Study Finds Playing a Bully in Video Games Can Boost Empathy, Positive Intentions

October 11, 2024

Study Finds Playing a Bully in Video Games Can Boost Empathy, Positive Intentions

Bingjie Liu

Associate Professor Bingjie Liu was published in Media and Communication for research showing that giving players control in a video game about bullying increased empathy and positive intentions, but only when played from the bully’s perspective. The study, “Amplifying Player Experience to Facilitate Prosocial Outcomes in a Narrative-Based Serious Game,” examines how player-avatar similarity and in-game control affect player experience and empathy in a narrative-based serious game about school bullying, aiming to understand how these features influence players' prosocial intentions.