Continue the Conversation
You should see a form embedded on the right - if you don't, there is a button below to go directly to it!
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I'm curious to see how this activity went for you! Hopefully you didn't close the window yet - for the form you'll need some information from the game.
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You can see the results of the form on the Resources page.
Information about the Activity
The Agency is an interactive story which introduces students to the role cognitive biases can play in their decisionmaking. In the activity, students will be confronted with a series of decisions and will need to rely on their own thought processes and the information they've learned so far to make choices. The specific cognitive biases students will be introduced to in the activity are stereotyping bias, proportionality bias, agency detection bias, jumping to conclusions bias, and illusory pattern perception. These cognitive biases have been shown in the literature to have links to whether or not an individual is likely to believe in conspiracy theories.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to: - List common cognitive biases. - Reflect on how cognitive biases shape the way they interact with information.
Using The Agency in the Classroom
The Agency can be used in person, synchronously online, or asynchronously online. The activity should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, though this can vary quite a bit depending on a student's reading speed, attention to details of the story, and the choices they make (some choices shorten or lengthen the story). I would highly recommend not including very much detail in the introduction to the activity. Because the activity relies on cognitive biases, which are unconscious, it could lower the impact of the activity to make the students aware that this is the vision for the activity before they begin. It might be better to reflect and debrief after the activity, as a result.
Information about The Agency
Cognitive Biases from The Agency
The Agency covers 4 common cognitive biases. These 4 were chosen because they are 4 of the most common cognitive biases that predict belief in conspiracy theories - for more information about that, check out the Resources page!
Confirmation Bias
Confirmation Bias leads people to search for and read information that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs. Confirmation Bias also comes into play when people are evaluating information: if information aligns with what a person already thinks, they are more inclined to think it is reliable.
Illusory Pattern Perception
Illusory Pattern Perception leads people to believe that events are connected or that there is a pattern to them, even if they are random or unconnected. It is more common if events are similar - if multiple fires occur in a town in a given span of time, this bias might incline people to believe there is a connection.
Intentionality Bias
Intentionality Bias leads people to assume that others' actions are intentional rather than accidental. This bias also predisposes people to thinking that other people are acting rationally and consciously, even if the evidence suggests they may not be.
Jumping to Conclusions
Jumping to Conclusions bias inclines people towards making quick decisions with insufficient information. While everyone jumps to conclusions occasionally, this bias refers to a systematic thought pattern in which people jump to resolving a situation before they know everything about it.
Discussion Prompts
Whether you're in person, teaching via video conferencing, or working asynchronously, there are ways to continue the conversation and reinforce metaliterate thinking after the activity! Below, there are two documents: one with a discussion activity for a live section (in person or online) and one with an individual reflection activity for asynchronous learners.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for playing the game and for visiting my site!
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For more information about cognitive biases, you can head to the Resources page. You'll also be able to see the results of the form on that page!
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You can also fill out the feedback form here. Thanks again!