Reply #13: Social skills ...

[RoyGBiv]

RPGs in particular, well-constructed ones anyway, can teach social skills and how to interact effectively with individuals in varied situations.

I've seen examples of this while, of all things, participating in a gaming forum I've frequented for years. I play what is now a classic RPG, and it's recently been released again, inspiring a new round of players and fans. A lot of these people have never played anything but FPS games like Doom and tend to react to every situation with the "kill it as soon as you see it" strategy. Doing that in this game ensures that completing it is nearly impossible, at least completing it with any degree of satisfaction. A lot of these newbies are having a great deal of trouble grasping the concepts of patience, negotiation, etc., but those that are have a vastly improved gaming experience and let others know it. It has a building effect.

Whether this translates into the real world, I can only guess. I know my personal experiences with P-n-P RPGs pretty much taught me to talk in public and helped refine a bit of acting ability as well.