Eliciting Behavior From Interactive Narratives: Isolating the Role of Agency in Connecting With and Modeling Characters

Abstract

A key component differentiating interactive storytelling from non-interactive media is agency, or control over character choices. A series of experiments show that providing agency over a character increased the user-character connection, which then increased engagement in a character-consistent charitable act. Findings were observed in technologically simple online narratives that controlled for navigation/controller differences, graphics, sounds, lengthy play, and avatar customization. Effects emerged even though users did not practice these acts by making their character behave charitably. Findings were robust across happy and unfortunate endings and across first-, second-, and third-person narrative perspectives. Findings suggest promise for developing inexpensive “storygames” to encourage supportive behaviors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Francesca R. Dillman Carpentier

Francesca R. Dillman Carpentier (Ph.D., University of Alabama) is associate professor in the Broadcast and Electronic Journalism sequence of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research is dually in media effects, with special focus on implicit attitudes and automatic cognitive processing, and in media selection, with a focus on entertainment media choices.

Ryan P. Rogers

Ryan P. Rogers (Ph.D., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is an assistant professor in the School of Communication and the Arts at Marist College. His research interests center on the psychology of human-technology interaction, with particular attention to video game environments.

Lisa Barnard

Lisa Barnard (Ph.D., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is an assistant professor of strategic communications at Ithaca College. Her research interests include media effects, social media, and data-driven advertising.