Game of dares

A game of dares (or simply dare) is a game in which people dare each other to perform actions that they would not normally do.[1] The game's popularity is due to a person's need for recognition.[2] It is commonly played by children.[3]

Gameplay

The game is played by two or more players. A player asks another to do something that one would not normally do or even think of doing themselves.[1] The request may come in the form of "I dare you to..."[4] or "Can you ...?".[3] In order to stay in the game, one must perform the task they are dared to do.[3] If a player refuses to do the challenge or fails to complete it, they lose and are out of the game. Often, losers are given nicknames like "loser" or "chicken".[1]

If the initial dare is declined, it is common to escalate to more elaborate variations, such as "double dare", "double dog dare", "triple dare", or "triple dog dog". "Double dog dare" originated from "double black dog dare" in the mid or late 1800s in England; "black dog" was slang for a bad shilling.[5][6]

Risks

The game may involve dangerous[1] or unhealthy tasks. Yet, according to social worker Jennifer Moore-Mallinos, "very few children will back on the challenge no matter what the potential risks may be. Attempting the task is[, for them,] the only option." She adds that "although many of these dares begin with harmless requests, over time [they] have the tendency to develop into more serious demands."[1]

In popular culture

Games of dare are depicted in fiction. In the movie A Christmas Story (1983), set in 1940 America, a scene portraying escalating dares results in negative outcomes.[6] The game is portrayed in the English children's novel The Dare Game, the second episode of the first series of the TV adaptation of The Story of Tracy Beaker, and in the French film Love Me If You Dare.

Dare is also a common format for game shows. For example, the long running Nickelodeon franchise Double Dare added a scoring system and other penalties to the basic rules of dare.

Similar games

A variant of this game is called "follow the leader",[3] in which children closely follow the one who is "the leader" and mimic all of their actions. Therefore, in that game the person who comes up with the dares does them first themselves.

References

Jennifer Moore-Mallinos (15 December 2018). When Competition Goes Too Far. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-1-5383-9033-7.
Parks & Recreation. American Institute of Park Executives. 1965.
Stephen J. Smith (1 January 1998). Risk and Our Pedagogical Relation to Children: On the Playground and Beyond. SUNY Press. pp. 102–. ISBN 978-0-7914-3593-9.
Arthur Wise (1972). The Art and History of Personal Combat. Arma Press. ISBN 9780821204450.
"Where did this phrase come from - I double-dog dare you to read this column". Retrieved 2023-04-22.
"The stars of your favorite Christmas movies share their most beloved holiday films". Washington Post. 2021-12-16. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-22.

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[Moore-Mallinos2018-1] Jennifer Moore-Mallinos (15 December 2018). When Competition Goes Too Far. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-1-5383-9033-7.

[2] Parks & Recreation. American Institute of Park Executives. 1965.

[Smith1998-3] Stephen J. Smith (1 January 1998). Risk and Our Pedagogical Relation to Children: On the Playground and Beyond. SUNY Press. pp. 102–. ISBN 978-0-7914-3593-9.

[Wise1972-4] Arthur Wise (1972). The Art and History of Personal Combat. Arma Press. ISBN 9780821204450.

[where_did-5] "Where did this phrase come from - I double-dog dare you to read this column". Retrieved 2023-04-22.

[share-6] "The stars of your favorite Christmas movies share their most beloved holiday films". Washington Post. 2021-12-16. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-22.