Does the Story Matter? Applying Narrative Theory to an Educational Misinformation Escape Room Game

Research Background and Issues

• What problems or challenges did the authors identify?
  The authors pointed out that despite the widespread and severe societal impacts of misinformation, such as vaccine resistance and political polarization, current media literacy education interventions are insufficient to address the rapidly evolving information environment. Most existing misinformation education games focus on skill- and knowledge-based media literacy while neglecting the psychological effects related to socio-emotional drivers.

• Why is this issue important?
  The spread of misinformation can significantly influence individual behaviors and beliefs. Rational measures alone are insufficient to effectively correct misconceptions; emotional, narrative-driven interventions are also needed to influence personal attitudes, especially when misinformation is tied to personal interests or emotional investments.

• Research motivation and related work
  Existing research shows that narrative-based approaches are highly effective in correcting misinformation and enhancing the impact of educational games. However, current misinformation education games often lack narrative-driven learning mechanisms. To address this gap, the authors developed two narrative-based misinformation escape room games to study the effects of narrative transportation and character identification on player experiences.

Solution

• What methods or solutions did the authors propose?
  The authors studied two misinformation escape room games (Euphorigen and Galaxy), which share the same educational content but employ different narrative frameworks. Euphorigen was designed for a general audience, while Galaxy was tailored specifically for Kpop fan communities. The study focused on narrative transportation (immersion in the story world) and character identification (emotional and cognitive connections to characters) within the games.

• What is innovative about this solution?
  The study proposed a game design approach that leverages narrative transportation and emotional connections to enhance media literacy. This approach aims not only to achieve educational objectives but also to help players deeply understand the harms and mechanisms of misinformation on an emotional level. Additionally, this research is the first to compare the effects of narrative designs tailored to different target audiences on player experiences.

• What are the implementation steps and key techniques used?

  1. Develop two misinformation escape room games with distinct narrative frameworks.
  2. Recruit 123 participants and divide them into fan and non-fan groups, pairing them with the respective games.
  3. Measure participants' narrative transportation and character identification through quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews.
  4. Analyze data, including completed questionnaires, post-game feedback, and statistical tests, to evaluate the effects of the two games on different user groups.

Research Outcomes

• What specific outcomes were achieved?

  1. Fan-related narratives (Galaxy) significantly enhanced narrative transportation and character identification among fan groups compared to non-fan groups.
  2. Euphorigen, as a general design, showed no significant differences in transportation and identification between fan and non-fan groups.
  3. Social media usage behaviors (e.g., sharing frequency) influenced participants' immersion in and identification with the narratives.

• What advantages does this solution have compared to existing ones?
  Compared to skill- or knowledge-based misinformation education games, these narrative-driven games place greater emphasis on psychological and emotional drivers. By incorporating narrative frameworks related to players' personal interests or experiences, the games enhance educational effectiveness and player engagement.

• What were the experimental or evaluation results?

  • Fan players exhibited higher levels of identification and willingness to recommend the customized Galaxy game.
  • Non-fan players showed a significant preference for the general Euphorigen scenario, indicating that general interventions are suitable for broader audiences.
  • Post-game data revealed that players gained a deeper understanding of the consequences of misinformation, especially when the misinformation was tied to personal emotions and social contexts.

• Limitations and future directions
  Limitations:

  • The study's participants were primarily U.S. college students, lacking diversity in international cultural backgrounds.
  • Although Galaxy was designed for Kpop fans, the definition of the fan group was broad, which may have limited the full potential of the customized narrative.

  Future directions:

  • Develop games adapted to different cultures and backgrounds, such as localized designs tailored to the social contexts of other countries.
  • Explore more complex misinformation scenarios to better reflect young users' attitudes toward "seemingly trivial information" and foster concern for the authenticity of all information.
  • Investigate the potential impact of social dynamics within games on players' narrative experiences and educational outcomes.