The game is based on the work of Dr Carl Jung and Dr William Marston. Dr Carl Jung in 1921 distinguished and described four ‘types’ of people based on four psychological functions: thinking, feeling, perception and intuition.He later expanded this four-part division by adding the Introvert/Extravert dichotomy.
Dr. William Marston, in his work “Emotions of Normal People,” then delineated behavior along two other axes: the Passive versus Active responding axis and the Antagonistic (hostile) environment versus Benevolent environment axis. Based on this, he developed a four-quadrant concept called DISC. According to Marston, every person exhibits certain behaviors in the D, I, S or C category, but tends to develop a self-concept that basically corresponds to one of the quadrants. This makes behavior objectively observable and describable, rather than subjective and judgmental.
Together with De Zwerm Group, I developed The Behavior Game to give people insight into behavioral styles in a playful and fun way.
The Game
The behavior game contains 105 cards. Each card depicts an aspect of a behavioral style. The game can be played with 2 to 6 players.
Game variants
Proven game variations are described below:
- I see myself as …….
- Others see me as …….
- Interpreting: colors, upper and lower case.
1. I see myself as ……
Aim of the game: to gain insight into how someone sees their own behavioral style.
Rules of play:
The behavior game contains 105 cards. On each card is an aspect of behavior.
1. The game is played with 2 to 6 players;
2. The cards are shuffled and each player is dealt 8 cards;
3. The remaining cards are placed closed in a pile on the table;
4. In turn, a player takes 1 card from the pile and:
4a. argues aloud why he thinks the behavioral aspect, mentioned on the card, does or does not suit him;
4b. of the 9 cards that the player now has in his hands, he puts open 1 card on the table of which the behaviour aspect mentioned is the least suitable for him and argues his choice;
5. The next player picks up 1 card that another player has put away or 1 card from the pile of cards not yet used;
6. Rule 4.a, 4.b and 5 are repeated until all cards have been discussed;
7. The game ends when each player has 8 cards in his hands with behavioral aspects that describe his behavior as well as possible;
8. Finally, the players can discuss and debate with each other the behavioral aspects that someone has collected.
2. Others see me as ……
Aim of the game: to gain insight into how others see one’s behavioral style.
Rules of play:
The behavior game contains 105 cards. Each card depicts an aspect of behavior.
1. The game is played with 2 to 6 players;
2. The cards are shuffled and each player is given 8 cards which he places open on the table;
3. The remaining cards are placed closed in a pile on the table;
4. In turn, a player takes 1 card from the pile and:
4a. gives that card to a fellow player to whom he thinks the mentioned behavioral aspect applies and argues aloud his choice;
4b. then he takes a card that least applies to that person, argues his choice and puts the removed card open on the table;
5. The next player takes 1 card that another player has discarded or 1 from the pile of cards not yet used;
6. Rule 4.a, 4.b and 5 are repeated until all cards have been discussed;
7. The game ends when each player has 8 cards in his hands with behavioral aspects that describe his behavior as well as possible according to the fellow players;
8. Finally, the players can discuss and debate with each other the behavioral aspects that someone has received.
3. Interpretation of: colors, capital and small letters.
Goal: recognize someone’s behavioral style(s).
After playing game variant 1 and/or 2, it can be approximated what someone’s most important behavioral style is. The game assumes 4 behavioral styles. The degree to which a behavioral style is present is indicated by the cards with the upper and lower case letters. Based on the 8 cards someone has left at the end of the game (variant 1 or 2), it can be approximately determined which style(s) someone uses in his interaction with his environment. Below we describe the behavioral styles:
- Domination, the way problems and challenges are handled:
- Uppercase: strong tendency to master and control;
- Lower case: compliant and relaxed;
- Influence, the way of exerting influence:
- Capital letters: influences the environment through verbal and nonverbal persuasion;
- Lower case: usually quiet and does not like to sell his ideas;
- Stability, the pattern of reaction to changes and activities:
- Upper case: likes to work slowly but steadily according to fixed habit patterns;
- Lower case: high work rate and hectic;
- Conformity, the reaction to rules made by others:
- Capital letters: likes to work accurately analytically and according to fixed rules and procedures;
- Lower case: creative and non-conformist;
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please contact me.