scholarly journals Using Serious Games for Antismoking Health Campaigns: Experimental Study

10.2196/18528 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e18528
Author(s):  
Jihyun Kim ◽  
Hayeon Song ◽  
Kelly Merrill Jr ◽  
Younbo Jung ◽  
Remi Junghuem Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Serious Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
The United States ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Fear Appeals ◽  
Intention To Quit ◽  
Fear Appeal ◽  
Health Campaign ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Significant Difference

Background Serious games for health have been gaining in popularity among scholars and practitioners. However, there remain a few questions to be addressed. Objective This study tests the effects of a serious game and fear appeals on smoking-related outcomes. More specifically, this research aims to understand how serious games function as a more effective vehicle for a health campaign than a traditional medium, such as a print-based pamphlet. Further, while serious games utilize a variety of persuasive strategies in the game’s content, it is not clear whether fear appeals, which are widely used persuasive-message strategies for health, can be an effective strategy in serious games. Thus, we are testing the effect of fear appeals in a serious game. Methods We created a computer game and a print brochure to educate participants about the risks of smoking. More specifically, a flash-based single-player game was developed in which players were asked to avoid cigarettes in the gameplay context. We also developed an online brochure based on existing smoking-related brochures at a university health center; antismoking messages on the computer game and in the brochure were comparable. Then, an experiment using a 2 (media type: game vs. print) x 2 (fearful image: fear vs. no-fear) between-subjects design was conducted. The study recruitment was announced to undergraduate students enrolled in a large, public Midwestern university in the United States. After a screening test, a total of 72 smokers, who reported smoking in the past 30 days, participated in the experiment. Results Overall, gameplay, when compared to print-based pamphlets, had greater impacts on attitudes toward smoking and the intention to quit smoking. Further, the game’s persuasive effects were especially pronounced when messages contained fear appeals. When fearful images were presented, participants in the game condition reported significantly more negative attitudes toward social smoking than those in the print condition [F(1,67)=7.28; P=.009; ηp2=0.10]. However, in the no-fear condition, there was no significant difference between the conditions [F(1,67)=0.25; P=.620]. Similarly, the intention to quit smoking [F(1,67)=4.64; P=.035; ηp2=0.07] and susceptibility [F(1,67)=6.92; P=.011; ηp2=0.09] were also significantly different between the conditions, but only when fear appeals were used. Conclusions This study extends fear appeal research by investigating the effects of different media types. It offers empirical evidence that a serious game can be an effective vehicle for fear appeals.

scholarly journals Using Serious Games for Antismoking Health Campaigns: Experimental Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihyun Kim ◽  
Hayeon Song ◽  
Kelly Merrill Jr ◽  
Younbo Jung ◽  
Remi Junghuem Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Serious Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
The United States ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Fear Appeals ◽  
Intention To Quit ◽  
Fear Appeal ◽  
Health Campaign ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Significant Difference

BACKGROUND Serious games for health have been gaining in popularity among scholars and practitioners. However, there remain a few questions to be addressed. OBJECTIVE This study tests the effects of a serious game and fear appeals on smoking-related outcomes. More specifically, this research aims to understand how serious games function as a more effective vehicle for a health campaign than a traditional medium, such as a print-based pamphlet. Further, while serious games utilize a variety of persuasive strategies in the game’s content, it is not clear whether fear appeals, which are widely used persuasive-message strategies for health, can be an effective strategy in serious games. Thus, we are testing the effect of fear appeals in a serious game. METHODS We created a computer game and a print brochure to educate participants about the risks of smoking. More specifically, a flash-based single-player game was developed in which players were asked to avoid cigarettes in the gameplay context. We also developed an online brochure based on existing smoking-related brochures at a university health center; antismoking messages on the computer game and in the brochure were comparable. Then, an experiment using a 2 (media type: game vs. print) x 2 (fearful image: fear vs. no-fear) between-subjects design was conducted. The study recruitment was announced to undergraduate students enrolled in a large, public Midwestern university in the United States. After a screening test, a total of 72 smokers, who reported smoking in the past 30 days, participated in the experiment. RESULTS Overall, gameplay, when compared to print-based pamphlets, had greater impacts on attitudes toward smoking and the intention to quit smoking. Further, the game’s persuasive effects were especially pronounced when messages contained fear appeals. When fearful images were presented, participants in the game condition reported significantly more negative attitudes toward social smoking than those in the print condition [<i>F</i>(1,67)=7.28; <i>P</i>=.009; <i>η</i><sub>p<sup>2</sup></sub>=0.10]. However, in the no-fear condition, there was no significant difference between the conditions [<i>F</i>(1,67)=0.25; <i>P</i>=.620]. Similarly, the intention to quit smoking [<i>F</i>(1,67)=4.64; <i>P</i>=.035; <i>η</i><sub>p<sup>2</sup></sub>=0.07] and susceptibility [<i>F</i>(1,67)=6.92; <i>P</i>=.011; <i>η</i><sub>p<sup>2</sup></sub>=0.09] were also significantly different between the conditions, but only when fear appeals were used. CONCLUSIONS This study extends fear appeal research by investigating the effects of different media types. It offers empirical evidence that a serious game can be an effective vehicle for fear appeals.

Serious Games as a Complementary Tool for Social Skill Development in Young People: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2021 ◽  
pp. 104687812110312
Author(s):  
Lucy R. Zheng ◽  
Catherine M. Oberle ◽  
W. A. Hawkes-Robinson ◽  
Stéphane Daniau
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Skill ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Skill Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Social Skill Development

Background The use of games for social skill development in the classroom is accelerating at a tremendous rate. At the same time, the research surrounding games designed for teaching social skills remains fragmented. This systematic review summarizes the current existing literature on social skill serious games for young people ages 5 to 19 and is the first review of serious games to note the demographic and geographic component of these studies. Method This review included papers that: evaluated a game designed to teach social skills; included measurable, quantitative outcomes; have a translation or be published in English; were peer-reviewed; date from January 2010 to May 2020; and have a nonclinical study population between ages of 5 to 19. Keywords were obtained from the CASEL 5 framework. Results Our findings are mixed but suggest that serious games may improve social skills when used alongside in-person discussion. We also found potential effects of the length of time of gameplay, intervention, and follow-up on social skill serious game effectiveness. Although this review found promising research conducted in East Asian countries and with minority samples in the United States, the majority of social skill serious game research takes place in the United States and Australia, with unreported demographic information and white-majority samples. Conclusions Due to the limited number of published studies in this area and studies lacking methodological rigor, the effectiveness of using games to teach social skills and the impact of background on social skill learning require further discussion.

Contribution of the co.LAB Framework to the Collaborative Design of Serious Games: Mixed-Methods Validation Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Jaccard ◽  
Laurent Suppan ◽  
Félicia Bielser
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Multidisciplinary Design ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to the successful development of serious games, albeit difficult to achieve. The co.LAB serious game design framework was created to support collaboration within serious game multidisciplinary design teams. Its use has not yet been validated in a naturalistic context. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to perform a first assessment of the impact of the co.LAB framework on collaboration within multidisciplinary teams during serious game design and development. METHODS This was a mixed-methods study based on two serious game design projects in which the co.LAB framework was used. The first phase was qualitative and carried out using a general inductive approach. To this end, all members of the first serious game project team who used the co.LAB framework were invited to take part in a focus group session (N=6). Results inferred from qualitative data were then used to define a quantitative instrument (questionnaire) which was designed according to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys. Members of both project teams (N=11) were then asked to answer the questionnaire. Quantitative results were reported as median [Q1;Q3] and appropriate non-parametric tests used to assess for between group differences. Finally, results gathered through the qualitative and quantitative phases were integrated. RESULTS In both phases, the participation rate was 100%. Verbatim transcripts were classified into 4 high level themes: influence on collaborative dimensions; impact on project course, monitoring and efficiency; qualitative perceptions of the framework; and influence of team composition on the use of the framework. Accordingly, the web-based questionnaire was then developed according to Burhardt's seven dimensions of collaboration. In both projects, the co.LAB framework had a positive impact on most dimensions of collaboration during the multidisciplinary design and development of serious games. When all collaborative dimensions were aggregated, the overall impact of the framework was rated on a scale from "-42" to "+42" (very negative to very positive). The overall score was 23 [20;27], with no significant difference between groups (P=.58). Most respondents also believed that all serious game design teams should include a member possessing a significant expertise in serious game design frameworks to guide the development process. CONCLUSIONS The co.LAB framework has a positive impact on collaboration within serious game development teams. However, expert guidance seems necessary to maximize development efficiency. Whether such guidance can be provided by means of a collaborative web platform remains to be determined.

Effects of Current and Enhanced Tobacco Corrective Messages on Smokers’ Intention to Quit Smoking and Intention to Purchase Cigarettes

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella J Lee ◽  
Ashley Sanders-Jackson ◽  
Andy S L Tan
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Federal Court ◽  
Intention To Quit ◽  
Intention To Purchase ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Intentions To Quit ◽  
Current Tobacco

Abstract Introduction A federal court has ordered tobacco companies to issue corrective messages to address tobacco-related misperceptions. This study examined the effects of viewing current versus two enhanced versions of tobacco corrective messages on smokers’ intention to quit smoking and intention to purchase cigarettes. Methods US adult smokers (N = 803) were randomly assigned to view (1) two current tobacco corrective messages (Current), (2) two corrective messages that include an industry deception statement (Industry Deception), or (3) two corrective messages with an industry deception statement and testimonials of people harmed by smoking (Industry Deception + Testimonial). Outcomes were pretest–posttest change in intentions to quit smoking and posttest intention to purchase cigarette measures. Results Intention to quit smoking increased significantly after viewing the Current corrective messages versus baseline. In addition, viewing the Industry Deception + Testimonial messages increased intention to quit smoking compared with the Current corrective condition and the Industry Deception condition. Hispanic smokers had increased intention to quit smoking and decreased intention to purchase cigarettes to a greater degree than non-Hispanic smokers in response to Industry Deception + Testimonial messages. There was no significant difference in intention to purchase cigarettes across conditions. Conclusions Enhancing the current corrective statements by including an industry deception statement and testimonials may strengthen effects and contribute to remedying the effects of tobacco misinformation. Implications Previous research has found that draft or proposed versions of tobacco industry corrective messages are effective in correcting beliefs and knowledge. However, studies have not examined how the current court-ordered corrective messages could change intention to quit smoking and intention to purchase cigarettes nor whether enhanced messages could perform better. Study findings suggest that the current corrective messages can increase smokers’ intention to quit smoking beyond their baseline intention. More importantly, enhancing corrective messages by including an industry deception statement and testimonial was found to be more effective than current corrective messages. Findings can inform future iterations of tobacco correctives and strategies to reverse the effects of tobacco misinformation.

scholarly journals Learning Interdisciplinarity and Systems Approaches in Agroecology: Experience with the Serious Game SEGAE

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4351
Author(s):  
Julia Jouan ◽  
Mireille De Graeuwe ◽  
Matthieu Carof ◽  
Rim Baccar ◽  
Nathalie Bareille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serious Games ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Mixed Crop ◽  
Learn By Doing ◽  
Complex Models ◽  
Knowledge Survey

Agroecology represents a pertinent option to improve the sustainability of agriculture. To promote its application, agroecological concepts should be taught to students and professionals in the agricultural sector. However, most agricultural courses are not adapted to teach these concepts due to little interactivity or interdisciplinarity, and a lack of a systems approach to farm management. Serious games help to fill these gaps by simulating complex models in which players can learn by doing. We thus developed a serious computer game, called SEGAE (SErious Game for AgroEcology learning), which represents a mixed crop-livestock farm and assesses impacts of farming practices on indicators related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Its pedagogical interest was evaluated through two types of surveys given to university students who played the game during a one-week workshop: A knowledge survey on agroecology, and a feedback survey based on flow theory. Results showed that students increased their knowledge of agroecology significantly, particularly those who had had little knowledge of crop production. More than 86% of the students enjoyed the game, appreciating its interaction and feedback. Thus, SEGAE is an interesting tool to help students acquire knowledge of agroecology in a fun way by facilitating interdisciplinary and collaborative learning.

Videogame Preferences among Adults Interested in Quitting Smoking Cigarettes (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlyn R. Upton ◽  
Jessica A. Nastasi ◽  
Bethany R. Raiff
Keyword(s):  
Serious Games ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treatment Seeking ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Game Features ◽  
Quitting Smoking ◽  
Game Intervention ◽  
Genre Preferences ◽  
Screening Survey

UNSTRUCTURED Background: Smoking is the number one preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although most smokers express a desire to quit smoking, only a small percentage are successful. Serious games have become popular in health sectors as a potential avenue for delivering a scalable treatment that is both accessible and engaging for this population. Objective: Several smoking cessation games have already been developed 1–6, but these games feature a broad range of gameplay elements and are not necessarily driven by existing videogame preferences. The current study evaluated videogame genre preferences among treatment seeking smokers (N = 473). Methods: Participants responded to a screening survey distributed to enroll participants in a serious game intervention for smoking. During this survey, participants were asked to disclose their favorite videogames and reported 338 unique titles. These titles were coded for genre category based on publisher listing and game features. The genres were then analyzed for frequency of reporting overall and across age groups. Results: Action, Roleplaying, and Action-Adventure were the most reported genres among adults 34 and under, whereas Logic and Action were the most reported genres in adults 45 and older. Among adults aged 35 to 44 this shift is observed, with Action, Action-Adventure and Logic being most reported. These data indicate that treatment-seeking smokers have different game preferences across age groups, and provides novel information to inform the development of future serious games targeting smokers that are tailored to the preferences of their age group.

scholarly journals Beneficial effects of reactance in health-related behavior? The effects of fear appeals on defensive and accepting reactions of smokers with different levels of self-esteem

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-444
Author(s):  
Claudia Poggiolini
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Fear Appeals ◽  
Intention To Quit ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Fear Appeal ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

In this study, the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) served as a theoretical background for explaining the persuasive effects of fear appeals on smokers. Based on the self-consistency theory, self-esteem was included as a moderator in this model for understanding in more detail under which circumstances, a fear appeal leads to accepting responses or to reactance. An online experiment was conducted, participating smokers read an article that contained either a neutral picture or a fear appeal. Including self-esteem in the EPPM revealed that in contrast to smokers with high self-esteem, smokers with low self-esteem increased perceived susceptibility and intention to quit, as well as reactance to a fear appeal. Moreover, reactance could not be considered a negative reaction to the fear appeal message, because for individuals with low self-esteem it was positively associated with the intention to quit. Results suggest that additionally considering smokers’ self-esteem can contribute to a more accurate prediction of the persuasive effects of fear appeals. The impact of self-esteem and reactance in health-related behavior is discussed, as are the implications for health-related messages and future research.

The Path between Pedagogy and Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 273-295
Author(s):  
Colin Price
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Temporal Dimension ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Use Of Technology

The power of computer game technology is currently being harnessed to produce “serious games”. These “games” are targeted at the education and training marketplace, and employ various key game-engine components such as the graphics and physics engines to produce realistic “digital-world” simulations of the real “physical world”. Many approaches are driven by the technology and often lack a consideration of a firm pedagogical underpinning. The authors believe that an analysis and deployment of both the technological and pedagogical dimensions should occur together, with the pedagogical dimension providing the lead. This chapter explores the relationship between these two dimensions, and explores how “pedagogy may inform the use of technology”, how various learning theories may be mapped onto the use of the affordances of computer game engines. Autonomous and collaborative learning approaches are discussed. The design of a serious game is broken down into spatial and temporal elements. The spatial dimension is related to the theories of knowledge structures, especially “concept maps”. The temporal dimension is related to “experiential learning”, especially the approach of Kolb. The multi-player aspect of serious games is related to theories of “collaborative learning” which is broken down into a discussion of “discourse” versus “dialogue”. Several general guiding principles are explored, such as the use of “metaphor” (including metaphors of space, embodiment, systems thinking, the internet and emergence). The topological design of a serious game is also highlighted. The discussion of pedagogy is related to various serious games we have recently produced and researched, and is presented in the hope of informing the “serious game community”.

The Path between Pedagogy and Technology

2009 ◽  
pp. 191-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Price
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Temporal Dimension ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Use Of Technology

The power of computer game technology is currently being harnessed to produce “serious games”. These “games” are targeted at the education and training marketplace, and employ various key game-engine components such as the graphics and physics engines to produce realistic “digital-world” simulations of the real “physical world”. Many approaches are driven by the technology and often lack a consideration of a firm pedagogical underpinning. The authors believe that an analysis and deployment of both the technological and pedagogical dimensions should occur together, with the pedagogical dimension providing the lead. This chapter explores the relationship between these two dimensions, and explores how “pedagogy may inform the use of technology”, how various learning theories may be mapped onto the use of the affordances of computer game engines. Autonomous and collaborative learning approaches are discussed. The design of a serious game is broken down into spatial and temporal elements. The spatial dimension is related to the theories of knowledge structures, especially “concept maps”. The temporal dimension is related to “experiential learning”, especially the approach of Kolb. The multi-player aspect of serious games is related to theories of “collaborative learning” which is broken down into a discussion of “discourse” versus “dialogue”. Several general guiding principles are explored, such as the use of “metaphor” (including metaphors of space, embodiment, systems thinking, the internet and emergence). The topological design of a serious game is also highlighted. The discussion of pedagogy is related to various serious games we have recently produced and researched, and is presented in the hope of informing the “serious game community”.

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