Roleplay is something that we're all used to if we write, act, and / or play TTRPGs. As a writer, actor, and player, I love examining roleplay and how others experience it as well, since it really can be a very subjective experience.
I've got a short post for you all today, on some research that I was doing for one of my college courses. I'm referencing a 2015 study called "Making Meaningful Worlds: Roleplaying Subcultures and the Autism Spectrum" by Elizabeth Fein.
The study takes a look at a group of kids on the autism spectrum at a camp together, who were using live-action roleplaying games to socialize and cooperate. What they found was that the students had actually been more inclined to join in and "become heroes" in this fantasy, live-action roleplaying game. They were invested in the story their counselors created, and the characters that they'd made. This is a pretty big deal for some of these kids who had historically had trouble with larger groups, and who would prefer to be alone. It fostered a real sense of community and friendship for the kids involved.
This isn't surprising to me, so much as it is interesting to read about other people making this discovery. I think it's wonderful that so many people can use roleplay to express themselves and grow - autistic or not. These are the types of games that really encourage that, more than any other game or hobby that I've come across. According to an Out Front article, linked here, RPGs (digital or tabletop) can even help those struggling with gender and sexuality come to terms with and healthily express their desired identities too. I'm so glad that other people are starting to realize that games like the ones we're really passionate about can have real cognitive and social benefits.
Knowing this, I'd really like to stress the importance of good roleplay in a TTRPG. Good roleplay, in my personal opinion, can make a game 100 times better than it would be without it. After all, it's not called a "tabletop roleplaying game" for nothing!
Study Referenced:
Fein, E. March 2015. "Making Meaningful Worlds: Roleplaying Subcultures and the Autism Spectrum." Springer Science + Business Media, New York, USA.
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