Habits for Teen Thriving
Empathy
Feeling what others feel, imagining how they view and think about situations, and using that knowledge to guide your actions.
Science of Empathy
Babies come into the world with the wiring to be empathic.
As our brains develop with age, we become more capable of understanding other perspectives.
Empathy can bring up strong feelings that may need to be managed. Empathy for a single person can blind us to the plight of a larger group or bias us towards people who are like us. Some argue that a sense of justice for all is more important than feeling what others feel.
Empathy is a building block of compassion and altruism, but it’s not the same thing. Some people believe empathy is just about feeling and thinking, not about being motivated to help. Others argue that wanting to do something with empathy is a key part of what makes it powerful.
How can games support the development of empathy?
In games, teens may get the chance to act from different points of view.
In games, teens may learn to see others’ perspectives as valuable currency.
In games, teens may expand empathy by inhabiting difficult circumstances.
In games, teens may explore empathy by making choices that impact others.
In games like Never Alone, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Stacking, teens can switch from one character to another. This lets them see the same world through many eyes. They might viscerally explore and appreciate each character’s unique perspectives and ability to move the action forward.
Interested in designing games with empathy? Check out our Designer Guide here:
Empathy Designer Guide
Curiosity
Seeking out new knowledge and experiences for their own sake, embracing uncertainty.
Science of Curiosity
Curiosity activates the regions of the brain related to pleasure and reward.
When we are curious, we pay closer attention, think about information more deeply, and remember it better.
Putting effort into understanding new things helps our brains build more and stronger connections, creating larger networks of knowledge and laying the foundation for mastery and wisdom.
Curiosity gives us a dose of that feel-good dopamine, making it a reward in itself.
How can games support the development of curiosity?
In games, teens may experiment with many social roles, interactions, and identities.
In games, teens may explore the far reaches of the “real world” or discover the secrets of fantasy worlds.
In games, teens may experiment to create new and amazing things.
In games, teens may solve mysteries and navigate worlds with surprising rules and laws, encouraging them to learn and adapt.
Nancy Drew series: A series of point-and-click mystery adventure games. Players interview characters and search for clues to solve the mystery at hand. Bonus: Depending on which game from the series players choose, they might learn about topics like physics and electricity or become more familiar with other cultures as they play.
Interested in designing games with curiosity? Check out our Designer Guide here:
Curiosity Designer Guide
Growth Mindset
Believing that skills and knowledge can improve as a result of hard work, using different strategies, and actively seeking feedback and help from others.
Science of Growth Mindset
Practicing growth mindset actually changes behavior and improves performance.
Like muscles, our brains grow when they are challenged—they form new and stronger connections between neurons.
It is normal to have a mix of growth and fixed mindsets in different areas of life.
Thanks to neuroplasticity, our brains are capable of change at any age. Otherwise we couldn’t learn anything new.
Growth mindset works best when combined with effective learning strategies and feedback.
How can games support the development of growth mindset?
In games, teens are more willing to try new things and take risks.
In games, teens get immediate feedback and may see the value of mistakes.
In games, teens may see visual reminders of the growth they have achieved.
In many video game genres, including platformers like Super Mario Bros and Spelunky, teens get immediate feedback on their actions. Unsuccessful actions, like errors in timing, often result in virtual lives lost and the immediate opportunity to try again, using different strategies
Interested in designing games with growth mindset? Check out our Designer Guide here:
Growth Mindset Designer Guide
Kindness
Being friendly, generous, and considerate towards others.
Science of Kindness
Being kind is related to higher well-being. Studies show that doing random acts of kindness is a reliable way to feel happier.
Caring about the person you’re kind to (having empathy while being kind) makes you happier than just “going through the motions”.
Research shows that people are kind for a few reasons. Being kind out of concern for others is genuine kindness. Being kind to gain something or avoid a loss is strategic kindness. Being kind because you value reciprocity and fairness is called “norm-motivated” kindness.
People who feel positive emotions more of the time (those low in the personality trait of neuroticism) show more genuine kindness than those high in neuroticism. Feelings of distress can get in the way of kindness.
How can games support the development of kindness?
In games, teens often empathize with great characters and may want to help them.
In games, teens may see the consequences of being kind (or unkind) play out in detail.
In games, teens may learn that being kind is one way to solve conflicts and make friends.
In games, teens may see how sharing resources, being considerate, and doing favors leads to reciprocation and “pay-it-forward” acts of kindness.
In Undertale, teens learn to challenge the assumption that the only way to win is to fight “enemies.” Over time, they find that being kind is another way to resolve conflicts and win.
Interested in designing games with kindness? Check out our Designer Guide here:
Empathy Designer Guide
