Similar to Drama Time, this activity is based on the research showing that role-playing increases cognitive empathy (Goldstein & Winner, 2012). However, for some students, acting and theater is not fun and can actually cause anxiety. Hence, this activity was designed to promote role-playing without this additional stressor. Instead of acting in front of an audience, participants are asked to imagine that they are a particular character. Then then write about themselves as if they were that character and share their writing with a partner, as if they were the character. If the group dislikes writing, there are a myriad of variations on Walk A Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes. For example, participants can interview each other in character, they can imagine they are at a party in character, they can pretend they are assigned to a particular task in character, and so on.

 

Click here for instructions for Walk a Mile in Someone Else's Shoes.