BRIGHT ready to conquer abroad

Did you know that role-playing is increasingly being used in serious contexts, such as study and work? Some innovative teaching projects introduce role-playing games to primary and secondary schools; future doctors and first responders do complex emergency scenarios to learn how to deal with crises; some job interviews are based on committee games to see how well people can collaborate and solve problems; increasingly, companies are holding “team building” game days. But what does the science say? Nothing quantitative at the moment... We firmly believe in the power of games, particularly role-playing, to improve so-called “soft skills”-skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. We want to launch an in-depth study to measure whether, and how much, play can make a difference. To do this, we need your help.

Good morning, adventurers!

We are Federico, Valerio, Ilaria, Matteo and Rosita. We are a Professor, three Researchers, and a PhD student at the University of Turin, in the Departments of Neurosciences, Psychology, and Computer Science. We met through our passion for role-playing games (RPGs), which we shared with our students through public engagement initiatives and social media, founding a group called Departments & Dragons. You may have already played with us.

After almost two years of activity, we would like to do more.

But what are RPGs?

At least once in your life, you've played them. Hundreds of times, even if you didn't call them that! 

RPGs are the “let's pretend...” game, but more structured, with defined rules and often tools to use, such as dice, tokens, miniatures, maps, paper, pencils, and anything else the imagination can suggest. Usually, a setting is chosen (a fantasy world with elves and orcs, a particular moment in real history, a science fiction world with spaceships and space pirates, a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters, etc.) and consequently rules and characters. Each player, except one who will be the Narrator (or Master) of the story, plays a character. The Master tells what is happening in the world (“You enter a tavern and see a Half-Orc playing dice...”) and the players tell what their characters are doing.

In more serious contexts, the master may be the teacher or evaluator, while the character is the doctor who has to examine a patient and save his life, or the fireman who has to use the correct procedure to pull a person out of a crashed car, or the computer consultant who has to solve three different problems in a short time.

Soft skills

Soft skills are the skills that are not learned in books, but from experience. Communication, collaboration and problem solving are among the most well-known (and desired by companies looking to hire staff).

Are RPGs just a game? Well, using the wrong words with a half-orc Barbarian could have devastating consequences, as could not explaining to companions what etiquette is to be maintained in the Elven court...and what about all the riddles and puzzles propounded by the master, as well as the elaborate plans to storm the stronghold packed with guards?

Those who role-play know well how soft skills come into... game! But how much? There is, at present, no single answer. There are many aspects to consider, some very complex to define. One would first need to monitor the brain in action as people play.

The instruments

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, or fNIRS, can do exactly that: real-time monitoring of the activations of various areas of the brain as people play and interact. 

fNIRS is a non-invasive technology that uses near-infrared light to monitor brain activity. It works simply and elegantly: small emitters are placed on the person's head and send infrared light into the brain. This light is absorbed and reflected in different ways depending on the amount of blood oxygen present in different brain areas. By measuring these changes with tiny sensors, fNIRS can create a map of brain activity in real time.

In particular, we will be able to monitor social interaction and emotional involvement and how they may affect learning using the advanced technique called hyperscanning. By simultaneously recording the brain activity of 4 people as they interact with each other, through simultaneous recording of fNIRS sensors placed on multiple subjects, we will be able to observe how participants' brains synchronize in response to social interactions and game dynamics, going to understand when areas of learning are most affected.

The project

In our project, we want to use hyperscanning to study master-player interactions, as well as the enhancement of soft skills, during a role-playing session.

We will need a minimum of 24 subjects to have a critical mass of data to analyze. In addition, we will need to fine-tune the method setting before we start with the actual research.

What we will need

We will need a dedicated person to become an expert on fNIRS and carry on the operational part of this project. We want to give a research grant for at least 6 months; we need € 6,000 to do this.

Help us pay for the grant! UNITO doubles the funds raised, so with only € 3000 we will be able to start with the research! Every € you donate will be worth double for a fellow's salary. 

Also, if we reach € 3000, we are ready to raise another € 3000 and get to 1 year of the fellowship, increasing the data collected and making our research stronger (we will be able to reach 48 subjects and maybe even more).

Why donate?

By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you are not only funding research, you are investing in a future where play becomes a recognized tool for learning and personal development. Furthermore, this research could contribute to the development of play-based therapeutic methods to improve the interpersonal skills of people with social anxiety problems, or even autism spectrum disorders.

Together, we can scientifically prove what many of us have always known: play makes you better.

Join us on this adventure. Donate now, and become part of our research!

You, the protagonist of the research!

With only € 25, in addition to contributing to the salary of a scholar to help us with our work, YOU can be the protagonist! You can be one of the subjects we will study, playing an adventure (prepared especially for the occasion) monitored with fNIRS, and have your mental activity recorded! An extra weapon against your Master who complains when your Barbarian goes into a rage at every inn...but hurry, places are limited.

Don't have time to play with us? Check out the rewards! You can choose just the cards or the whole adventure to play with your friends, whenever you want. And, for a little extra, we'll be your Master (and update you on our quest).

What are you waiting for? Help the quest... by playing!