Abstract
Our empirical study aims to evaluate the attitude change of players in relation to the historical themes depicted in the game and the role of in-group bias in this process. We use the game Czechoslovakia 38-89: Borderlands as an intervention tool.
The game portrays the post-WWII arrangement in Czechoslovakia, in particular the expulsion of Sudeten Germans. We created two versions of the game depicting these events from contradicting perspectives.
Our method respects between-group design. First, we collect data from both experimental groups about their initial attitudes towards the topic through pen-and-paper questionnaires and computer single-case implicit association test.
The pretest is followed by an intervention with different version of Czechoslovakia 38-89: Borderlands for each experimental group. After the intervention we collect the same data again in an immediate posttest.
So far we have conducted two pilot studies (n=18, n=14). The results suggest viability of our method and the fact that certain framing of historical events in the game is able to change players' attitudes.
Our final study will evaluate the game effects on longitudinal attitude change by another data collection one month after the intervention. The broader aim of this research is to enhance the understanding of creation of historical awareness in the 21st century and the role historical computer games play in it.