Podcast
Session Zero
Hosted by Porter Green and Steve Discont · EN
Session Zero is a discussion podcast that seeks to explore the psychology of roleplaying. Each episode will feature a new aspect of the experience of roleplaying, viewed through the lens of psychology by clinical psychologist Porter Green and industrial-organizational psychologist Steve Discont, They're doing the thinking, and you get to do the listening.
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Episodes
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Gaming with Kids
Mar 31, 202000:34:31Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can be found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.Shareef Jackson, his writing, and his social media can be found at his website, and can be found on the Dungeon & Dragons Actual Play show Rivals of Waterdeep.You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode:Rosselet, J. G., & Stauffer, S. D. (2013). Using group role-playing games with gifted children and adolescents: A psychosocial intervention model. International Journal of Play Therapy, 22(4), 173–192. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034557Salonius, Pasternak, D. E. & Gelfond, H. S. (2005). The Next Level of Research on Electronic Play: Potential Benefits and Contextual Influences for Children and Adolescents. Human Technology, Volume 1 (1), pp. 5-22. URN:NBN:fi:jyu-2005123. Retrieved from http://www.humantechnology.jyu.fi“Top of the Table - Introducing Kids to RPGs” by Matt MillerMermaid Adventures, an RPG by Third Eye GamesFate Accelerated, an RPG by Evil Hat ProductionsNo Thank You Evil, an RPG by Monte Cook GamesThe Dungeons & Dragons Starter SetEpyllion, an RPG by Magpie GamesAutonomic, a YA RPG actual play podcastSkyjacks: Courier’s Call, a YA RPG actual play podcast
Transcribe →Gaming at a Social Distance
Mar 17, 202000:30:24Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can be found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode:“Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve”,” by Harry Stevens at The Washington Post.Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352Umberson, D., & Karas Montez, J. (2010). Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51(1_suppl), S54–S66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501Wilkinson, A., Bowen, L., Gustavsson, E., Håkansson, S., Littleton, N., McCormick, J., Thompson, M., & Mulligan, H. (2019). Maintenance and Development of Social Connection by People with Long-term Conditions: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(11), 1875. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16111875Virtual Tabletops: Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Astral TableTop, Playcards.ioViewscream, a LARP created for online play.Discord RPG Jam, a collection of games created to be best played on Discord, organized by Lucian KahnStorium, an online play-by-text/creative writing RPG platform
Transcribe →GMing with Anxiety
Mar 3, 202000:34:22Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can be found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode:“Tabletop Roleplaying for the Shy and Cerebral” on The Mary Sue by Becky Chambers.Blackmon, W. D. (1994). Dungeons and Dragons: The use of a fantasy game in the psychotherapeutic treatment of a young adult. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 48(4), 624-632.Scudder, S. (2019). Reflections: the Positive Effect of Cooperative Roleplaying Games on Anxiety Disorders.*Here is the Reflections of Fate campaign book if you want to try running Sacha’s module specifically designed to target anxiety through RP. Some great workbooks to help learn skills for managing social anxiety and shyness:The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness by Jan E. Fleming, Nancy L. Kocovski, and Zindel V. Segal In This Moment: Five Steps to Transcending Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroscience by Kirk D. Strosahl, and Patricia J. Robinson Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes
Transcribe →Therapy with Characters: Hee-nod of the Carral Clan
Feb 19, 202000:15:00Tap to summarizeCW: Discussion of human predation by a fantasy speciesSteve Discont can be found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.Hee-nod was portrayed by Shelby Green (Porter’s wife)! Shelby can be found on twitter at @kamber.Want to hear another pretend therapy session, this time with a vlogger who needs help because he’s way in over his head? Become a $5 or more backer with the ONE SHOT Network Patreon, and you can get access to the Network’s SECRET ARCHIVE where this therapy session can be found. There’s a chance it may not be up just yet, but it will be very soon!
Transcribe →Anxiety & Shyness at the Table
Feb 4, 202000:32:32Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode:“Tabletop Roleplaying for the Shy and Cerebral” on The Mary Sue by Becky Chambers.Blackmon, W. D. (1994). Dungeons and Dragons: The use of a fantasy game in the psychotherapeutic treatment of a young adult. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 48(4), 624-632.Scudder, S. (2019). Reflections: the Positive Effect of Cooperative Roleplaying Games on Anxiety Disorders.*Here is the Reflections of Fate campaign book if you want to try running Sacha’s module specifically designed to target anxiety through RP. Some great workbooks to help learn skills for managing social anxiety and shyness:The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness by Jan E. Fleming, Nancy L. Kocovski, and Zindel V. Segal In This Moment: Five Steps to Transcending Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroscience by Kirk D. Strosahl, and Patricia J. Robinson Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes
Transcribe →Research on Roleplaying
Sep 24, 201900:28:40Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.Our guest Ben Aldred can be found at @sleepingscholar. You can find a blog of Ben’s thoughts on gaming here.You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode:Ben Aldred’s graduate thesis on the folkloric study of roleplayingBen Aldred’s study of the use of humor at the gaming table“Tuskegee Experiment: The Infamous Syphilis Study” by Elizabeth Nix at History.comThe U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office for Human Research Protections“Peer Review” by the American Psychological Association
Transcribe →Therapy with Characters: Spit, from the Uhuru
Sep 10, 201900:26:13Tap to summarizeCW: Discussion of sexual interests, brief discussions of murderSteve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa.Our guest James D’Amato’s work can be found at his podcasts One Shot & Campaign. James can be found at his twitter at @oneshotrpg. His book, The Ultimate RPG Game Play Guide, can be found here.Want to hear our consultation session between Steve and The Broker from Campaign: Sky Jacks? Become a $5 or more backer with the ONE SHOT Network Patreon, and you can get access to the Network’s SECRET ARCHIVE where this consultation session can be found.
Transcribe →Running Games with ADHD
Aug 27, 201900:30:23Tap to summarizeSteve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa. Our guest James D’Amato’s work can be found at his podcasts One Shot & Campaign. James can be found at his twitter at @oneshotrpg. His book, The Ultimate RPG Game Play Guide, can be found here. A quick note: Steve on the podcast referred to a mobile app called 30/30. At the time of this episode airing, it seems this app is longer available online. Sorry! A pomodoro alternative for beginners: Forest (https://www.forestapp.cc/) A lovely app for beginners that is cross platform and plants a little tree in your digital forest for each session of work you do. You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode: “Anxiety in Adults with ADHD” by Keath Low “Hyperfocus: The Other Side of Adult ADHD” by Jenara Nerenberg at CNN Health “Fidget Toys Aren’t Just Hype” by Katherine Isbister at Scientific American Levy, F., & Swanson, J. M. (2001). Timing, space, and ADHD: The dopamine theory revisited. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 35(4), 504-511. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00923.x Meaux, J. B., & Chelonis, J. J. (2003). Time perception differences in children with and without ADHD. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 17(2), 64–71. doi:10.1067/mph.2003.2 Quinn, P. O., & Madhoo, M. (2014). A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: uncovering this hidden diagnosis. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 16(3), PCC.13r01596. doi:10.4088/PCC.13r01596 “Productivity 101: An Introduction to the Pomodoro Technique” by Alan Henry at Lifehacker
Transcribe →Colonialism in Gaming, Part 2
Jul 30, 201900:34:36Tap to summarizeCW: Discussions of racism, frank discussions about colonialism, discussions of socioeconomic class, violence Steve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa. Our guest James Mendez Hodes can be found at his website at www.jamesmendezhodes.com or at his twitter at @lulavampiro. You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode: Wikipedia page on Colonialism Sohn, S. H. (2008). Introduction: Alien/Asian: Imagining the racialized future. MELUS, 33(4), 5-22. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20343505 @CaseyExplosion discusses Cyberpunk with media examples on twitter: https://twitter.com/caseyexplosion/status/1138085340735070209?lang=en Sita Sings the Blues, based on the Indian epic Ramayana “Orcs, Britons, and the Martial Race Myth, Part 1: A Species Built for Racial Terror” by James Mendez Hodes “Orcs, Britons, and the Martial Race Myth, Part 2: They’re Not Human” By James Mendez Hodes Avery Alder’s Monsterhearts Catherine Ramen’s Red Carnations on a Black Grave Catalyst Game Labs’s Shadowrun Robert Bohl’s Misspent Youth Onyx Path Publishing’s Scion Liwanag Press’s Dog Eat Dog Jason Morningstar’s (by way of Bully Pulpit Games) The Blue Way Julia Bond Ellingboe’s Steal Away Jordan via Indie Press Revolution Evil Hat Productions’s Fate of Cthulhu The Gauntlet’s Hearts of Wulin, by Agatha Cheng & Lowell Francis
Transcribe →Colonialism in Gaming, Part 1
Jul 16, 201900:25:34Tap to summarizeCW: Discussions of racism, frank discussions about colonialism Steve Discont can found on twitter at @bearlynormal, and Porter Green at @DagmarRugosa. Our guest James Mendez Hodes can be found at his website at www.jamesmendezhodes.com or at his twitter at @lulavampiro. You can go to the following URLs or research articles to learn about some of the topics discussed in this episode: Canadian Psychological Association, & the Psychology Foundation of Canada (2018). Psychology’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s report. Ottawa, ON, Canada; Canadian Psychological Association. Okazaki, S., David, E. J. R., & Abelmann, N. (2008). Colonialism and psychology of culture. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(1), 90-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00046.x Ayman, R. (2004). Leadership and culture. In C. D. Spielberger (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology (Vol. 2; pp. 507-518). Boston: Elsevier Academic Press. “What is a Sensitivity Reader, and Why Do You Need One?” by Madison Schultz Wikipedia page on Colonialism Lumen Learning’s Boundless US History course’s American Imperialism section
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