Humanitarian crises can strain communities and deepen divides. Globally, more than 120 million people were forcibly displaced as of the end of 2024, largely because of conflict and violence. Communities fractured by conflict or those that have suddenly received an influx of displaced people may experience distrust between members of different groups that are suddenly forced to integrate, posing a threat to often fragile peace.

Perspective-taking can be a powerful tool for peace. Perspective-taking programs aim to reduce bias and prejudice and build empathy by encouraging people to imagine life in the shoes of someone outside their own group. These programs—grounded in social psychology literature—often use storytelling, role-playing, or interactive media to humanize people who have been stigmatized in the community and challenge stereotypes.

Across diverse settings and populations, these programs build more inclusive communities. Perspective-taking programs boost sympathy and empathy, reduce prejudicial attitudes towards marginalized groups, and forge social bonds. In Turkey, perspective-taking activities embedded into a school curriculum cut peer violence, built stronger connections between Turkish and Syrian refugee students, and sparked more socially positive behaviors like trust and altruism. In Uganda, a brief conversational program reduced prejudice toward South Sudanese refugees—for both participants and across their communities among people who did not participate themselves. In an active conflict setting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), emerging findings suggest that members of a non-state armed group who engaged in a perspective-taking program were three times more likely to leave the militia, driven by more empathetic feelings towards civilians.

Affordable, scalable multimedia programs have shown promising results. In Colombia, people who watched a 6.5-minute documentary or played  an immersive online game centered on the journey of a Venezuelan migrant showed improved attitudes and behaviors toward migrants. Similarly, in Hungary, an online game featuring a character from a marginalized ethnic group reduced prejudice toward ethnic minorities and refugees.

Early findings are promising, but more research is needed. Open questions remain about long-term effects, the impact of two-way exchanges that incorporate majority and minority groups perspectives, and the psychological and social processes that drive change. New research will guide the development of more durable and inclusive programs.

Embedding perspective-taking programs into existing systems and using low-cost materials can make them more scalable. In Turkey, teachers led a school-based program during hours already set aside for extracurricular activities—no extra staffing or classroom time was required. They used a modular book with animated videos and activities. With minimal costs for printing, distribution, and training, the entire program cost just US$5.40 per child.

Delivering perspective-taking content online can be a low-cost way to reach more people, but design and messaging are critical for impact. In Colombia, people that watched a video or played an interactive game about a migrant's journey had improved attitudes and generosity towards migrants. However, when considering time spent, the video was more effective because it was shorter and took less time. This kind of emotionally engaging media offers a simple, scalable way to shift attitudes. However, in the DRC, a perspective-taking radio show increased intolerance. This may have been because the show offered only light guidance, did not help listeners engage with people outside their usual circles, and failed to provide clear ways to act on the ideas it promoted. 

A simple conversation can change more than one mind. In Uganda, short perspective-taking conversations didn’t just shift personal views—they sparked village-wide discussions. However, community members who did not participate in the program were influenced by whether the person they knew embraced or rejected the message, suggesting more research is needed to understand how social networks influence how messages are processed and shared.