Dungeons and Dragons
I did a search on 'Dungeons and Dragons' in a database for scientific publications just to see what would pop up. And it seems I hit a goldmine.
Dungeons and dragons: Dealing with emotional and behavioral issues of an adolescent with diabetes
R.S. Raghuraman, Arts in Psychotherapy, 2000 (27) 27
Of course I had to click that. My favorite part is how they explain D&D using citations and all:
"In addition, Ascherman (1993) and DeRenard and Kline (1990) state that “Dungeons and Dragons” is an extremely popular game among adolescents. The characters in the game seem to allow adolescents to perform different roles and assume the personality of each of the characters they choose to represent. The game perfectly synchronizes with this tumultuous developmental phase; this is a time when adolescents experiment and exchange their old lifestyles for new, unfamiliar ones in order to find out who they are and what they want. Ascherman (1993) states that “Dungeons and Dragons” permit adolescents, who play the game, to partake of a fantasy world involving power contests, aggression and violence. The characters frequently use weapons; strive for more power and control; and constantly develop traps and tricks that include murder, arson, torture, rape or highway robbery (Ascherman, 1993)."
They forgot to add 'killing Bambi'.
Personalities of Players of Dungeons and Dragons
R. Carter, D. Lester, Psychological Reports, 1998 (82) 182
Unfortunately I don't have access to that one. I have the feeling it's pure gold.
Alienation and the Game Dungeons and Dragons
L.A. Derenhard, L.M. Kline, Psychological Reports, 1990 (66) 1219
And I bet so would be this one, sadly no access.
Relationship of Role-Playing to Self-Reported criminal behaviour
S. Abyeta, J. Forest, Psychological Reports, 1991 (69) 1187
Abstract: Fantasy role-playing games have been portrayed by the media and various social organizations as being linked to, and causing, socially maladaptive behaviour including criminality. Based on this social perception it was hypothesized that role-playing experience should be positively correlated with self-reported criminality. 20 experienced role-playing gamers and 25 nonplayers completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, a demographic questionnaire, and a 20-item criminality measure. Regression analysis indicated that role-playing experience did not relate to self-reported criminality; however, Psychoticism, which was higher in the nonplayers, did predict criminality.
Pfft, they should have correlated that with the type of character the test subjects played and what alingment they had. Maybe they only interviewed paladines and the rest of us really are criminal masterminds? What then, huh?
Emotional stability pertaining to the game of Dungeons & Dragons
A. Simon, Psychology in the Schools, 2006 (24) 329
Abstract: The game of Dungeons & Dragons, which involves extensive fantasy role-playing by the participants, has been blamed by groups of lay people for having caused a number of suicides and homicides, as well as generally promoting such behavior. The 16 PF was administered to players of the game and a Pearson correlation was performed between years of playing the game and their emotional stability as measured by Factor C of the test. No significant correlation was found.
Allow me to roll my eyes.
Rational Coordination in the Dungeon + Dungeons and Dragons Game
T. Tolespatkin, Journal of Popular Culture, 1968 (20) 1
"Play centers around the DM, who describes the scene to the players, who then guide their characters through the adventure on the basis of his presentation. Play might proceed as follows: The characters are exploring a dungeon, and the DM indicates that they are standing in a 40-foot wide hallway that stretches in front of them as far as the eye can see. They proceed slowly down the corridor until the DM notes that there is a large doorway on their left. They listen at the door, and the DM checks his notes to see what he has put in the room, rolling dice to see if they hear anything. If they do, he describes the sounds to the group. The characters may then attempt to open the door, and the DM again rolls to see if they succeed."
And then they attack the darkness...
In other news, there is a Journal of Popular Culture. I'll have to check and see if they have articles on Lolcats or Goatse.
The Impact of Unstructured Games of Fantasy and Role-Playing in an Inpatient Unit for Adolescents.
L.I. Ascherman, International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 1993 (43) 335
Abstract: Games of fantasy and role playing such as Dungeons and Dragons (1983) have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. This article reviews the negative impact of such games on an adolescent inpatient treatment setting. The unrestricted play of such games contributed to the disruption of a treatment setting, resistances to treatment, reinforcement of character pathology, disruption of individual treatments, and to the normalization of violence. When such games begin to be played on a psychiatric inpatient unit or are prominent in discussions of individual patients, treaters should examine them in the context of their potential to reinforce and foster resistance and maladaptive patterns of relating to the environment. Treaters are also encouraged to attempt to understand the meaning and risks of such games in the context Of an individual patient's psychiatric difficulties and of group dynamics, both within the patient group and between patients and treaters.
o_O
Dungeons and dragons: Dealing with emotional and behavioral issues of an adolescent with diabetes
R.S. Raghuraman, Arts in Psychotherapy, 2000 (27) 27
Of course I had to click that. My favorite part is how they explain D&D using citations and all:
"In addition, Ascherman (1993) and DeRenard and Kline (1990) state that “Dungeons and Dragons” is an extremely popular game among adolescents. The characters in the game seem to allow adolescents to perform different roles and assume the personality of each of the characters they choose to represent. The game perfectly synchronizes with this tumultuous developmental phase; this is a time when adolescents experiment and exchange their old lifestyles for new, unfamiliar ones in order to find out who they are and what they want. Ascherman (1993) states that “Dungeons and Dragons” permit adolescents, who play the game, to partake of a fantasy world involving power contests, aggression and violence. The characters frequently use weapons; strive for more power and control; and constantly develop traps and tricks that include murder, arson, torture, rape or highway robbery (Ascherman, 1993)."
They forgot to add 'killing Bambi'.
Personalities of Players of Dungeons and Dragons
R. Carter, D. Lester, Psychological Reports, 1998 (82) 182
Unfortunately I don't have access to that one. I have the feeling it's pure gold.
Alienation and the Game Dungeons and Dragons
L.A. Derenhard, L.M. Kline, Psychological Reports, 1990 (66) 1219
And I bet so would be this one, sadly no access.
Relationship of Role-Playing to Self-Reported criminal behaviour
S. Abyeta, J. Forest, Psychological Reports, 1991 (69) 1187
Abstract: Fantasy role-playing games have been portrayed by the media and various social organizations as being linked to, and causing, socially maladaptive behaviour including criminality. Based on this social perception it was hypothesized that role-playing experience should be positively correlated with self-reported criminality. 20 experienced role-playing gamers and 25 nonplayers completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, a demographic questionnaire, and a 20-item criminality measure. Regression analysis indicated that role-playing experience did not relate to self-reported criminality; however, Psychoticism, which was higher in the nonplayers, did predict criminality.
Pfft, they should have correlated that with the type of character the test subjects played and what alingment they had. Maybe they only interviewed paladines and the rest of us really are criminal masterminds? What then, huh?
Emotional stability pertaining to the game of Dungeons & Dragons
A. Simon, Psychology in the Schools, 2006 (24) 329
Abstract: The game of Dungeons & Dragons, which involves extensive fantasy role-playing by the participants, has been blamed by groups of lay people for having caused a number of suicides and homicides, as well as generally promoting such behavior. The 16 PF was administered to players of the game and a Pearson correlation was performed between years of playing the game and their emotional stability as measured by Factor C of the test. No significant correlation was found.
Allow me to roll my eyes.
Rational Coordination in the Dungeon + Dungeons and Dragons Game
T. Tolespatkin, Journal of Popular Culture, 1968 (20) 1
"Play centers around the DM, who describes the scene to the players, who then guide their characters through the adventure on the basis of his presentation. Play might proceed as follows: The characters are exploring a dungeon, and the DM indicates that they are standing in a 40-foot wide hallway that stretches in front of them as far as the eye can see. They proceed slowly down the corridor until the DM notes that there is a large doorway on their left. They listen at the door, and the DM checks his notes to see what he has put in the room, rolling dice to see if they hear anything. If they do, he describes the sounds to the group. The characters may then attempt to open the door, and the DM again rolls to see if they succeed."
And then they attack the darkness...
In other news, there is a Journal of Popular Culture. I'll have to check and see if they have articles on Lolcats or Goatse.
The Impact of Unstructured Games of Fantasy and Role-Playing in an Inpatient Unit for Adolescents.
L.I. Ascherman, International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 1993 (43) 335
Abstract: Games of fantasy and role playing such as Dungeons and Dragons (1983) have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. This article reviews the negative impact of such games on an adolescent inpatient treatment setting. The unrestricted play of such games contributed to the disruption of a treatment setting, resistances to treatment, reinforcement of character pathology, disruption of individual treatments, and to the normalization of violence. When such games begin to be played on a psychiatric inpatient unit or are prominent in discussions of individual patients, treaters should examine them in the context of their potential to reinforce and foster resistance and maladaptive patterns of relating to the environment. Treaters are also encouraged to attempt to understand the meaning and risks of such games in the context Of an individual patient's psychiatric difficulties and of group dynamics, both within the patient group and between patients and treaters.
o_O