Awkward Moment® is a
party game that puts 3-8 players in awkward social situations. It was developed by the
Tiltfactor Lab The Tiltfactor Laboratory is a serious game research center located at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Its work is centered on ''critical play'' an approach that uses games and play to investigate and explain ideas. Outcomes from the la ...
as part of a
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
-funded project called “Transforming Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (
STEM
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
) For Women and Girls: Reworking Stereotypes & Bias.” It is a 20 minute game for
middle and
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
students (ages 12 and up). The game won Meaningful Play's best non-digital game award in 2012.
Gameplay
Players take turns assuming the role of the Decider. The Decider reveals a Moment Card that describes a funny, embarrassing, or stressful situation for the group and a Decider Card that provides a guideline for choosing a winning Reaction. Players submit a Reaction Card from their hand face down, and the Decider selects the Reaction Card that he/she thinks is the best response to the Moment, given the Decider Card's rule.
Research
Awkward Moment challenges players to consider other's viewpoints and assess their own biases. Data suggests that Awkward Moment strengthens associations between women and STEM and reduces people's trained
biases
Bias is a disproportionate weight ''in favor of'' or ''against'' an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned. People may develop biases for or against an individual, a group, ...
.
Versions
Awkward Moment at Work was released in 2015 and focuses on awkward workplace situations.
References
{{reflist
External links
Awkward MomentAwkward Moment at WorkTiltfactor
American board games