Steube, M., Wilde, M., & Basten, M.
Original article: Steube, M., Wilde, M., & Basten, M. (2024). Does role play manipulate students? Persuasive effects of role play on students' attitude and behavior regarding a socioscientific issue. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(7), 1609-1640.

The research involved 256 German secondary students (average age 16.9), who were assigned structured character roles that included detailed backgrounds and arguments either supporting or opposing organ donation. A key question was whether this kind of immersive role-play might bias students’ attitudes or behaviors by pushing them toward the views of their assigned character. Researchers also examined whether students’ experience of being “transported” into the role-play narrative—feeling absorbed in the character’s perspective—could influence opinion change.

The findings were clear: while role-playing increased student engagement and encouraged deep exploration of organ donation, it did not manipulate or coerce students’ views. Whether students argued for or against organ donation in the role-play, they maintained autonomy and independence in forming their own judgments. In other words, role-playing provided a safe way to grapple with controversial issues without risking indoctrination or undue influence.

For teachers, this outcome is important. It shows that when carefully designed, role-playing is both ethically sound and pedagogically powerful. Students critically engaged with the narratives, not simply adopting the perspective of their character, but instead using the exercise to test ideas, explore arguments, and practice reasoning. This aligns closely with broader educational goals, including fostering scientific literacy, ethical reasoning, and democratic participation.

The study also highlights specific design features that make role-playing effective in science classrooms:

• Structured role cards that represent diverse viewpoints.
• Integration with background information to clarify the dilemma, highlight its relevance and support the use of accurate arguments.
• Open-ended discussion that allows students to weigh evidence and debate perspectives without a “right answer” being imposed.

These design elements allowed role-playing to serve as more than just a classroom activity—it became a method for helping students navigate the complexity of science-related social issues, preparing them for real-world decision-making. Teachers can confidently use role-play as a strategy to promote critical thinking, argumentation, and student engagement, while upholding ethical standards of teaching.