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Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships
 
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Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships (Paperback)

by Eric Berne (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships + TA Today : A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis + I'm OK, You're OK
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Product details

  • Paperback: 176 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Impression edition (26 Jul 1973)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140027688
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140027686
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 1.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 585 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #17 in  Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Self Help
    #20 in  Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Psychology & Psychiatry
    #20 in  Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Self Help

Product Description

Product Description

Do you realise you, and all the people you know, play games? All the time? Sexual games, marital games, complex games that you’re not even aware of as you go about your usual life? You might play games like ‘Alcoholic’ or ‘The Frigid Woman' at weekends, or perhaps 'Ain't it awful' or ‘Kick me’ while you’re at work. First published in the 1960s and recognized as a classic work of its kind by professionals, the bestselling ‘Games People Play’ is also an accessible and fascinating read. It is a wise, original, witty and very sensible analysis of the games we play in order to live with one another – and with ourselves.


About the Author

Dr Berne's other works include 'The Structure and Dynamics of Organisations and Groups' (1963), in which he discussed the application of transactional analysis to group dynamics; 'Principles of Group Treatment' (1966); 'A Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis' (1968); and 'What Do Yo Say After You Say Hello?', written shortly before his death in 1970.

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Customer Reviews

32 Reviews
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 (12)
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 (11)
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (32 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
109 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Seductive, amusing, ahead of its time..., 27 Jul 2002
By A Customer
This book is a gem. While it lacks a coherent structure, and leaves the reader sometimes puzzled by gaps in the exposition, overall it is original, insightful and amusing. Dr Berne's 'game' theory of human relationships was later refined by him, but this slim book outlines his main argument (the principles of Transactional Analysis) and is the first of the books that gained him public acclaim.

Dr Berne's theory is based on the idea that 'Games' provide a means to an end. They structure our time, and enable us to 'belong' to social groups: an important factor in survival. However, they are limiting, in the sense that they are almost always negative; learned from our parents, or based on narrow influences. The games have names such as: 'See What You Made Me Do' ; 'Ain't It Awful'; and 'I'm Only Trying To Help You'. It is easy to recognise games in action, having read the book. Ultimately, the individual has the choice to continue to play games, or to stop playing games (not easy) and to strive for autonomy.

It is hard to believe this book was written in 1964 - it feels so modern. 'Timeless' is probably the best way to describe it. Are you 'Waiting For Rigor Mortis To Set In', or (essentially the same) spending your days playing 'Waiting For Santa Claus' ?

Read this book, and see how many games you and yours play in your daily life - and why! This book is a must for anyone interested in psychotherapy, or in books which aim to help the individual live a more rewarding life.
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179 of 183 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening, 19 Dec 2002
Years ago I chose not to pursue an education in psychology, but I retain a strong interest, if only to make sense of a world where motivations are often misguided and true intent is hard to perceive.

'Games People Play' explains and analyses, with pertinent real-life examples, the continual stuggle between our inner child, parent and adult to dominate a social situation, colloquially termed as 'games'. It explains that the outcome of these games are a fundamental human requirement, and by understanding the way these games are played we learn to understand the motivations of ourselves and our peers.

The first time I read this book, I instantly recognised real life occasions where the information contained was relevant and useful. If you have only a passing interest in psychology, you will still occassionally sit upright while reading and say to yourself - 'So this is why people act like that'.

Some of the passages are eminently quotable - "Everyone carries a little boy or girl around inside of him", and at the very least by remembering some of these key phrases, you will begin to understand the desires and reactions of others.

This is no pop-psychology rubbish - it is clinical psychology explained at a fundamental level, and crafted to be accessible and useful for everyone. The book is rarely dry and monotonous, and I was pleased to find some extremely humorous passages.

I challenge anyone to read this book and not find a revelation or two inside.

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114 of 117 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Oh so true..., 16 Jul 2003
By A Customer
I had heard of Transactional Analysis as part of a self-development training course at work, where TA was used to explain how conflicts in the workplace occur and what can be done to prevent them.

With some serious relationship problems outside the workplace, I bought Games People Play with the hope it could help to explain some of the things that have been going wrong. I wasn't disappointed, and quite apart from help me do some self-analysis, it has allowed me to see just how many "games" are played by others.

As well as being of great personal benefit, I found descriptions of some of the games (such as Alcoholic and Courtroom) very interesting. Alcoholic, in particlar, is given several pages, as one of the most complicated and destructive games that people play - and even goes some way to explaining how and why AA are effective in helping people.

If the book has a down side, it's perhaps only that it doesn't work as a self-help title without some serious thinking, honesty and soul-searching by the reader. However, it is really not meant as a self-help title and it would be wrong to judge it as one.

On the whole, though, a very interesting study of human behaviour and a good set of "worked examples" for anyone trying to understand Transactional Analysis.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Messy But Ultimately Illuminating
Despite a few flaws in its structure, Berne's book offers a strong insight into the workings of the human mind - and he doesn't care to take any prisoners in the process! Read more
Published 25 days ago by S L Jorgensen

3.0 out of 5 stars Games People Play
Was an interesting book I had to read for the course i'm studying in Management. An interesting read and quite a true reflection of our behaviours from childhood.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. H. N. Foxley

3.0 out of 5 stars Games People Play
Glad I read it. Did learn some stuff but I think some of the ideas are now very dated. Not a book I am likely to refer back to very much.
Published 2 months ago by P. Smith

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but hard to follow
Quite an interesting book if you have the patience to keep reading it. Not a light read at all. Quite technical - ideally you will know a fair bit about psychology before reading... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Law Student

1.0 out of 5 stars Great title; disapointing read
I would like to say frst of all this is a request from Amazon to review this book as I do not usually write reviews. Read more
Published 6 months ago by J. L. Howes

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this to begin to understand yourself
This work taught me more in one book than a whole course I once did. Weigh this book and imagine how much it would cost made of gold then ... oh just buy it. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Dr. John K. Thornley

4.0 out of 5 stars Games People Play
Interesting read and once read you can see in your life the games people do play. Quite hard going though, this version, as the text is small and plenty of it.
Published 7 months ago by NewCounsellor

4.0 out of 5 stars Great to know what games poeple play
I did not know that we are all player in different games. This book has opened my eyes to what games people play and if you don't want to play you can get out before things goes... Read more
Published 8 months ago by M. J. Ryan

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic from the day it was first written
Eric Berne cracked our understanding of the dynamics of relationships in a way that is truly practical. Read more
Published 9 months ago by M. Price

1.0 out of 5 stars Not particularly interesting
I bought this book because I was intrigued as to what makes people tick, and to the games they play. Some of the content was true, but not hugely illuminating. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ms. S. K. Mitchell

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