Anchoring and Representativeness Bias Mitigation Through a Digital Game: Effectiveness and Delivery Format

• In Event: Learning From (and With) Video Games I

Abstract

Heuristics are mental shortcuts that can facilitate fast decision making but over-relying on heuristics can also lead people to overlook important information and make biased decisions. Heuristics are difficult to change since many people are not aware of their own biases and heuristic processing is so natural to our everyday decision-making. In order to change heuristics, people must become aware of the biases and also have sufficient decision-making practice in avoiding bias. This study examines the effectiveness of using a digital game to mitigate anchoring and three types of representativeness bias (gambler’s fallacy, insufficient data, and base-rate fallacy). The study also examined delivery methods, comparing the digital game against a traditional slideshow lecture and a combination of slideshow and digital game. Results showed that the digital game alone was not effective in mitigating the biases. The slideshow lecture had immediate effects that declined after four weeks. The combined condition of introducing bias knowledge through the slideshow which then allowed players to practice bias mitigation through the game was most effective immediately and after four weeks.

Authors

• Yu-Hao Lee, University of Florida

• Norah E. Dunbar, U of California Santa Barbara

• Claude H Miller, U of Oklahoma

• Brianna L. Lane, U of Oklahoma

• Matthew Jensen, U of Oklahoma

• Elena Bessarabova, University of Oklahoma

• Judee K. Burgoon, U of Arizona

• Bradley Joseph Adame, Arizona State U

• Joseph Valacich, U of Arizona

• Elissa N Arterburn, U of Oklahoma

• Eryn Nichole Bostwick, The University of Oklahoma

• Cameron Wade Piercy, U of Oklahoma

• Shawn King, U of Oklahoma

• Francisco Javier Elizondo, U of Oklahoma

• Scott Wilson, U of Oklahoma