role-play
Assume another identity
Role-play is acting out a character or scenario, either for fun, training, or exploration.
Children role-play as doctors and patients.
Therapists use role-play to rehearse difficult conversations: Let's role-play the job interview.
In gaming and online spaces, role-play means inhabiting a fictional persona: They spent hours role-playing in the fantasy server.
Sexual role-play involves acting out fantasies with a partner.
Imitation of real processes
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- workshopPlace for making or learning
- exerciseActivity for fitness
- facilitationMaking tasks easier
skills · coaching · debrief · feedback · mock interview · conflict resolution · negotiation · onboarding
Imaginative mental wandering
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- boundariesLines marking separation
- power exchangeConsensual control transfer between partners
intimacy · partner · seduction · costume · dominance · submission · safe word · trust
Temporarily holding position
- performanceCarrying out a task
- improvUnscripted comedic performance
- scriptWritten words for performance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
scene · monologue · costume · rehearsal · audition · dramatization · stage · director
Nature, symbol, or role
- personaAssumed public identity
- avatarDigital user representation
- backstoryCharacter's past narrative
- worldbuildingConstructing imaginary universes for fiction
magic · quest · realm · mythology · costume · cosplay · escapism · immersion
Therapy through enacted scenes
- empty chairUnoccupied seating spot
- gestaltIntegrated perceptual whole
- reenactmentStaged reproduction of events
- catharsisPurification through emotional expression
empathy · perspective-taking · emotional processing · inner child · shadow work · boundaries · assertiveness · trauma
Explosive launcher or fantasy genre
- dungeonSubterranean prison chamber
- questSeeking journey for something
- character sheetRecorded traits of persona
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
dice · game master · NPC · party · backstory · alignment · attributes · skills
simulation
Imitation of real processes
facilitation · skills · coaching · debrief · feedback · mock interview · conflict resolution · negotiation · onboarding · assessment
fantasy
Imaginative mental wandering
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- boundariesLines marking separation
power exchange · intimacy · partner · seduction · costume · dominance · submission · safe word · trust · flirtation
acting
Temporarily holding position
- performanceCarrying out a task
- improvUnscripted comedic performance
- scriptWritten words for performance
dialogue · scene · monologue · costume · rehearsal · audition · dramatization · stage · director · ensemble
character
Nature, symbol, or role
worldbuilding · magic · quest · realm · mythology · costume · cosplay · escapism · immersion · narrative
psychodrama
Therapy through enacted scenes
- empty chairUnoccupied seating spot
- gestaltIntegrated perceptual whole
- reenactmentStaged reproduction of events
catharsis · empathy · perspective-taking · emotional processing · inner child · shadow work · boundaries · assertiveness · trauma · counseling
RPG
Explosive launcher or fantasy genre
- dungeonSubterranean prison chamber
- questSeeking journey for something
- character sheetRecorded traits of persona
campaign · dice · game master · NPC · party · backstory · alignment · attributes · skills · abilities
- Practicedrills, rehearsal, warm-up, warmup, exercises
- kids playplaytime, board games, blocks, card games, make-believe
- playgames, toys, fun, playtime, amusement
- play learninghands-on learning, discovery learning, learning centers, building blocks, playdough
- pretendingpretend, pretending, fake, feign, make-believe
- teaching methodspresentation, lecturing, discussion, modeling, hands-on learning
role-playauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
sincerity · candor · transparency · be yourself · being oneself
play, player, role, playful, playing, played, players, playfully, replay