Compreensão fenomenológico-existencial da experiência dos jogadores de role playing games (RPG): desvelando sentidos

Abstract

This work is a Phenomenological-Existential and Heideggerian-inspired research, done with Role Playing Game (RPG) players. The literature review showed that the academic production in the Psychology field about the RPG in Brasil is small, but in the Education and Psychology fields, the studies are growing and adresses, mostly, the use of the game inside the classrooms as a facilitating tool of the teaching-learning process. Some studies point to the effectiveness of the game on the teaching of school subjects. Ohter studies, focuses on the benefits for the development and stimulation of memory and attention, and improvement of the reading and writing performance. Abroad, there is a higher flow of studies in Psychology, addressing the benefits on the improvement of the cognitive performance, development of social skills, creation of support groups and conflicts resolution. These studies gives the support to think and discuss the game with a bias beyond the pedagogical one, worrying to look to the RPG player while being-in-the-world that, when inhabiting its existence, thinks and gives meanings to its experiences. Therefore, this research aims to understand, in the light of Heideggerian hermeneutics, the experience of being a RPG player. Narrative interviews were conducted with three RPG players with a triggering question about how it is for them to be an RPG player. The reading and analysis of the narratives were based on the phenomenological hermeneutic method, because it allows an understanding view of the phenomenon. It was possible to perceive, from the players' narratives, that the game provides a space in which they feel free to be themselves, occupying a place of great importance in their lives.