title: Empathic Features and Absorption in Fantasy Role-Playing.
abstract: This study examined the levels of empathy and absorption of individuals who regularly play fantasy and science fiction role-playing games. A hypothesis was developed that higher levels of empathy would be found in individuals who fantasy role-play based upon previous research in hypnosis such as J. R. Hilgard's (1970) imaginative involvement hypothesis, research into the "fantasy prone" personality type (Wilson & Barber, 1981), and the empathic involvement hypothesis (Wickramasekera II & Szlyk, 2003). The participants in the current study were 127 fantasy role-players who volunteered and completed the Davis Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathy) and the Tellegen Absorption Scale (absorption). The results demonstrated that those who play fantasy role-playing games scored significantly higher than the comparison group on the IRI scale of empathy, confirming the hypothesis that fantasy role-players report experiencing higher levels of empathic involvement with others. Correlational analysis between the measures demonstrated a significant positive correlation between empathy and absorption (r = .43, p < .001). These results collectively suggest that fantasy role-players have a uniquely empathically-imaginative style. The results also confirm and extend previous findings on the relationship between empathy and absorption as predicted by the Empathic Involvement Hypothesis (Wickramasekera II & Szlyk, 2003).
authors.affiliation: a Regional Mental Health Center , East Chicago , Indiana , USA.
authors.forename: Anissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivers
authors.affiliation: b Naropa University , Boulder , Colorado , USA.
authors.forename: Ian E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Wickramasekera
authors.affiliation: c Coatesville VA Medical Center , Coatesville , Pennsylvania , USA.
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pekala
authors.affiliation: d Elms College , Chicopee , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rivers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy; D005201:Fantasy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D012381:Role Playing
keywords: absorption; empathy; hypnosis; role-play