Effects of Belief Generation on Cross-Cultural Concept Learning in a Game-Based Social Simulation

• In Event: 21.057 - Cognition and Emotion in Game-Based Learning Environments

Abstract

This study examined how belief generation influenced learning of cross-cultural concepts in a game-based social simulation. Participants (N = 433) played a game simulating an artificial culture with norms embodying two cultural concepts: hierarchy and collectivism. Participants completed three game quests by communicating in culturally-appropriate ways and were prompted to either: indicate their beliefs about the culture after each quest (Beliefs All), enter their beliefs at the end of the game (Beliefs at End), or never enter their beliefs (No Beliefs). The Beliefs All condition outperformed the No Beliefs condition on an end-of-game quiz testing understanding of the cultural concepts and also performed best on within-game performance metrics, such as the proportion of culturally-appropriate actions taken in the game.

Authors

• Kalina Gjicali, The Graduate Center, CUNY

• Bridgid Finn, Educational Testing Service

• Delano Hebert, Educational Testing Service