Gamification to Fight Misinformation - Free Zoom Lecture by Creator of 'Cranky Uncle' on April 1st

[essentialsaltes]

John Cook - Gamification to Counter Science Misinformation?

Gamification offers a unique opportunity, by incorporating interactive inoculating exercises into a game, players are incentivized to repeatedly practice misinformation detection tasks, thus converting effortful critical thinking tasks into quicker, easier heuristics. In this presentation, John Cook will outline how he applied psychological and critical thinking research into inoculation, using gamification and cartoons to overcome some of the psychological hurdles facing scientists and educators as they respond to misinformation.

John Cook is a researcher at the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub at Monash University. His research focus is understanding and countering misinformation about climate change, with an emphasis on using critical thinking to build resilience. He founded Skeptical Science, authored the book Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change, and developed the smartphone game Cranky Uncle, combining climate science, critical thinking, and cartoons to explain and counter climate misinformation.


Anyone out there played Cranky Uncle?

 

[Jake Arsenal]

The truth is the only way to fight lies.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

 

[Rene Loup]

Games and cartoons have greatly helped me learn and apply Christian teachings in my own life. It is basically Mr. Miyagi's 'wax on, wax off' approach. Over time, it becomes second nature. Critical thinking and fact-checking are required skills for EVERYONE, including Christians. Believe it or not, reading, studying, and KNOWING Scripture requires critical thinking, among other skills learned in English/Language Arts classes.[1][2][3]

Children learn through play.[4][5] Adults should have child-like faith in God and learn in God-pleasing ways. If playing E-rated games helps learn and apply Christian teachings and useful skills, then what is the harm in doing so? How does it compare to T and M rated games?

Who Is the Greatest?
1 At that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to him. He stood the child before the followers. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children. If you don’t do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who makes himself humble like this child.

~Matthew 18:1-4 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 18 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 18 - New King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 18 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 18 - International Children’s Bible

1. Teaching English and Language Arts
2. Knowledge & Skills Gained | Department of English | University of Nebraska Omaha
3. ERIC - ED345254 - Critical Thinking and English Language Arts Instruction. Report Series 6.5., 1992
4. The Importance of Play: How Kids Learn By Having Fun
5. Early Childhood Innovation Spotlight: Learning Through Play

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

The truth is the only way to fight lies.

Well, of course, but it's the way you 'fight' that determines whether minds will be changed. Simply contradicting someone's beliefs risks the 'backfire effect', where those beliefs are defensively reinforced.

Ideally, they should be prompted or guided to recognise the truth by thinking it through for themselves (easier said than done!).

 

[Jake Arsenal]

Well, of course, but it's the way you 'fight' that determines whether minds will be changed. Simply contradicting someone's beliefs risks the 'backfire effect', where those beliefs are defensively reinforced.

Ideally, they should be prompted or guided to recognise the truth by thinking it through for themselves (easier said than done!).

John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

If that is relevant to my post perhaps you could explain it in your own words...

 

[Jake Arsenal]

If that is relevant to my post perhaps you could explain it in your own words...

Sure.

This is how the conversation went:

The truth is the only way to fight lies.

Well, of course, but it's the way you 'fight' that determines whether minds will be changed. Simply contradicting someone's beliefs risks the 'backfire effect', where those beliefs are defensively reinforced.

Ideally, they should be prompted or guided to recognise the truth by thinking it through for themselves (easier said than done!).

What is truth?(John 18:38)

 

[VladTheEmailer]

There is a lot of interesting research being done on Pre-bunking.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Sure.

What is truth?(John 18:38)

In this context, it's what you meant when you said, "The truth is the only way to fight lies."

IOW, I'm suggesting an approach to changing the minds of people who believe what you believe to be lies so that they believe what you believe to be the truth.