This study introduces a serious game that leverages Persuasive Technology to promote anti-bullying awareness by placing players in the role of a bully from a first-person perspective. While traditional anti-bullying educational tools often focus on the victim’s perspective or aim to convey preventive knowledge, limited attention has been given to help individuals reflect on their own potential behaviors as perpetrators. By integrating persuasive elements such as narrative branching, gender-specific scenarios, and mini-games simulating bullying actions, the game subtly guides players through decision-making processes and enables them to witness the consequences of their actions, including simulated arrest and guilt-inducing outcomes. An evaluation involving 21 fifth-grade students demonstrated the game’s effectiveness in enhancing understanding of bullying as a serious issue with legal and moral implications. Questionnaire results revealed increased empathy, fear, and sadness in response to the scenarios, with 90% of participants acknowledging the game’s impact on their awareness of guilt and the severity of bullying. Notably, the system was shown to evoke emotional engagement and moral reflection through first-person experiential learning and persuasive design techniques. However, potential risks—such as players experiencing amusement during bullying scenes—were also identified, indicating the need for further investigation and refinement.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Empathy-Driven Persuasion: A Serious Game for Anti-bullying Education via First-Person Perpetrator Experience

  • Kaoru Sumi,
  • Ryoma Tanabe

摘要

This study introduces a serious game that leverages Persuasive Technology to promote anti-bullying awareness by placing players in the role of a bully from a first-person perspective. While traditional anti-bullying educational tools often focus on the victim’s perspective or aim to convey preventive knowledge, limited attention has been given to help individuals reflect on their own potential behaviors as perpetrators. By integrating persuasive elements such as narrative branching, gender-specific scenarios, and mini-games simulating bullying actions, the game subtly guides players through decision-making processes and enables them to witness the consequences of their actions, including simulated arrest and guilt-inducing outcomes. An evaluation involving 21 fifth-grade students demonstrated the game’s effectiveness in enhancing understanding of bullying as a serious issue with legal and moral implications. Questionnaire results revealed increased empathy, fear, and sadness in response to the scenarios, with 90% of participants acknowledging the game’s impact on their awareness of guilt and the severity of bullying. Notably, the system was shown to evoke emotional engagement and moral reflection through first-person experiential learning and persuasive design techniques. However, potential risks—such as players experiencing amusement during bullying scenes—were also identified, indicating the need for further investigation and refinement.