How do role-playing games work?
The role-playing game is centred around a story that portrays a situation of Internet Addiction involving a child. Within this narrative, there are written guidelines for roles representing different perspectives related to this situation: the child, the child’s parents or guardians, the child’s teacher, and a professional who works with children and interacts with the child.
The objective of the game is for participants to take on the roles of these various stakeholders and engage in a simulated interaction with each other while assuming the identity of the assigned role. This allows them to practise using different communication techniques and develop empathy for the viewpoint of the person they are portraying, even if that person’s opinions don’t necessarily align with their own real-life perspective.
Below, you’ll find the role guidelines for the role-playing game outlined in this guide, along with instructions for participating in the game. It’s important to note that role-playing games are typically designed for group play, and the example we’re discussing in this section is no exception. However, even if you’re reading this on your own, you can still benefit from exploring the scenarios and stories presented in this role-playing game. By becoming acquainted with the diverse perspectives of the characters in the story, you can enhance your empathy, gain a better understanding of different generations, and improve your ability to engage in discussions about topics related to the given scenario, whether directly or indirectly. If you’re engaging in the role-playing game with a group, here are the steps to ensure a successful experience:
The Game in action: A 5-Step Process
- Step 1 – Distributing Roles: The game starts by randomly distributing role guidelines to participants within each group. Each group receives two distinct role guidelines: one portraying the perspective of the child in the central narrative and the other depicting the viewpoint of an adult involved in the story.
It’s important to note that this game is intended for various groups of adult learners, including parents/guardians, teachers, and professionals working with children. In the Appendix of this Guide, you’ll find role guidelines for all these groups, but each group is expected to select a unique combination of role guidelines.
- Step 2 – Role Study: Participants should thoroughly read their assigned role guidelines. This helps them understand both the central narrative (i.e., the situation affecting the child) and the perspective of the character they are assigned (i.e., what their character believes, thinks, and feels about the situation from their personal viewpoint).
- Step 3 – Pairing Up: After familiarising themselves with their roles, participants form pairs to engage in role-playing exercises. In each group, specific pairs are created: children with parents/guardians in the parents/guardians’ group, children with teachers in the teachers’ group, and children with professionals in the professionals’ group.
- Step 4 – Start Playing: Each pair assumes their respective roles, delving into the emotions, personal stories, and challenges faced by their assigned characters. They engage in a dialogue with their partner, aiming to express their character’s experiences, including emotions, concerns, and problems they must address. This stage, the core of the game, encourages active listening and communication, applying principles and practices of Empathic Active Listening.
- Step 5 – Group Discussion/Self-Reflection: Following the dialogue in pairs, each pair shares their experiences with the rest of the group. At this stage, the pairs are invited to discuss the experience they had while taking on some of the roles mentioned above, even if only briefly.
The discussion is divided into two parts, starting with a broad approach and then delving into specifics:
- The first part focuses on emotions, feelings, and the effectiveness of communication (was it successful? Did it foster a stronger connection and better mutual understanding?). This initial part is considered general because it offers insights into how Empathic Active Listening can enhance communication in various contexts, regardless of the topic.
- The second part shifts the discussion towards specific aspects related to the exercise’s subject matter. Its aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the cognitive aspects by offering essential definitions related to Internet Addiction.
In the Appendix of this Guide you can find some points for the first part of the discussion (in case you are studying this guide on an individual level, you may use these points as points for reflection).