Experiential Knowledge and Video Games

Much of my recent reading has talked about the importance of experiences when it comes to understanding or reacting to a particular demographic, social issue, or political action. In "Experiential Knowledge: How Literacy Practices Seek to Mediate Personal and Systemic Change," Gwen Gorzelsky looks at how a guided Zen Buddhist meditation (particularly the work of Thich Nhat Hanh) can help individuals gain experiential knowledge that can increase their empathy. She defines experiential knowledge as "the combination of procedural memory and the subjective, emotionally grounded nature of perceptions and cognition" (401). This type of knowledge is overlooked in early critical pedagogy practice causing "the disjuncture between students' experiences and the conceptual and procedural knowledge of social critique" (404). Instead of approaching social critique through dialogue, Gorzelsky suggests undertaking a guided meditation where suffering is visualized. This visualization creates an emotional response which affects the individual's perception of the situation. Neurological changes in brain structure and activity due to meditation have been recorded.

Gorlzelsky's call for more experiential approaches to literacy reminds me of the recent boom of "empathy games." Dartmouth and NYU have designed a whole current around the concept called Values at Play. Instead of reading about people, such as Darfur refugees, you can inhabit their lives through game play. Essentially, empathy can be taught through video games and empathy leads to many prosocial behaviors, such as volunteerism, and reduces negative behaviors such as prejudice. It would appear video games work much like mediation, creating experiential knowledge that affects people's perceptions and makes them more apt to take social action.

One of the most recent of these games is the Half the SkyMovement, which can be played through Facebook. It explores issues facing women globally, such as poverty and domestic violence. To play you inhabit the role of one of these oppressed women and go through her daily life (i.e. walk in her shoes). The characters face the tough issues of their community and work to creat change. Since its debut six months ago, over a million people have played the game (myself included). The game has so far raised over $400,000 dollars in donations.

Gorzelsky, Gwen. Experiential Knowledge: How Literacy Practices Seek to Mediate Personal and Systemic Change." College English 75.4. March 2013. Print.

Belman, Jonathan and Mary Flanagan. "Designing Games to Foster Empathy." COGNITIVE TECHNOLOGY 14.2. Print.