Sociology and role-playing games

Abstract

Sociology is concerned with most aspects of human social life. Sociologists study a range of phenomena, from small-scale structures and processes such as individuals and how they think, feel, and act, to mid-level structures and processes such as local communities or the cultures of organizations or groups, to large-scale patterns of stratification that affect entire societies, such as class, gender, and race. Sociologists are interested in the structures surrounding social life, as well as in its processes. Both are readily found in role-playing games (RPGs): rules and game mechanics are important structures, while the performance of roles and the cooperative actions of players are important processes.