Approaching Cognitive Biases in the Circular Economy through Serious Gaming

Abstract: The current linear economy model extracts resources at a rate that far exceeds the ability of the planet to regenerate them. Climate change, global warming, and the destruction of natural habits are just a few consequences. They highlight the urgent need for a shift towards a more sustainable economic model, such as the circular economy. Such a paradigm shift would offer novel approaches that aim to uncouple economic development from environmental degradation, however, the adoption of circular economy principles by consumers is often hindered by the human behavior which is influenced by so-called cognitive biases. These effects influence human decision-making leading to a systematic deviation from a rational optimum. Exemplarily the status quo bias shows this connection. Thereby, individuals favor existing conditions over potential changes. Research on circular economy as well as on cognitive biases increases, however, the interplay between these areas remains unexplored. Serious games, defined as games with a primary purpose other than pure entertainment, could be a promising approach to mitigate cognitive biases in the context of the circular economy. Serious games are being increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for education, especially in the context of complex systems (such as circular economy) and behavioral change, as they engage players in an interactive, and immersive environment. This paper explores in an exploratory approach possible ways, prerequisites, and obstacles of the use of serious games enabling circular value creation. Utilizing a structured literature review, the authors examine existing work in this area and identify gaps in the literature, underscoring the need for further research in this emerging field. This study, thus, serves as a starting point for future studies on the role of serious games in shaping sustainable practices.

Keywords: Circular Economy, Cognitive Biases, Human Factor, Serious Gaming, Sustainability

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004926

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