Can Games Reveal the Truth? Using Stealth Assessments to Get Honest Behavioral Data

What is it about?

This chapter examines how traditional self-report surveys can be influenced by social desirability and other biases and argues for the use of game-based stealth assessments to obtain more accurate data on socially sensitive behaviors, such as aggression and empathy. By comparing player behavior in the video game The Deed with self-reported responses, the researchers found that people who showed signs of biased or exaggerated answers on paper did not behave differently in the game. This suggests that game-based assessments may help reduce the effects of response bias when studying behavior.

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Why is it important?

Self-report data are essential in psychology and education, but they often become distorted when individuals attempt to “look good” or “fake bad.” These biases can weaken research and policy decisions based on faulty data. This study demonstrates that embedding assessments within a video game can circumvent these biases, capturing behavior in a natural and unobtrusive manner. It strengthens the argument for multi-method approaches, where game-based, behavioral, and self-report data are combined to paint a more comprehensive and accurate picture.

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