Development of a Psychological Game Questionnaire

A research study is described, conducted in Taiwan with 615 subjects across different ages, educational levels and occupations, to develop a questionnaire that will measure three components of psychological games: hidden messages or ulterior transactions, role switches on the drama triangle, and repressed emotions. A literature review is included and the development of the questionnaire through a pre-test option with 226 subjects is described. The results of statistical analyses are described and the final questionnaire, in English and in Chinese, is included as appendices.

The TAMED Game, Bystanders and Professional Associations

The author introduces a psychological game named TAMED – the TA Myth of Explanatory Depth, which she suggests provides an explanation of unhealthy dynamics occurring within transactional analysis membership and professional associations. She illustrates this with four case examples based on personal experiences. She also provides an overview of TA theory about psychological games, the bystander role, the various roles within the drama triangle and extensions of it, and the potency pyramid. She provides a selection of materials by TA and non-TA authors to support the premise that such games are more to do with organisational and group processes than the script of the individual who is seen as the cause of the conflict. The article concludes with some initial thoughts about how TA organisational diagrams need amending to reflect the structure and dynamics of professional associations.

The Game Grid

The author presents his own design of a Game Grid which can be overlaid on the original version of the circumplex attributed to Leary (1957). The original Interpersonal Check List (ICL) and associated axes and domains (sections) are retained as the purpose is to prompt individuals to explore their own behaviours and how these link to their life positions and the psychological games they may play. A short history of the ICL used is followed by the introduction of a modified OK Corral which recognises that there are some 'good' games, and a selection of psychological games is allocated to line up with the four major life positions. Appendices contain the materials, with links to other languages, and detailed instructions which will allow practitioners to apply the approach described. The author concludes with examples of how results may be interpreted and used to help individual clients and partners.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING AS A DEVELOPMENT FACTOR PERSONALITIES OF YOUNGER SCHOOL STUDENT

The article discusses interactive learning and constant psychological support as a factor in the development of the personality of a younger student. The analysis of literary sources and empirical research have shown that it is interactive learning as a specific form of organizing cognitive activity that contributes to the creation of a favorable and safe environment, and helps younger schoolchildren to reveal their inner potential in the process of those activities that naturally ensure the self-development of a child's personality. It is proved that the use of new methods of interactive learning and constant psychological support increases the effectiveness of learning, develops the creative abilities of the individual, has a positive effect on the development of mental processes and mental development of students. In the process of empirical research, it was confirmed that in accordance with organized and selected in accordance with age, interactive forms of education and psychological games have a positive effect on such external factors as learning activity, communication, and the students' own activity. And accordingly, the organization of a favorable and safe environment makes it possible to realize the potential of a junior schoolchild as an active subject who learns the world and himself. A rather weighty argument of the experimental study was to confirm that a preliminarily thought out and planned favorable psychological learning environment allows children to feel completely safe, which in turn has a very positive effect on the significant and accelerated development of all mental processes in primary schoolchildren. The methods we used contributed to the conclusion that interactive learning, including psychological games with constant psychological support, allow the theoretical means of orientation in the surrounding reality to turn into the personal abilities of students. This confirms the hypothesis that interactive learning is indeed a factor in the development of the personality of a younger student. Considering the above, it was established that interactive learning has a significant effect on the development of all mental processes in primary school children, in particular attention, memory, imagination, and creativity. Based on the results obtained, we have developed and tested methodological recommendations for primary school teachers, GPA educators, practical psychologists in order to create a safe environment to ensure the positive impact of interactive learning on the development of the personality of a younger student. Summing up the results of the conducted empirical study of the influence of interactive learning on the development of the personality of primary schoolchildren, it should be noted that our creation of a safe and supportive environment using new methods of interactive learning has a positive effect on the development of mental processes in primary schoolchildren. The prospects for further research are the improvement of interactive teaching methods, in particular psychological games and their further implementation in the educational process.

Reference frameworks in transactional analysis

The presence of reference frameworks in psychology is complemented by the existence of this concept in transactional analysis. In their current understanding, they are the structure of interrelated responses from the integrated ego-state to specific stimuli. Reference frameworks provide an individual with the opportunity to develop a general perceptual, intellectual and emotional system that influences his behaviour. They constitute a system used to define oneself, other people and the world. The system of reference is present in the individual’s script, his psychological games and transactions. As far as transactions are concerned, they are often tangential, blocking, or refracted. Apart from individual reference frameworks, transactional analysis is interested in their broader social and cultural contexts, which constitute their subsystem functioning as a source of identity. It reveals itself during intercultural exchanges or confrontations. Reference frameworks, being a kind of a window to the world, influence interpersonal relations and the links that exist within them

Is orientalism bad? Between the communication game and the non-game

Linguistics deals with communication and its pragmatic effects in terms of dynamic changes in human relationships fostered by the information circulated between the interacting parties. Such relationships may be especially complex in the inter-cultural context, when certain information belonging to the source environment may not be clear to the participants functioning in the target environment. Communication may relate to the facts verified with solely technical means, but also to the unverifiable convictions, views and stereotypes. Its specific manifestation in the contemporary circulation of pop-cultural (and not only) relations is the presence of orientalism-related threads. Some premises on whether such threads should be recognized as harmful and distorting the communication perspective by their very definition – and why – are presented in the paper. The methodology of game research, with reference to the psychological games and the roles of the Child, the Adult and the Parent, being alluded on purpose by the triad of the expert, non-expert and careless narratives, makes it possible to differentiate effectively the verifiable reports on facts from the narratives which, by their very definition, are not subject to verification, and which are often misleading or do not go beyond the harmful stereotypes.

Strokes, games and learning in groups

We thank the previous publishers for permission to re-publish this article, which previously appeared as Jusik, P. (2018) Strokes, games and learning in groups. Edukacyjna Analiza Transakcyjna, 7, 27-36. We have retained the structure and referencing of that article. Students’ hunger for strokes plays a key role in improving learning outcomes and emotional literacy in groups. Teachers and facilitators can consciously respond to their learner’s need for recognition by paying attention to the group culture and creating a responsive environment through modelling. When learners’ hunger for strokes is unmet, they start inviting psychological games. Teachers can respond adequately by stressing options in relation to the drama triangle. Additionally, TA concepts are more effective when applied in a relationship context, as otherwise the interventions become a fruitless, simplistic and formulaic endeavour. Some group settings give rise to the role lock phenomenon, when an individual represents an issue that is collectively avoided by other members. When this is brought into awareness, the group can move forward. On the whole, learners thrive when they receive appropriate strokes and permissions that support their growth and development.

APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGICALLY AIMED GAMES IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION INSTITUTION, THEORETICAL BASIS

The article considers theoretical approaches to the use of psychological games in preschool education. The existing scientific approaches to the classification of games are studied. The need to take into account the classification of psychological games in the organization of play activities, because the classification includes consideration and understanding of common features, which will develop and implement common approaches to the organization of play activities in preschool education. The interrelation of didactic games and games of psychological orientation is proved. The concept of "psychological games", which originate from psychotechnical exercises and are widely used during psychological training, has been clarified. A complex model of psychological games has been developed, which takes into account various areas of mental development of the personality of a preschool child: cognitive, social, emotional and volitional. One of the types of such games are canine exercises that provide a balance of emotional and physical components. The reasons that complicate the process of communication between parents, teachers and children are listed. It is emphasized that the experience of psychological games allows the child to find solutions faster and easier in difficult life situations. The range of psychological and pedagogical possibilities of games of psychological orientation is outlined. The expediency of using such games in the educational process and their ability to influence the emotional connections between children and parents, children and teachers, between children and peers are determined. The types of influence of psychological games on the development of certain mental processes of personality are structured. Emphasis is placed on the need to develop methods of pedagogical guidance of psychological games and their separation from psychotechnical exercises. The effectiveness of the introduction of various psychological games in the educational process depends on the professionalism of teachers and will ensure the solution of specific problems of a practical nature, which will improve the educational process and communication of all its participants.