Role-Playing as an Embodied Cognition Strategy to Enhance Learning Outcomes in the Empathize and Define Stages of Design Thinking Within Project-Based Design Courses

In design education, project-based learning and design thinking emphasize the development of higher-order cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving. However, students often rely on intuitive, fast thinking (System 1), leading to premature solutions during the empathize and define stages. Dual Process Theory suggests that design thinking requires slower, reflective thinking (System 2) for effective problem analysis. Role-playing, as an embodied learning strategy, provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between these two types of thinking by engaging students physically and emotionally. However, its impact on learning outcomes during these stages remains unclear. This study explored how role-playing with varying embodiment levels influenced comprehension, retention, and transferability in the empathize and define stages of design thinking. Ninety undergraduate design students were randomly assigned to three groups: high-embodiment, low-embodiment, and control. The high-embodiment group engaged in sensorimotor role-playing, while the low-embodiment group focused on verbal interactions, and the control group followed a lecture-based approach. The study included pre-tests, post-tests, and delayed tests to assess outcomes. Results showed that role-playing, particularly high-embodiment, significantly improved comprehension, retention, and the ability to transfer knowledge to new contexts. These findings suggest that embodied learning strategies, especially high-embodiment role-playing, enhance cognitive engagement and support deeper reflective thinking in design education.