Counterfactual Thinking and Interactive Narratives: How Changing the Narrative Leads to Thinking About Better Outcomes

• In Event: 66.032 - Reenvisioning Assessment and Approaches in Learning Technologies

Abstract

Counterfactual thinking, mental simulations of how past events might have been different, is related to the human capacity for imagining other possibilities. Games with interactive narratives (i.e., participant-shaped storylines) can serve as a vehicle for counterfactual thinking (Green & Jenkins, 2014). Not only can one imagine another pathway, but in a game, one can carry out and experience the alternative pathway. As such, the present study used an interactive narrative game to examine how decisions about controllable and repeatable events (i.e., pathways and outcomes in the game) may be indicative of counterfactual thinking. Participants (N = 73) played the game twice and narrative-altering choices were coded and analyzed. Differences in the use of counterfactual thinking are discussed.

Authors

• Catherine Bacos, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Michael McCreery, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• P.G. Schrader, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Danielle Head, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Joseph Fiorentini, Clark County School District

• Mark Carroll, University of Nevada - Las Vegas