Communication Archives

Eric Berne: What Are the “Games” People Play?

What is Eric Berne’s Games People Play about? How can you tell someone is playing a game on you? Games People Play is Berne’s 1964 classic about the many ways that we habitually relate to one another through “games.” These aren’t fun, harmless social games, though—they’re subtle, largely unconscious patterns that harm us and our relationships. Berne explains how most of us don’t even notice our games, and how we’re missing out on the fulfillment of game-free living. Keep reading to learn about Berne’s concept of “games” and why we play them.

Why Do People Play Mind Games?

Why do people play mind games? Do they serve a purpose? At some point in your life, you’ve most likely encountered somebody who likes to play mind games. According to psychiatrist Eric Berne, we all play mind games on each other—it is a normal phase of psychological development. Here’s why we play mind games and why these games matter.

The 7 Different Types of Psychological Mind Games

Why do people play mind games? How can you tell that someone is playing a mind game on you? In his 1964 classic Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne theorizes that playing mind games is a part of psychological development that all people must grow past. He divided the mind games into seven different categories: 1) pseudo-small talk, 2) couples games, 3) sex games, 4) career games, 5) criminal games, 6) therapy games, and 7) positive games. Let’s take a look at Berne’s categories of psychological mind games people play on each other.

How the Need to Belong Causes Logical Fallacies

Liking Bias: Why We Ignore Faults in People We Love

Why is group membership so important? Where does the human need to belong stem from? One of the evolutionary traits that most influences you is the desire to be in a group. For early humans, group membership was necessary for survival. Those who left the group died, while those who stuck to the status quo survived and reproduced. Thus, your brain is genetically wired to fit in. Although the human need to belong has evolutionary value, it causes some fallacies in the way we interpret other people’s behavior. Let’s explore some fallacies resulting from our need to belong.

Signs of Emotional Manipulation & How to Stop It

How do you tell if someone is trying to emotionally manipulate you? What are the signs of emotional manipulation you should watch out for? In his book Games People Play, psychiatrist Eric Berne explains how to identify when a mind game is being played on you. He provides three steps for spotting mind games and discusses how you can break that game. Here’s how to identify emotional manipulation, according to Berne.

The 3 (Often Overlooked) Benefits of Small Talk

Do you find small talk awkward and uncomfortable? What are the benefits of small talk? What makes small talk different from friendly conversations? In his book Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne analyzes human social interactions in order to better understand why people act the way they do. One subject he went into detail on was that of small talk. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of small talk.

How to Use Pathos in a Persuasive Argument

What is pathos? How can you use pathos to strengthen a persuasive argument? In a persuasive argument, pathos is when you appeal to your audience’s emotions to make them feel a certain way about your cause. The best way to do this is to tell a vivid story. Here’s how to use pathos to persuade an audience.

Pseudo-Profound Bullsh*t: Ignorance in Disguise

What exactly is meant by the term “pseudo-profound bullsh*t”? Why do people find it so difficult to admit their ignorance? Pseudo-profound bullsh*t is a class of long-winded assertions that sound profound yet are meaningless. In his book The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli calls it the “twaddle tendency” and attributes it to group membership. Keep reading to learn about the phenomenon of pseudo-profound bullsh*t.