Our Research: Narrative and Empathy in Re-Mission™

How does narrative content versus interactive game play contribute to Re-Mission’s impact on behavior?

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Study Design

480 young adults were randomly assigned to play one of 5 different versions of Re-Mission. Game versions differed in the amount of “back story” plot provided in cut-scenes (narrative) and the amount of information provided about the patients the player seeks to save (empathy). Outcomes examined include the player’s emotional state, cancer-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions regarding cancer.

Principal Investigator

Debra Lieberman, Ph.D., is a communication researcher in the Institute for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a distinguished researcher who has developed and studied interactive media and video games as health interventions for more than 20 years. She also directs the Health Games Research program, an $8.25 million initiative by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support research and development of a new generation of health-supporting interactive games.

Status

Data collection for this study is complete, and data are being analyzed and prepared for publication.