Date of Award
December 2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Joseph Miller
Abstract
Clinically maladaptive behaviors and personality types have been studied within gamers, both those who play video games and those who roleplay in tabletop games. However, the connection between personality types and the preferences of the players themselves in what and how they roleplay is just barely being studied. Personality traits, such as extraversion/introversion and motivation by pain or pleasure, may be both influencing the gameplay decisions and preferences of players, and vice versa. A total of 500 respondents completed the Millon Index of Personality Styles, Revised (MIPS-R), followed by a demographics survey and finally a survey assessing Dungeons and Dragons', which will be hereafter referred to as D&D, gameplay experience (e.g., number of years playing D&D), as well as gameplay preferences (e.g., types of preferred character). Results from this factor analyses yielded various statistically significant results, including correlations suggesting that more outgoing and confident participants positively correlate with D&D characters relying on charisma, more argumentative and dominant participants negatively correlate with more altruistic D&D character alignments, and more unconventional thinking-styled participants positively correlate with players requested to lead D&D games for others. More research is needed on the potential clinical applications of these correlations, as well as other personality traits that correlate with roleplaying and gaming preferences.
Recommended Citation
Mancha, Brittany Lee, "Personality Across Realities: Correlations Between Personality Profiles And Preferences Within Roleplaying Games" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 6546.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/6546