The role of narrative in misinformation games

Abstract

Several existing media literacy games aim to increase resilience to misinformation. However, they lack variety in their approaches. The vast majority focus on assessing information accuracy, with limited exploration of socio-emotional influences of misinformation adoption. Misinformation correction and educational games have explored how narrative persuasion influences personal beliefs, as identification with certain narratives can frame the interpretation of information. We created a preliminary framework for designers seeking to develop narrative-driven misinformation games that synthesizes findings from psychology, narrative theory, and game design. In addition, we conducted a narrative-centered content analysis of existing media literacy games.