Perception of space, empathy and cognitive processes: Design of a video game for the measurement of perspective taking skills

Abstract

The perspective-taking skills require the ability to manipulate spatial reference systems and are the basis of the empathetic process. Empathy, in its relations with space representation and manipulation of spatial reference systems, is the investigation subject of this work, whose aim is the design of a videogame aimed at the measurement of the player's perspective taking skills. The idea of creating a video game on perspective takingis based on a classic Piagetian task, the three mountains problem, objectof recent attention by the Italian scientific community that is involved inresearch in education. The current stage of the project has produced a video game, now in alpha testing release. The article discusses the software theoretical framework (spatial theory of empathy), describes the choices made in the design stage and comment on first results obtained during the alpha testing.