Exploring the Potential of Using a Text-Based Game to Inform Simulation Models of Risky Migration Decisions

IF 1.5 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Ariana Modirrousta-Galian, Toby Prike, Philip A. Higham, Martin Hinsch, Sarah Nurse, Souhila Belabbas, Jakub Bijak
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Abstract

BackgroundIn this paper, we explore the potential of games to collect empirical data for informing agent-based simulation models of migration. To examine the usefulness of game-based approaches, we conducted a simple, yet carefully designed psychological experiment.MethodsIn a preregistered study, we used a novel, immersive experimental setting to investigate the risky migration decisions made by migrants and non-migrants. Participants (284 migrants and 284 non-migrants) played a choice-based interactive fiction game—a fully text-based game where players progress by selecting from a list of possible actions—that involved making three risky migration decisions. In one condition, participants were shown a non-linear progress bar and explicit acknowledgements of the choices they made to promote perceived agency: the feeling that one’s actions have a non-trivial impact on the game. In the other condition, the progress bar was linear, and the explicit acknowledgements were omitted.ResultsOur experimental manipulation was successful; participants in the former condition self-reported higher perceived agency than participants in the latter condition, as did migrants compared to non-migrants. Nevertheless, condition and migrant status did not meaningfully affect the risky migration decisions participants made in the game.ConclusionThese findings indicate that the results of generic studies on risky migration decisions conducted on non-migrants can potentially inform simulation models of migration. However, these findings were obtained from a single experiment, and thus warrant replication and further research before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Furthermore, a simple text-based game may be too superficial to allow deep insights into the idiosyncrasies of migration decision-making. This suggests a possible trade-off between clear interpretability of the results and the usefulness for informing simulation models of complex social processes, such as migration.
探索利用文本游戏为高风险移民决策模拟模型提供信息的潜力
背景本文探讨了游戏收集经验数据的潜力,以便为基于代理的移民模拟模型提供信息。为了检验基于游戏的方法是否有用,我们进行了一项简单但精心设计的心理实验。方法在一项预先登记的研究中,我们使用了一种新颖的、沉浸式的实验环境来调查移民和非移民所做的风险移民决策。参与者(284 名移民和 284 名非移民)玩了一个基于选择的互动小说游戏--一个完全基于文本的游戏,玩家通过从一个可能的行动列表中进行选择来取得进展--其中涉及做出三个有风险的移民决定。在一种情况下,参与者会看到一个非线性的进度条,并明确承认他们所做的选择,以促进感知代理:即感觉到自己的行为会对游戏产生非同小可的影响。在另一种情况下,进度条是线性的,而明确的认可则被省略了。结果我们的实验操作是成功的;前一种情况下的参与者比后一种情况下的参与者自我报告的感知能动性更高,移民与非移民相比也是如此。尽管如此,条件和移民身份并没有对参与者在游戏中做出的风险移民决策产生有意义的影响。结论这些研究结果表明,对非移民进行的风险移民决策的一般研究结果有可能为移民模拟模型提供参考。然而,这些研究结果是通过单项实验得出的,因此,在得出明确结论之前,有必要进行复制和进一步研究。此外,简单的文字游戏可能过于肤浅,无法深入了解移民决策的特殊性。这表明,在结果的清晰可解释性与为复杂社会进程(如移民)模拟模型提供信息的实用性之间,可能需要权衡利弊。
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来源期刊
SIMULATION & GAMING
SIMULATION & GAMING EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-
CiteScore
5.30
自引率
5.00%
发文量
35
期刊介绍: Simulation & Gaming: An International Journal of Theory, Practice and Research contains articles examining academic and applied issues in the expanding fields of simulation, computerized simulation, gaming, modeling, play, role-play, debriefing, game design, experiential learning, and related methodologies. The broad scope and interdisciplinary nature of Simulation & Gaming are demonstrated by the wide variety of interests and disciplines of its readers, contributors, and editorial board members. Areas include: sociology, decision making, psychology, language training, cognition, learning theory, management, educational technologies, negotiation, peace and conflict studies, economics, international studies, research methodology.
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