6. Why be a Characterat
All?
Research indicates that human
social models influence behavior,
beliefs and attitudes.
Bandura, A. 1986 Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA: Prentice-Hall.
8. Can an experience as an avatar
change a person's real life
perceptions?
If yes, how?
If no, why not?
9. An experience as an avatar
can change a person's real
life perceptions. In a study
conducted by Yee and
Bailenson (2006), it was
found that negative
stereotyping of the elderly
was significantly reduced
when participants were
placed in avatars of old
people compared with those
participants placed in avatars
of young people.
Yee, N. & Bailenson, J.N. (2006). Walk A Mile in Digital Shoes: The Impact of Embodied Perspective-Taking on The
Reduction of Negative Stereotyping in Immersive Virtual Environments.. Proceedings of PRESENCE 2006: The 9th Annual
International Workshop on Presence. August 24 – 26, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
15. Within 24 hours of watching an avatar
like themselves run, learners were
more likely to run than watching an
avatar not like them or watching an
avatar like them loitering .
Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 21 (3), 95-
113.
16. Which builds more confidence for on
the job application of learned
knowledge?
Class room
instruction.
Simulation
Game.
17. Simulation
Game.
Sitzmann, T. (in press) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .
20% higher.
18. Which is better for learning?
1. Stand alone simulation
independent of other instructional
materials
2. Simulation embedded in program
of instruction
19. Trainees learn more from simulations games that are
embedded in a program of instruction than when simulation
games are the sole instructional method.
Sitzmann, T. (in press) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .
21. NO
Sitzmann, T. (in press) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .
22. True or False?
When the majority of the instruction
in a simulation game was passive, the
comparison group learned more than
the simulation game group.
23. TRUE
In other words,
simulations aren’t good
just because they are
simulations.
Sitzmann, T. (in press) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .
25. Type of
Knowledge/
Retention
% Higher
Declarative 11%
Procedural 14%
Retention 9%
Name the Percentage
Sitzmann, T. (in press) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .
26. Summary
• Avatars provide a model of acceptable social
(work) behavior.
• An experience as an avatar can change a person’s
real life perceptions
• Simulations don’t have to be entertaining to be
educational
• Simulations show increases in confidence (20%),
declarative knowledge was 11% higher;
procedural knowledge was 14% higher and
retention was 9% higher.