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Make Better Decisions in Life
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A prototype computer game has been developed to help improve decision making skills in all aspects of our lives.
1. Supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), a team at Queen's University Belfast has developed a prototype that could be built on by commercial games manufacturers and turned into an e-learning or training tool for professionals in all walks of life -- and for the general public too. A***
2. The team has explored whether people can be trained to make better decisions by improving their ability to recognise and make allowances for their subjective opinions and biases, and to 'factor in' accurately their uncertainty over a decision's likely outcome.
You're late for a train. B*** Will you be able to catch it if you run? Or will that result in the stress of wasted effort? To maximise your chances of reaching the right decision, you'll need to take into account all information available to you (which may change minute by minute). But it also helps if, using this information, you try to make an appraisal of your chances, which will be more accurate if you take into account how you tend to interpret such information, based on previous experience. C***
3. In the same way, the prototype game (available for anyone to try out at http://quiz.worldofuncertainty.org/) teaches people to take their uncertainty into account and learn from experience when faced with simple choices. The prototype game presents a series of multiple-choice questions (e.g. 'what is the capital of Egypt?'). But its aim is not to test knowledge but to assess whether the participant can be trained to recognise, quantify and make allowances for their certainty or uncertainty regarding the answer to each question. D*** Detailed feedback then helps them recognise and correct the over-or under-confidence they tend to show when faced with similar decisions.
4. "It's the first ever online quiz designed to let people estimate how sure they are of their answers and score more highly if they don't ignore their uncertainty but realistically assess it," says Dr. David Newman, who has led the project. "Whether the choices facing us are simple or complex, a greater awareness of uncertainty and of our own biases can improve the quality of our decision-making. E***
5. In the future, games of this type could be used for both educational and entertainment purposes by public and private sector decision-makers and by private individuals in order to enhance their decision-making abilities.
6. Over 500 members of the general public, as well as many students from Queen's and Dundalk Institute of Technology, have already tried out the prototype. F*** "The game we've developed is a research tool that's enabling us to find out much more about the thought processes and psychological mechanisms involved in decision making," says Jyldyz Tabyldy kyzy, a key member of the project team.
7. This is an interdisciplinary project harnessing leading-edge expertise in mathematics, statistics, critical thinking, knowledge management and educational psychology. Involved in the initiative are: a statistician from Cambridge University (Professor Philip Dawid); a game developer and managers from Brunel University (Dr. Melissa Cole, David Green and Tony Elliman); a main researcher and an information system specialist from Queen's University Management School (Dr. David Newman and PhD student Jyldyz Tabyldy kyzy); and Dr. Bride Mallon and Dr. Emiliya Lazarova (also of Queen's).
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II. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences 1-7 the one which fits each gap. There is one sentence which you don’t need to use.
| The results are currently being assessed to establish the extent to which it has taught them to make better decisions. | |
| The player indicates their confidence in their answer using an interactive slider and is awarded points based on how accurately they estimated their level of certainty. | |
| We believe there's real potential for people to acquire that awareness through computer games." | |
| Alternatively, some of its features could be incorporated into existing computer games that have a strategy element. | |
| Each model has eight propellers to control movement, a set of inertia sensors and additional cameras to be 'spatially aware' and to 'see' each other. | |
| For example, maybe you know whether you tend to be over-or under-confident in similar situations. | |
| Will you be able to catch it if you run? |
III. Read the article and choose the most suitable heading from the list A-H for each paragraph (1-7). There is one extra heading which is not needed.
| A | The prototype game |
| B | Test runs |
| C | Developing a prototype |
| D | Main members of the project |
| E | Dreams come true |
| F | Prospects for the game |
| G | Possibility to be trained in making better decisions |
| H | Estimating and acquiring awareness |
IV. Find the wordsin the article that mean:
1. the first or most typical example of something
2. the detailed study of something in order to discover new facts, especially in a university or scientific institution
3. methods of learning that involve the use of computers and the Internet
4. a choice that you make after thinking carefully
5. someone who takes part in something
6. to carefully consider a situation, person, or problem in order to make a judgment
7. the quality of being skillful or naturally good at something
8. the most modern and advanced position in an activity or subject of research
V. Are the following sentences true or false:
1. Developing a prototype computer game was supported by the EPSRC.
2. A prototype is used as a training tool for professionals.
3. Developers have incorporated the prototype into existing computer games.
4. Someone’s uncertainty can be taken into account over a decision's likely outcome.
5. Information based on previous experience should be considered when making a decision.
6. Using the prototype game people are taught to make right decisions.
7. An interactive slider is used a player to indicate his confidence in the answer.
8. This research tool can help find out much more about the thought processes and psychological mechanisms involved in decision making.
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VI. For questions 1-7 choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the article.
1. What should be taken into account to make right decision?
A) previous experience B) ability to think
C) e-learning D) choice
2. What was the first online quiz developed for?
A) to test one’s knowledge
B) to entertain general public
C) to assesone’s confidence inanswers
D) to get new information
3. Who could such games be used by?
A) students B) public and private individuals
C) teachers D) researchers
4. Have the results of testing the prototype been assessed?
A) Yes, they have B) No, they didn’t
C) No, they haven’t D) Yes, they are
5. Why should people acquire awareness of uncertainty and of their own biases through computer games?
A) to learn how to make a decision
B) to improve the quality of their decision-making
C) to estimated their level of certainty
D) to help others in difficult situations
6. Who was involved in the developing the prototype computer game?
A) a game developer B) a manager
C) a statistician D) all the experts
7. What helps researchers to find out more about the thought processes and psychological mechanisms involved in decision making?
A) a game B) a slider
C) a player D) questions
Answers
I.
1. No, it isn’t. Its aim is to assess whether the participant can be trained to recognise, quantify and make allowances for their certainty or uncertainty regarding the answer to each question.
2. Over 500 members of the general public.
3. It could beturned into an e-learning or training tool for professionals in all walks of life -- and for the general public too.
4. Yes, it could.
5. No, it doesn’t. It is an interdisciplinary project harnessing leading-edge expertise in mathematics, statistics, critical thinking, knowledge management and educational psychology.
6. Dr. David Newman.
7. It is a research tool.
8. The prototype game presents a series of multiple-choice questions.
II. A4, B7, C6, D2, E3, F1
III. 1C, 2G, 3A, 4H, 5F, 6B, 7D
IV.
1. prototype
2. research
3. e-learning
4. decision
5. participant
6. to assess
7. ability
8. leading-edge
V.
1. True.
2. False. It could be turned into a training tool for professionals.
3. False. Some of its features could be incorporated into existing computer games.
4. True.
5. True.
6. False. The prototype game teaches people to take their uncertainty into account and learn from experience when faced with simple choices.
7. True.
8. True.
VI. 1A, 2C, 3B, 4C, 5B, 6D
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