Paper: The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games as “Empathy Machines” THE LIMITS AND STRENGTHS OF USING DIGITAL GAMES AS “EMPATHY MACHINES” United Nations Mahatma Gandhi Institute Educational, Scientific and of Education for Peace Cultural Organization and Sustainable Development UNESCO MGIEP United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development 35 Ferozshah Road, ICSSR Building,1st Floor, New Delhi- 110001, INDIA. December, 2017 © UNESCO MGIEP Author: Matthew Farber, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, University of Northern Colorado Karen Schrier, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Director of Games & Emerging Media, Marist College The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by UNESCO MGIEP. UNESCO MGIEP is not responsible for discrepancies, if any, in data and content. Any communication concerning this publication may be addressed to: UNESCO MGIEP [email protected] Printed in India THE LIMITS AND STRENGTHS OF USING DIGITAL GAMES AS “EMPATHY MACHINES” Matthew Farber, Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado Karen Schrier, Ed.D., Marist College Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development / UNESCO Working Paper: The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games as “Empathy Machines” Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development / UNESCO Abstract This working paper grapples with questions related to the intersection of digital games and empathy. Many people are playing games—but are they also engaged in empathy-related skills such as perspective-taking, communication, reflection, relationship-building, and choice-making as part of their game playing? Are games “empathy machines” that support greater insight into our human condition? In this paper, we seek to (1) identify strengths and weaknesses of games in relation to empathy, (2) consider how player agency, transportation, perspective-taking, communication, and other factors may affect the practice of empathy, and (3) develop initial questions, guidelines, and recommendations for creating policies and programs around using games to inspire empathy. 2 | December, 2017 WORKING PAPER: The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games as “Empathy Machines”. Introduction Throughout the last two hundred years, new that are organic and artificial, connective and media formats have been continually lauded as disruptive, social and antisocial, and distracting being “the next empathy machine.” At the turn of and reflective. the 20th century, Wagner’s opera performances were seen as being so immersive that audience We, as human beings yearn to communicate members felt like they were transported from exactly what is in our minds and hearts; yet, their seats and onto the stage, interacting we can never fully appreciate what is in the alongside the actors (Vaitl, Vehrs, & Sternagel, minds and hearts of others. Each medium for 1993). In the last century, movies were also seen communication can be viewed as simultaneously in this way. Roger Ebert remarked that, “Movies supporting greater human connection and are the most powerful empathy machine in understanding, while also being in other all the arts. When I go to a great movie I can ways, disruptive and divisive, or antisocial live somebody else’s life for a while. I can and apathetic. Literature may be able to relay walk in somebody else’s shoes” (2005, para. inner desires and intimate perspectives, but 2). Recently, researchers and journalists have can also be seen as diluting verbal expression started to connect empathy with newer media, and oral traditions (Ong, 1982). Film may be such as games and virtual reality (e.g., Burak & able to transport people to another moment, Parker, 2017; Greitemeyer, Osswald, & Brauer, time, and space, but it can also be seen as 2010; Isbister, 2016; Mahood & Hanus, 2017; distorting truths and appeasing the masses Darvasi, 2016). Games, for instance, have been (Murphy et al., 2011). Likewise, newer media referred to as “empathy engines” (Sampat, formats such as digital games may enable us to 2017). Going further, virtual reality has been inhabit another’s decisions and relationships, called the “ultimate empathy machine” (Milk, but they may also misrepresent them through 2015). Filmmaker Chris Milk stated, “[Virtual the use of point systems, or by privileging goal- reality] is a machine, but through this machine oriented experiences over meandering ones. we become more compassionate, we become Other emerging playful experiences, such as more empathetic, and we become more virtual reality (VR) games, may enable people connected. And ultimately, we become more to interact in hybrid realms and virtual spaces, human” (2015, para. 17). but may not yet enable people to co-experience these worlds, or they may distract people from Have we overstated the potential of games the real-time, complex interactions needed to for engaging empathy (e.g, Madigan, 2015)? Is fully understand another (Turkle, 2011). any one medium especially empathy evoking? Rather than designate one medium as “the The purpose of this paper, then, is to start to ultimate empathy machine,” we take the extract out the who, what, why, how and what approach that every medium can possibly ifs around games and empathy. In other words, enable new ways to connect, communicate, what is the unique quality of particular playful and understand each other and ourselves; and experiences that support the production of that each medium (whether game, VR, film, empathy? literature, or website), platform, and even each particular experience, has strengths and • What is empathy and how do we measure it weaknesses. Game experiences are one of many using games? Is there a more useful concept, “empathy machines”—all of which have aspects such as compassion, perspective-taking, or sympathy that we should use? December, 2017 | 3 Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development / UNESCO • Under what conditions can particular games Why Investigate Games and Empathy? support empathy? We sought to investigate the intersection of • What are the strengths and weaknesses of games and empathy for four key reasons: games in helping us explore, reflect on, and connect with the human condition? (1) Games are increasing in popularity and pervasiveness and are becoming more necessary • What are the types of elements, contexts, to investigate. processes and design principles that better inspire the practice of relevant skills? Digital games are an increasingly ubiquitous part of today’s popular culture. Digital games • What are some initial guidelines and best are played in approximately two-thirds of practices for using and designing these types all United States households (Entertainment of game experiences or creating policies Software Association, 2017). Like social media around them? and instant messaging applications, online digital games have been increasingly pervasive • What are the gaps? What open questions in the digital landscape in which teens cultivate should we explore next? friendships (Anderson et al., 2015). Teenage girls tend to connect with others using social This working paper builds on Darvasi’s (2016) media tools, in addition to games and other recent UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute media, and “teenaged boys use video games of Education for Peace and Sustainable as a way to spend time and engage in day-to- Development (MGIEP) working paper, Empathy, day interactions with their peers and friends” Perspective and Complicity: How Digital Games (Anderson et al., 2015, p. 4)1. Appreciating the Can Support Peace Education and Conflict audience and sociocultural context to game Resolution, which looked at connections among playing (such as its relationship-building, playing video games, empathy and peace connective, and emotional facets) is therefore education. Our working paper investigates imperative to furthering not only our knowledge initial characteristics of games in relation to of games, but also our understanding of empathy more generally, starting with elements humanity and how we develop intimacy and proposed by Schrier (2016a; 2017) and Belman connection with and empathy for others more and Flanagan (2010), such as perspective- generally. taking, identity, reflection, choice-making, agency, storytelling/narrative, relationship- (2) Games may erroneously be considered building, and communication. To generate initial antisocial and we need to research their contours questions and guidelines, as well as reveal any and complexities. gaps, we will share relevant empirical evidence and scholarly research, useful anecdotes, and Compared to non-interactive, or “traditional” analyses of case studies. media (i.e., books, film), digital games are 1 In a separate study, published at the same time as the Anderson et al. report, Wiseman and Burch (2015) discovered issues with asking girls in surveys to self-report and identify as being a “gamer;” that term can be a loaded word. Girls reported that they play a variety
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