Why People Play Table-Top Role-Playing Games
A Grounded Theory of Becoming as Motivation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12392201 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Darrin Coe (Peru State College, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Publication date | 2017-11-03 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Report (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1052-0147 • E-ISSN: 2160-3715 |
| Publisher | Nova Southeastern University (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.46743/2160-3715/2017.3071 |
| OpenAlex | W2765292297 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 1 |
There is a paucity of research related to the motivation of people who play table-top role-playing games (TRPGs). Two questions drove this research: (1) What motivates people to play TRPGs and (2) Can a single supra-motivator be developed which envelopes a larger theory of why people participate in TRPGs? Grounded Theory methodology was used to investigate why people initiate and continue to participate in table-top role-playing games. Fourteen people who attended a 4-year college who played TRPGs and two people who did not play were interviewed regarding their participation in role-playing games. Open codes, emergent categories, conceptual categories, and a theoretical category indicated there exist two conceptual categories related to why people initiate participation in TRPGs and five conceptual categories related to why people continue to play TRPGs. These categories were linked together to develop the theoretical category of “becoming” to explain the motivations of people who play TRPGs. The emergent theory of becoming as motivation, limitations, and future directions for research are discussed within the interpretive context and research context
Conceptual framework · Conceptual model · Context (archaeology · Epistemology · Grounded theory · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Table (database · Computer Science · Digital Games and Media · Educational Games and Gamification · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |