New Books in Psychology Heather Shay, "Identity Building Among Role-Playing Gamers: Slaying Goblins in the Real World" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Apr 27, 2026
Heather Shay, sociologist and tabletop role-player, draws on 19 months of fieldwork to explore how players build moral, meaningful identities through role-playing. She discusses what makes a 'good gamer,' how privilege and stereotypes shape play, risks of deep immersion, group dynamics and sanctions, and how gaming serves as emotional practice and social skill rehearsal.
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Good Gamer Traits Signal Moral Character
- Good gamers are defined by six linked traits: dedication, authenticity, cooperation, selflessness, creativity, and intelligence.
- Players believed being a good gamer signaled being a good person, so in-game conduct mapped onto real-life moral character.
Volunteering As GM Or Healer Builds Respect
- Players show selflessness by serving as GM, acting as party leader, or playing needed but disliked roles like healer.
- Shay describes a group where someone stepped up as GM and another player volunteered to play a healer they disliked to keep the party balanced.
Intelligence Shows Through Tactical Nonviolence
- Players demonstrate intelligence by solving problems nonviolently and by justifying actions within the game's internal logic.
- Shay recounts a session where a player's clever in-character rationale persuaded the GM to let characters escape, earning admiration.
