To foster social change, it is first necessary to imagine new solutions and understand their consequences within a social context. Traditional methods of generating social change often rely on poorly explained or superficial regulatory interventions, which can lead to resistance to novelty. On the other hand, behavioral research, seeks to trigger a change by enhancing individual knowledge and responsibility towards issues of collective interest.
Certain activities are more effective in influencing the attitudes and behaviour of a population, such as games, as they are based on naturally enjoyable practices. These activities reduce the effort required for change and increase awareness of is benefits.
Playing games is an activity that crosses cultures, transcends geographical or age boundaries, driven by the participants’ enjoyment and the apparent absence of concrete purpose. Despite this, games channel the players’ motivation and emotions, sustain their commitment and facilitate improvement as they become familiar with the rules. Indeed, the balance between understanding the rules and the enjoyment of play evolves behaviour weather around a table, behind a screen or outdoors.
Games can be applied to numerous fields, serving as a transformative tool that begins with the individual player, gently introducing individuals to new perspectives. By analysing how the game mechanics interact with players’ strategies and actions during a game it is possible to understand which behaviours are influenced and reinforced through practice.
