News

New peer-reviewed article now available online - Jan 22, 2019
This paper, They’re a sorry bunch: Perceptions of outgroup entitativity shape the receipt of intergroup apology, explores whether perceived entitativity of a group (i.e., how much it is seen as a unit) influences how its apologies are perceived. Because entitative groups are assigned agency and collective responsibility and their members are viewed as interchangeable, their apologies were hypothesized to appear more sincere and less due to ulterior motives. The paper is published in Group Processes & Intergroup Relations.

New peer-reviewed article co-authored by Dr. D and Tessa Thurman ('18) now available online -
This new paper, Bleed-out on the Brain: The neuroscience of character-to-player spillover in larp, investigates the psychology of bleed-out, in which in-character dynamics spill over into out-of-character thoughts and feelings. We pair emerging neuroscience theory and research with classic models of emotion and motivation to examine the causes and consequences of this important larp phenomenon. The paper is published in the International Journal of Role-playing.

New peer-reviewed article now available online - Dec 2016
This new paper, Conflict and Change: Testing a life-cycle derived model of larp group dynamics, extends theoretical work on small group dynamics in live action role-play by honing in on three challenges larps face that are anticipated by our unique integration of roleplay studies with small groups research: relative group embeddedness, bleed-out of relationship dynamics such that in-character conflicts can foster intragroup tension out of game, and principled conflicts in which players disagree on core values, ideas, and goals of the larp itself. The paper is published in the International Journal of Role-playing.

Kat Caskey (LC '14) featured in PPS news - Jun 2015

Recent lab alum Kat Caskey was featured in the Portland Public School News. Kat worked on the Apology project from 2013-2014.

Excerpt: "Kat Caskey’s story is one of perseverance and determination despite tall odds...After four years of working “dead end service jobs,” she enrolled in Portland Youth Builders, a PPS community-based alternative program. The program’s wrap-around services bolstered her confidence and changed her outlook. Once she graduated from PYB, Caskey went on to attend Portland Community College and then Lewis & Clark College. She graduated with honors in May."

Read more at http://www.pps.k12.or.us/news/10268.htm

Dr. Leonard interviewed for NYMAG.com - Nov 2014
In November 2014, New York Magazine's online columnist Jesse Singal from "Science of Us" interviewed Dr. Leonard about gamer gate. "What does gamer even mean as an identity, and how is it changing? And why is this idea of the gamer identity being under attack stoking such rage?" Read more at: http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/11/explaining-the-roots-of-gamer-rage.html


New chapter co-authored by Dr. D and Grayson Arango ('13) now available online - Apr 03, 2014 6:9:27 AM
The aim of the new chapter is to discuss the ways in which the development of real larp (i.e. live action role-playing) communities fit with classic and current theory of group dynamics and to highlight inconsistencies that may emerge, in particular due to the multiple layers that can comprise a role-playing experience. The scholarly foundation for this work is grounded in various disciplines, particularly industrial/organizational and social psychology, and role-playing studies. In addition to its scholarly contribution, we hope this work will have applied value for coordinators of larp groups.

Connect with co-author and lab alum Grayson Arango on LinkedIn.