New Books Network Heather Shay, "Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers: Slaying Goblins in the Real World" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Apr 27, 2026
Heather Shay, Assistant Professor of Sociology and author of Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers, draws on long-term fieldwork and interviews. She explores the 'good gamer' ideal, how groups police norms, and how tabletop play lets people take imaginary risks that shape identity. Conversation covers character performance, group fun, sanctions, and the emotional work of role-playing.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Volunteer For Unpopular Roles To Signal Selflessness
- Be willing to take burdens that others avoid to signal selflessness, like serving as GM or party leader.
- Players who volunteered for unattractive roles (e.g., healer) were seen as making the group function better.
Intelligence Shows Through Nonviolent Solutions And Game Logic
- Players show intelligence by solving problems without violence and by justifying actions within game logic.
- A clever in-game rationale can impress others and even influence the GM's adjudication.
Creativity Requires Rule-Savvy Intelligence
- Creativity and intelligence overlap: inventive uses of spells or new items look creative but require logical understanding of rules.
- Deep role immersion is the most valued creative trait, though it can conflict with group norms.
