Games-based trust: Role-playing the administrative experience of immigrants

Abstract

Measures of social capital such as trust have been declining in America for the better part of a century, while an influx of racial and ethnic diversity has apparently quickened the decline. Direct interactions with diversity still contribute to feelings of trust, only demographic differences now prevent the requisite contact from occurring. New means of creating shared experiences have thus become more vital, and the present study tests the value of games-based role-playing for fostering trust in immigrant populations. Students in an online American Government class at a major southeastern university were asked to create a fictional persona from Mexico, India, or China, and seek US citizenship. Their success or failure factored into their overall grade. Results suggest that role-playing the administrative experience of immigrants contributes to trusting them over time. This has value for life in a diversifying society.