Education and demonstration – Psychology
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-15
2001-04-24
Rimell, Sam (Department: 3711)
Education and demonstration
Psychology
C422S063000, C446S321000, C446S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220864
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to games and gaming apparatus, and more particularly to an educational role-playing and discussion game which challenges players, interpretation of and sensitivity to the perspectives and perceptions of other people, animals and objects in our environment.
2. Prior Art
Various games involving exchanges of questions and answers concerned with knowledge of or attitudes about ethics, relationships and human conduct are known in the art.
For example, games based on the abilities of players to accurately predict the responses of other players to moral questions, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,939 to Makow, are known and may include challenges requiring verbal justification of answers and assessments of a respondent's sincerity.
None of the games of the prior art, however, foster discussion of racial, cultural, gender or other issues from the perspective of one assuming the identity of a member of a racial, ethnic or gender which is different than the group to which the player belongs. Further, none of these games provide a means for assuming an identity of another person, an animal or an object such that a player can transform him or herself in a realistic way to take on the characteristics of that other person, animal or object while playing the game.
It is desirable, therefore, to have a role playing game, which can be used to teach geographic principles, for therapeutic purposes with custom designed figures manipulated for family sculpting or group dynamic exploration, or for fantasy play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an educational role playing game a which provides an effective means for allowing a player to assume an alternate identity, and to test his or her reactions and perceptions to selected groups of other individuals while engaging in play of the game. The groups of other individuals may be represented by various pop-up figures, computer graphics renderings, photographs, still of motion video projections, sculptures, or any other means for presenting a human, animal, or insect image.
Multi-culturalism, stigma, prejudice, empathy, and compassion are able to be explored in a meaningful way by employing the apparatus and method of the present invention, wherein over various photographs of children, teens, adults, the elderly, racial groups, ethnic groups, the physically and mentally challenged, and individuals with various identifiable occupations are arranged in a series of pop-up or die-cut pages flanking a mirror affixed in a center position. Each group displays one emotion. When the pop-up book is opened in its stand-up position on a flat surface, the player (or viewer) sees his or her own image surrounded by the social environment created by the adjoining pages. Complex issues surrounding one's physical appearance, group identification, and human relations are able to be explored in this game in a simple, yet powerful way. Aside from individual enjoyment, the book sculpture can be used as a sensitivity and diversity training in schools, the workplace or as a table sculpture in the home.
To further enhance the impact, the invention incorporates a storage box to hold masks (with Velcro™ attachable hand-held holders) the player may view the piece through. The storage box also stores display stands for the sculpture book and a variety of card packs grouped to help catalyze discussion and thought. The books and storage box are both transported in a carrying case with a vinyl strap handle. The carrying case also acts as packaging for merchandising shelf display.
In particular, the invention comprises a series of pop-up books with each pop-up page depicting a different social environment (children, the elderly, men, women, Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, angry people, fearful people, happy people, etc.) The pop-up books are stored in a case. One face of the cube is a mirror. When set up, the mirror is placed in the middle of two pop-up books opened to social environments of the same nature. Masks (with the eyes cut out) are included in the package. The player looks at his or her image through the mask surrounded by different social environments. Thus a Native American man may wear a mask to assume the identity of a “Hispanic female child” who may “see” herself surrounded by a group of people.
Through a number of interactive exercises, users are provided opportunities to enhance their social comfort zones, increase tolerance, and explore their assumptions, beliefs and attitudes. By increasing one's capacity for empathy, the likelihood of discrimination, harassment, prejudice and bias are lessened.
The present invention is especially valuable to educators, as the exercises are designed to be sensitive to individual needs, non-threatening, and yet help students and teachers increase their awareness of some of their deepest and least accessible roots beliefs and attitudes concerning other people. Individual teachers can decide on the appropriateness for their students age and maturity for each exercise.
Accordingly, the present invention is generally characterized as an apparatus and a method for playing a game of assumed identity and role play which includes discussion based on questions related to interpersonal perceptions and perspectives, the discussion elicited by means of situation, question cards or any other means selected by a player.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1590463 (1926-06-01), Wood
patent: 2222084 (1940-11-01), Marx
patent: 3156758 (1964-11-01), Tregubenko
patent: 3612516 (1971-10-01), Wilson
patent: 3614540 (1971-10-01), Vadell
patent: 4365798 (1982-12-01), Shields et al.
patent: 4720184 (1988-01-01), Watson
patent: 5046986 (1991-09-01), Wood et al.
patent: 5201660 (1993-04-01), Copen et al.
patent: 5787618 (1998-08-01), Mullis
Hodgson Russ Andrews Woods & Goodyear LLP
Rimell Sam
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