The process of persuasion

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Do curso por Erasmus University Rotterdam

Serious Gaming

158 ratings

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Serious Gaming

158 ratings

Have you ever wondered how playing games can help us to train people, deal with societal challenges or raise awareness of contemporary social issues? In this MOOC you will learn the ins and outs of games that are designed with exactly those purposes in mind: serious games. We will define serious games and discuss the different types that have been developed. We will explain why people like to play them and what impact they may have. State of the art theories from game studies, philosophy and media psychology will be used to help you understand how serious games work and how they appeal to players. The potential impact of gaming is addressed in detail by discussing persuasive games, which aim at changing the player's attitude. Throughout the MOOC, theoretical insights will be illustrated with playful animations and case studies of serious games that are developed by world-class companies in the city of Rotterdam. This MOOC is particularly interesting for you when you are a student considering to study digital media such as serious games, a professional interested in the opportunities these games may create for your organization, or a game developer who wants to know more about the impact serious games can have. Are you ready to broaden your vision on serious games? Join this course and be inspired!

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Persuasive Gaming

How can a game influence the attitude of a player? In this module, we will dive into a specific kind of serious games: persuasive games. Rhetoric and psychological theories will help you to understand how the process of persuasion works. And we will analyze in practice how persuasive games can help us to feel empathy for poverty-stricken teenagers, what it feels like to have autism or understand the impact of gun violence.

Introduction to persuasive gaming4:30

Persuasive properties6:07

The process of persuasion5:48

Conheça os instrutores

Jeroen Jansz
Full Professor
Media & Communication
Mijke Slot
Dr.
Media & Communication

[SOUND] Welcome

to our second lecture about persuasion.

Now that we know how to define persuasion,

we can concentrate on the communicative process.

First, I will address the theory.

Next, my colleague, will translate the theory to persuasive gaming.

Different theories of persuasive communication have been proposed.

We decided to focus on one, Patty and Cacioppo's Elaboration Likelihood Model,

ELM in short.

It is a classical influential theory that also provides the framework for

the research and persuasive gaming we are doing at the Erasmus University.

We will explain ELM step by step.

Elaboration Likelihood refers to whether it is likely

that a person expounds on her thinking about an issue.

More precisely,

to what extent she will elaborate on arguments regarding the issue.

Thinking about the issue might result in developing or changing her attitude.

ELM research

has shown that there are two different routes through which a persuasive message

can result in attitude change; a central one and a peripheral one.

The central route involves focused thinking about the issue.

It comes with a high level of elaboration,

resulting in a critical evaluation of the issue-related information.

This central kind of thinking typically results in a well-articulated attitude.

Persuasion via the peripheral route is far less profound.

It is rather concerned with the form of the message

than with its issue related content.

Hence, attitudes formed through the peripheral route are often superficial.

The next animation presents the two routes in a specific context of persuasion.

>> So imagine being a car salesman, you know, selling cars.

Now according to a scientific theory called the Elaboration Likelihood Model,

there are two different ways to persuade a customer.

>> Hi.

>> The most obvious way is the so-called central route.

Here, we really think about the information we're given.

Take this car, for example.

Six-cylinders and over 600 horsepower for only, yep, that is something right?

On the other had the peripheral route is all about how the message is shown and

appeal to our emotions.

So ladies and please get in the car.

This makes you feel like the king of the road, doesn't it?

Not only car salesmen, but also serious games often try to persuade us.

Of course they give us a lot of information, but

at the same time they are also fun to play.

So, what way of persuasion do you think they use?

>> So the question is clear.

What way of persuasion do you think persuasive games use?

Yes, this is a difficult question.

We will develop our answers, step by step.

Playing the game, or more precisely, it's procedural rhetoric, incites players to

elaborate on their thinking about the issue addressed in the game.

For example, as we have seen in module one,

playing Darfur is Dying amounts to reading a lot of information about Darfur.

In this sense, persuasion uses the central route which seems pretty straightforward.

Actually it's a little more complex because the intensity of the gameplay has

consequences for elaboration.

Highly intense games that are fast-paced and difficult may require so

much thinking capacity for completing the game that players have

few cognitive resources left to elaborate on the issue addressed in the game.

On the other hand, slow and pensive games, that often come without time restrictions,

offer players ample time to concentrate on the message,

thus increasing the opportunities for elaboration.

However this kind of persuasive game could become so boring that players

are not motivated at all to start thinking about the message in the first place.

What about the peripheral route?

In the animation, the car was presented in an attractive light

to insight positive feelings in the client.

Research has shown that a good mood increases people's openness to

new messages.

It was also found that it might result in an intention to buy stuff.

Persuasive games offer ample opportunities to present the message

in an attractive way.

It is not a coincidence that persuasive games often have funny characters,

bright and colorful graphics, and joyful music.

These elements all appeal to peripheral processing and

are meant to result in a positive feeling with respect to the game and its message.

One could even argue that the creativity of designing persuasive games

is all about packaging serious information in a playful manner.

In short, we argue that persuasive games use both the central and

peripheral route to realize their goal.

That is inciting or changing an attitude regarding the issue addressed in the game.

As a final note, we would like to stress two things.

First, that the distinction between the central and

peripheral routes is an analytical one.

This means that we can tear them apart in the analyses.

But we should keep in mind that the routes are merged when the game is played,

because all information in the game emerges through playing with

the funny characters in the bright and colorful game environment.

Next, we must keep in mind that research applying the elaboration

likelihood model to persuasive gaming is in its infancy.

Now we would like to invite you to our next lecture that presents an analysis of

three cases.

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