The Psychology Behind Cosplay角色扮演背后的心理學

明迪·魏斯貝格爾 李香愛

Cosplayers can invest considerable time， money and effort into crafting or commissioning head-to-toe presentations that are one-of-a-kind. Some creations include enormous accessories， facial or body prosthetics， working electronics or complex mechanical parts. Other costumes limit how well the wearers can see or move， making it difficult for them to sit， or navigate a room， without help.

But what inspires cosplayers to reinvent themselves so elaborately？ Cosplayers and psychologists who study the phenomenon reveal the individual and community features that make dressing up so enticing and rewarding.

For the love of costumes

“Cosplay makes me happy，” Edgar Roldan， a cosplayer and NYCC1 attendee， told Live Science.

Roldan—who wore a furry， blue suit and an oversize head to represent Happy from “Fairy Tail” 2—said the most satisfying part of cosplay was “just being you—being whatever and whoever you want.”

Other NYCC cosplayers said cosplay allowed them to explore their own creativity， particularly when much of their costume was handmade. Joe Bokanoski and Mike Labarge told Live Science that they assembled their costumes—postapocalyptic interpretations of Captain America3 and his nemesis， Red Skull—by scouring flea markets and junkyards.

Their outfits were bulky and cumbersome. But despite the discomfort， they were enthusiastic about wearing them and seeing the appreciative reactions they provoked.

“Its worth it just to put some smiles on peoples faces，” Bokanoski said.

Inhabiting a character

When a cosplayer selects a particular costume， they are often tapping into a specific character—or combination of characters—because something about that role speaks to them personally， according to Robin S. Rosenberg， a clinical psychologist at the University of California， San Francisco.

Rosenberg， who has written extensively about how people interpret and embrace fictional characters， particularly superheroes， told Live Science that she became interested in studying cos-play after seeing cosplayers in convention centers where she was delivering talks.

“We know from psychology that we all play different roles through the day and week，” Rosenberg said. “Different aspects of me—‘psychologist， ‘wife， ‘mother—come to the fore in different contexts. I became curious about people who truly inhabit a role， and whats coming to the fore when you wear a costume.”

Certain costumes offer some people a way of working through personal difficulties， Rosenberg said. Batman4， for example， can be an especially meaningful cosplay choice for someone coping with trauma. The dark superhero faced devastating trauma when he was a child—witnessing the brutal murder of his parents—which he overcame to become a hero.

“When people are dressed as Batman， many talk about having [experienced] their own traumatic experiences，” Rosenberg said. “He survived and found meaning and purpose from his experience， and that is inspiring to them.”

Rosenberg noted that Wonder Woman is another enduring and popular choice that resonates with many women， partly because she holds her own in the male-dominated world of costumed comics superheroes. For those cosplayers， dressing as Wonder Woman is a way of celebrating and embracing her power， Rosenberg said.

Cosplay is a type of performance; putting on a costume broadcasts a visible and public statement about the dressers upper allegiance to a character or fandom， and it frequently moves strangers to approach the character for conversation and photos. So it surprised Rosenberg to discover from her conversations with cosplayers that many identified as introverts.

“When they wore a costume， they became much more socially outgoing，” Rosenberg said. She explained that， sometimes， wearing a costume allows a person to tap into confidence they didnt know they had， and helps them overcome shyness in real life.

“When you do any kind of costuming—but particularly cosplay—on the one hand， it gives you permission to step outside yourself，” Rosenberg said. “But on the other hand， it can summon something in you that doesnt usually come out.”

Building a community

Costume play not only imbues powers upon individuals but also fosters a sense of community， according to Michael Nguyen， a cosplayer and costuming columnist for the “Star Trek” news website Trekmovie.com. “Star Trek” was Nguyens gateway to cosplay， he told Live Science. And through creating and wearing “Star Trek” costumes， he discovered a rich and widespread network of people who shared his interest in the characters and in the world they inhabited.

“In ‘Star Trek， theres this idea of diversity and unity，” Nguyen said. “It portrays a future a lot of people want to believe in.”

“Theyre physicians， attorneys， in Ph.D. programs—just people who enjoy expressing themselves， and what they hope the future to be.” And cosplayers come from all walks of life， he added.

In addition to cosplaying at conventions， Nguyen organizes bimonthly social events for “Star Trek” fans in New York City to get together and hang out in costume. Nguyen described friendships hes formed over the years with people who live thousands of miles away， with whom hes shared the fun of “nerding out5” over science fiction and who have inspired his cosplay creativity.

“Costuming is more fun if you do it with other people，” Nguyen told Live Science. “You create your own look， but you also feel like part of a universe when you surround yourself with people who enjoy it as much as you do.”

Cosplayers at NYCC agreed. A woman dressed as She-Ra： Princess of Power from the TV show “Masters of the Universe” （Filmation） told Live Science that “the acceptance” was the best part of doing cosplay.

“It doesnt matter who you are or what you look like，” she said. “Its a community—its like a big family. Once a year， I come and I see people I havent seen but once a year， and its just great.”

Another woman costumed as a Hogwarts6 student from the “Harry Potter” books and movies described participating in a “flashmob” at NYCC， where 75 attendees in Potterverse cosplay came together for a photo—and for one group member to propose to his girlfriend.

“Its wearing your interests on your body，” she said. “Its a really great way to bridge the gap and find the common ground.” ? ? ? ? ? ■

角色扮演者會投入大量時間、金錢和精力來制作或請人制作獨一無二的全身裝扮。有些作品包含大量的配飾、面部或身體的假體、運行的電子設備或復雜的機械部件。還有些服飾限制了穿者的視線范圍或移動幅度，要是沒人幫助，他們很難坐下或在室內行走。

然而是什么激勵角色扮演者這么精心地打造自己呢？角色扮演者和研究這一現象的心理學家揭示了使扮演如此誘人和有益的個人及群體特點。

熱愛服飾裝扮

“角色扮演讓我開心。”參加紐約動漫展的角色扮演者埃德加·羅爾丹對趣味科學網站說道。

羅爾丹穿著一套毛茸茸的藍色衣服，戴著一個超大頭套，裝扮成《妖精的尾巴》里的哈比。他說，角色扮演最讓人滿意的地方是“只做自己，想當什么、想當誰都行”。

其他參加紐約動漫展的角色扮演者說，角色扮演可以使他們開發自己的創造力，特別是在他們手工制作大部分服裝時。喬·博卡諾斯基和邁克·拉巴爾熱告訴趣味科學網站，他們在跳蚤市場和廢品場四處搜尋，組裝出自己的服飾：演繹漫威末日世界里的美國隊長和他的宿敵紅骷髏。

他們的裝束笨重而累贅。但是，盡管并不舒適，他們還是熱衷于穿著這些裝束，樂于看到由它們引來的贊賞。

“只要使人臉上現出些許微笑就是值得的。”博卡諾斯基說道。

進入角色

據舊金山加利福尼亞大學臨床心理學家羅賓·S.羅森堡所說，當角色扮演者選擇了一套特別的服飾，他們通常會進入某一特定角色或角色組合，因為那個角色的某種東西與他們個人產生了共鳴。

關于人們如何詮釋和接受虛構的人物，特別是超級英雄，羅森堡寫過大量的文章。她告訴趣味科學網站，在她開講座的會展中心見到不少角色扮演者后，她對研究角色扮演產生了興趣。

“從心理學角度可知，我們整天、整個星期都在扮演不同的角色。”羅森堡說，“我的不同面——‘心理學家‘妻子‘母親——在不同的情境中呈現。我對那些真正進入一個角色的人產生了好奇，想知道穿上一套服飾時會呈現哪一面。”

羅森堡說，某些服飾給一些人提供了解決個人困難的方法。比如，對于正在應對創傷的人來說，蝙蝠俠可能是一個特別有意義的角色扮演選項。這個黑暗超級英雄在孩提時遭受了毀滅性創傷——目睹了父母被殘忍殺害，但他走出了創傷并成為英雄。

“裝扮成蝙蝠俠時，很多人都談到體驗了自己受創的經歷。”羅森堡說，“蝙蝠俠撐過來了，并從自己的經歷里找到了意義和目標，對他們來說這是很激勵人心的。”

羅森堡指出，神奇女俠是另一個經久不衰的流行選項，這個角色引起很多女性的共鳴，部分原因是她在男性主導的可裝扮的漫畫超級英雄世界里應對自如。羅森堡說，對那些角色扮演者來說，裝扮成神奇女俠是對其能力的一種贊頌和推崇。

角色扮演是一種表演，穿上一套服飾就是明確地廣而告之：這個裝扮者超級擁護某個角色或者喜愛某個領域。這經常吸引陌生人過來和該角色交談、拍照。所以讓羅森堡驚訝的是，從和角色扮演者的談話中她發現他們很多是性格內向的人。

“穿著某套服飾時，他們在社交上變得外向很多。”羅森堡說。她解釋道，有時候穿著某一服飾會讓人激發連他們自己都不知道的自信，幫助他們克服現實生活中的羞怯感。

“當你做任何喬裝打扮，特別是角色扮演時，它一方面可以使你走出自我，”羅森堡說，“但另一方面也可以喚起你通常不會顯露出來的某種東西。”

建立群體

據角色扮演者兼《星際迷航》新聞網站Trekmovie.com服飾裝扮專欄作者邁克爾·阮所說，角色扮演不僅給予人力量，還會培養歸屬感。阮對趣味科學網站說，《星際迷航》為他打開了角色扮演的大門。通過設計并穿上《星際迷航》服飾，他發現了一張豐富且龐大的人際網，這些人和他一樣對這些角色及他們所在的世界感興趣。

“《星際迷航》里有多元一體的觀念。”阮說道，“它描繪了很多人希望相信的未來。”

“他們當中有醫生、律師、博士生，是一些想要表達自我以及描繪對未來的期望的人。”角色扮演者來自生活中的各行各業，他補充說道。

除了在漫展上進行角色扮演，阮還為紐約市的《星際迷航》粉絲組織每兩月一次的社交活動，他們化裝打扮，聚會閑逛。阮講述了他這幾年與千里之外的人建立的友誼，他與這些人共享“癡迷”科幻的樂趣，他們也激發了他對角色扮演的創造力。

“和其他人一起裝扮會更有趣。”阮告訴趣味科學網站，“你設計自己的造型，但當身邊圍繞著同好時，你也會覺得自己是這個圈子的一部分。”

紐約動漫展的角色扮演者都有同感。一位女士告訴趣味科學網站，從事角色扮演最棒的地方在于“認可”。她裝扮成了非凡的公主希瑞，該角色出自電視劇《宇宙的巨人希曼》（美國飛美遜公司出品）。

“你是誰或你長什么模樣都沒關系。”她說，“這是一個群體，像一個大家庭。每年一次我來見見一年只見一次的人，真是太棒了。”

另一位女士扮作了《哈利·波特》小說和電影中的霍格沃茨學生，她講述了在紐約動漫展參加的一次“快閃”活動：75個參加《哈利·波特》系列角色扮演的人聚到一起拍照，其中一人向女友求婚。

“角色扮演就是把你的興趣穿在身上。”她說，“這真是一個縮小差距、找到共性的絕佳方式。” ? ? □

（譯者為“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽獲獎者）