If you research ‘game theory’ on the web, you’ll find the main references refer to game theory in terms of mathematical models as would be used in economics, psychology, politics etc.. The main focus of this piece is upon social games that include many of the games that we play in our daily lives. The thing is that people don’t tend to see these as games and rather perceive them as “real life”. The social game model described here (based on Isivivane) can be used to decode games and anticipate their trajectory as well as construct new social games and re-engineer existing games.
A Social game may be defined as a learned cultural sequence that includes Rituals, Rules, Roles, Resources, Goals, Language, Values and Style.
Each element of the game is in continuous systemic relationship with all other elements of the game – a change in one element of the game impacts and is impacted by all other game elements. It’s important to note that the interaction between game elements creates what can be perceived as a system or living thing. Using this definition of social games include all the games we’re familiar with including football, chess, baseball, all of your relationships within and outside your family, religion, the economy, law, tertiary education or any other aspect of human endeavour. The basic principles of game apply.
Understanding social game theory from this point of view allows to to decipher the many different games being played in the world today. It will also help you design your own social game processes.
Key Social Game Components
- Goals (East) – Every game has a goal, even if the goal is to simply continue playing the game in a sustainable manner. While soccer, rugby and cricket matches come to an end with winners and losers, the game continues – season after season. Typical goals of business games might include sustainable profits, the creation of wealth and having rewarding interpersonal relationships. For organisations, goals are normally articulated in a Vision/Mission statements and in strategic plans. On a personal level, your narrative or ‘story’ articulates your goals. What are your personal goals? What are the goals of the games that you are playing? Do they contradict each other? Are the goals worth the effort? How have you reached clarity and agreement with your fellow players about what the goals and nature of the game are?
- Language / Stories (South East) – each game has its own language which allows participants to talk about (and even create?) common experience. The game of Law, for instance, has it’s own language that acts as an effective ‘barrier to entry’ to non-lawyers. But lawyers are not the only ones with a unique language – every field of human endeavour has its language, jargon, set of symbols, metaphors and figures of speech.
- Resources (South) – it is likely that ‘money’ springs to mind when you hear this word but resources also means emotional support, know-how and process knowledge, equipment, networks, access to information, support systems and ‘people you know’.
- Style (South West) – Style is the way the game is played. Style embodies your behaviours, thoughts and words. Irrespective of what you are playing, you bring your unique personal style to the game. Style is learned and developed over time and is strongly influenced by role models, self perception, your own character & virtues, and particularly by feedback.
- Values (West) – Values are are standards or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable. They are abstract ideas about what an organisation/ society/ community believes to be good, right, and desirable. They represent deeply held beliefs demonstrated through day-to-day behaviours and are the fundamental principles that guide community-driven processes. Values provide a basis for action and communicate expectations for participation and make a public pronouncement about how the organisation expects everyone to behave. Values create conditions that make certain beliefs and behaviours more likely.
- Rules (North West) – In order to play a game well, you need to be clear about what the rules are – both written and unwritten – and work with them stretching the boundaries where possible. Rules stipulate what can and cannot be done and not playing by the rules means you risk penalty or even exclusion from the game.
- Roles (North) – Every human being plays a number of different roles in day-to day life. In addition to the kinship roles (you are someone’s child, lover, brother/sister, father/mother etc..) What has been observed is that people tend to take on different personae / personality traits in each game they play depending on their perceived demands of the role and the game..
- Rituals (North East) – A ritual refers to Speech, action, singing, and other activities which often contain a symbolic meaning, performed in a specific order. In organisations, audits, year-end functions, teambuilding and weekly meetings are examples of typical rituals. A characteristic of ritual is that it has the quality of ‘collapsing time’ and ‘suspending the rational mind.
Seeing the game nature of human activity is empowering in that it allows you to be light-hearted and playful – traits often associated with creativity. By contrast, not understanding the game is a sure recipe for confusion and helplessness. Using a game metaphor in all aspects of your life ensures a light-hearted, open and humorous approach to situations that others (who don’t understand the idea of game playing) might take seriously and as ‘real life’. In other words, conceptualising human activity as a game is an empowering and a strategic tool that helps you get what it is you want.
The way in which you think and talk about your experiences not only describes but makes those experiences ‘real’ for you and others. Understanding that a game structure underlies all human experience is both helpful and empowering – those who see it as ‘real life’ tend to have a serious approach that is not particularly helpful in the creative process. And serious thinking might also set them up for the anxiety and worry that are precursors to stress-related disorders.
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