The Persuasive Power of Video Game Narratives: Addressing Empathy and Attitudes toward People with Mental Illness

Many college students find themselves struggling with mental health problems (ACHA, 2015). Individuals with mental illness not only battle with the disease, but with the stigma society has developed toward them, leading to a diminished quality of life. Education and contact are two antistigma approaches utilized in this study (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). This thesis aims to understand players’ involvement in the video game narrative (i.e., narrative engagement and transportation) and its relationship with empathy and attitudes toward people with mental illness. As a way to alleviate stigma, college students (N = 97) were surveyed after playing the video game Fran Bow that was perceived by a focus group as having low in-game stereotypes. Contrary to prediction, results indicated that the video game did not have an effect on participants’ empathy or attitudes toward people with mental illness. However, an exploratory assessment of media user characteristics offers interesting insights to the results. Additionally, findings suggest that those who were more involved in the narrative held more in-game story consistent beliefs. Overall, these results imply that video games can play an important role in prosocial change; however, the nature of the game and player characteristics may influence outcomes, therefore more research is needed

A narrative review of heavy metals in cosmetics; health risks

Cosmetics products since the dawn of civilization are considered a part of routine body care. The last few decades these products have had increasing and applied to the human body for beautification. Xenobiotics and heavy metals including chromium, copper, iron, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and nickel, classified as a light metal, are determinate in various types of cosmetics such as color cosmetics, face and body care products, hair cosmetics, herbal cosmetics. In cosmetic products was harmful when they occur in excessive amounts. Evidence studies determinate that in commercially available cosmetics toxic metals might present in amounts creating a danger to human health. The aim of this review is to assess identification of elimination, sources and control of sources, and monitoring countries marketed exposures and hazards can be used to prevent heavy metals toxicity. © 2019, Advanced Scientific Research. All rights reserved