Role-play regulates positive emotions and prosocial attitudes

Abstract

Role play is one of the core creative processes in theatrical performance. Play leads to positive emotions in both children and adults. Role-play, a distinctive type of play is used in several types of therapeutic interventions to increase social competence as well as for other benefits. The highly individualized use of role-play in psychotherapy, drama therapy and psychodrama is effective but not generalizable. In the present study we developed a standardized controlled procedure to promote role-play in 38 participants, and we monitored its impact on affect, anxiety, prosocial attitudes, and salivary oxytocin dynamics. Compared to the control condition where participants participated as selves, role-play significantly increased perceived levels of positive affect and prosocial attitudes and decreased self-reported levels of anxiety. Basal salivary oxytocin levels predicted gains in positive affect following the role-play procedure. Our study points to standardized role-play as a mean to reduce anxiety, and to increase sociability and positive affect. Possible mechanisms of how role-play induces the observed changes in affect and attitudes are discussed.