Fascinating psychological educational game "mafia" as a training for effective communication and self-confidence. Mafia: a psychological game or just kill the one who is nearby? Psychological game for teenagers mafia

Human life and its activities are unique processes with many features. A person is born already having certain predispositions, inclinations, abilities. But in order for his interaction with the outside world and society to be more effective and productive, a person needs to “improve”, “pump” himself and his personality. And the process of this improvement begins already from the earliest years, but never ends, one might say, never, because, as they say, there is no limit to perfection. In order to form, consolidate and improve the qualities of a personality, a huge number of various methods and practices are used today. But we will talk about, perhaps, the most popular and effective of them - socio-psychological games.

In this page we will understand what psychological games are in general, what are their features and what they are for. We all have heard more than once that there are games for children, for teenagers, for schoolchildren, for students, small, large, role-playing, business. They can be aimed at the development of any qualities, at the formation of communication skills, at unity, etc. Games are held in kindergartens, schools, recreation camps - these are children's games. Games are also held in higher educational institutions, enterprises and large firms, but these are already games for adults, which are often included in the program of any trainings and seminars. There are even computer psychological games - they are very popular in our time, when almost every person has a home computer or laptop. So what is the reason that games have become an integral part of human life and are present in almost every area of ​​it? And what games can and should be used for yourself? We present the answers to these and many other questions to your precious attention.

What is a game?

A game is a kind of activity, the motive of which is not the result, but the process itself, where the re-creation and assimilation of any experience takes place. Also, the game is the main activity of children, through which mental properties, intellectual operations and attitude to the surrounding reality are formed, changed and consolidated. The term "game" is also used to refer to programs or sets of items for implementation. gaming activity.

The study of human psychology and the psychological realities of his life becomes more interesting and effective when carried out through activities that are of interest to the researcher himself. And such activity, of course, is the game. Experience has shown more than once that socio-psychological games help people to perceive the reality of the psychological aspect of their life very seriously and deeply.

The functions of the gaming activity are as follows:

• Entertaining - entertains, cheers up;
• Communicative - promotes communication;
• Self-actualization - gives a person the opportunity to express themselves;
• Game therapy - helps to overcome various difficulties that arise in life;
• Diagnostic - allows you to identify deviations in development and behavior;
• Corrective - allows you to make changes in the structure of the personality;
• Socialization - makes it possible to include a person in the system of social relations and contributes to the assimilation of social norms.

The main types of psychological games and their features

Games can be business, positional, innovative, organizational-educational, educational, organizational-thinking, organizational-activity and others. But still, there are several main types of psychological games.

Game shells. In this type of games, the game plot itself is the general background against which developmental, corrective and psychological tasks are solved. Such activities contribute to the development of basic mental properties and processes of the individual, as well as the development of reflection and self-reflection.

Living games. In living games, individual and joint development with a group of people takes place. play space, building interpersonal relationships within its limits and understanding personal values. This type of games develops the motivational aspect of a person's personality, his system life values, personal criticality; allows you to build your own activities and relationships with others; expands ideas about human feelings and experiences.

Drama games. Drama games contribute to the self-determination of their participants in certain situations and the improvement of the value-semantic choice. The motivational sphere, the system of life values, the readiness to make elections, the ability to set goals, the skill of planning are developing. The features of reflection and self-reflection are formed.

Project games. Project games have an impact on the development and comprehension by a person of instrumental tasks that are associated with the construction of activities, the achievement of specific results and the systematization of a system of business relationships with others. There is a development of skills in setting goals, planning and the ability to adapt actions to specific conditions. Self-regulation skills are formed, personal criticality and the ability to correlate their actions with the actions of other people develop.

The types of psychological games presented above can be used both as independent ones and used in conjunction with others. The descriptions we have given are the most general and give only a superficial idea of ​​psychological games.

Now we move on to the most interesting block - the games themselves. Next, we will consider some of the most popular and effective games, and their benefits in the development and life of a person.

The most popular and effective games and their benefits

Karpman-Bern triangle

The Karpman-Bern triangle is, to be precise, not even quite a game. More precisely the game, but unconscious. A game that people play without having the slightest idea that they have become participants in it. But, due to the fact that this phenomenon exists, it is necessary to mention it.

This triangle is a simplified model of psychological manipulation that takes place in almost all areas of human life: family, friendship, love, work, business, etc. This relationship of roles that arise in the process of human relations was described by the American psychotherapist Stephen Karpman, who continues the ideas of his teacher, the American psychologist Eric Berne. This relationship, provided that it develops according to the “scheme” of this triangle, is destructive in itself and affects the people participating in this triangle exclusively negatively.

Because it is a triangle, it has three sides: a person who acts as a victim (“Victim”), a person who exerts pressure (“Aggressor”) and a person who intervenes in the situation and wants to help (“Savior”).

Usually it turns out like this: a problem or a difficult life situation arises between two people. Thus, the "Aggressor" and "Victim" appear. The "victim", looking for a solution to the problem, turns to a third party - a person who becomes the "Savior". The “Savior”, by virtue of his kindness, knowledge, or any other reasons, decides to help and advises something. The "victim" follows the advice and behaves according to the advice of the "Saviour". As a result, the advice only leads to a worsening of the situation, and the “Savior” is already extreme - he becomes the “Victim”, the “Victim” - the “Aggressor”, etc. From time to time, each of us plays the role of one of the sides of the Karpman-Bern triangle. The triangle itself often becomes the cause of great quarrels, troubles, troubles, etc.

So that you can get to know the Karpman-Bern triangle in detail, find out its features and see illustrative examples that correlate with our daily life, you can on Wikipedia.

Now we go directly to games that have a very serious psychological aspect. These games are deliberately organized by people both with the aim of winning / winning, and with the aim of exerting a certain influence on the personality of a person. Organization and participation in these games give a person the opportunity to delve deeper into the essence of his relationship with himself and the people around him. The first game that we should consider as a psychological one is the Mafia game.

"Mafia"

Mafia is a word-based role-playing game created in 1986 by Dmitry Davydov, a student at Moscow State University. It is recommended to play it for people over 13 years old. The optimal number of players: from 8 to 16. In the process, the struggle of a smaller organized group with a larger unorganized one is modeled. According to the story, the inhabitants of the city, tired of the activities of the mafia, decide to imprison all representatives of the criminal world. In response to this, the bandits declare war on the townspeople.

At the beginning, the host distributes one card to the participants, which determines their belonging to the mafia or the townspeople. The game is played day and night. At night, the mafia is active, during the day - the townspeople. In the process of alternating the time of day, the mafiosi and the inhabitants of the city each conduct their own activities, during which there are fewer and fewer players in each team. Information about events guides all further actions of the participants. The game is considered over when one of the teams completely wins, i.e. when either all the townspeople are “killed”, or all the bandits are “planted”. If there are very few players, then the game turns out to be too short, but if there are more players than necessary, there is turmoil and confusion, and the game loses its meaning.

The Mafia game is primarily based on communication: discussions, disputes, establishing contacts, etc., which brings it as close as possible to real life. After all, the game uses and manifests all the features and properties of the human personality. The psychological aspect of the game is such that in order to successfully interact with others, a person must try to apply and develop his acting abilities, the gift of persuasion, leadership, deduction. "Mafia" perfectly develops analytical thinking, intuition, logic, memory, ingenuity, theatricality, social influence, teamwork and many other qualities important in life. The main psychologism of this game is which team will win after all. After all, one team is mafiosi who know each other, but in no case are they determined to play at a loss for themselves and, moreover, have the opportunity to eliminate the townspeople. And the second team is civilians, unfamiliar with each other, who can act most effectively only by interacting with the mafia. "Mafia" is fraught with great potential and brings great pleasure in intellectual and aesthetic terms.

Details of the game "Mafia", its rules, strategic and tactical features and many other detailed and interesting information related to it, you will find on Wikipedia.

"Poker"

"Poker" is a world famous card game. Its goal is to win bets by collecting the most profitable combination of four or five cards for this, or by making all participants stop participating. All cards in the game are either completely or partially covered. Features of the rules may be different - it depends on the type of poker. But for all types, the presence of trade and game combinations is common.

To play poker, decks of 32, 36 or 54 cards are used. The optimal number of players: from 2 to 10 at one table. most high card is an ace, then a king, a queen, and so on. Sometimes the lowest card can be an ace - depending on card combination. Different types of poker consist of a different number of streets - rounds of betting. Each street starts with a new hand. Once the cards have been dealt, any player may bet or leave the game. The winner is the one whose combination of five cards will be the best, or the one who can force out other players and remain alone until the moment when the cards are revealed.

The psychological aspect of poker is very important. plays an important role in the tactics and strategy of the game. The moves made by the players are based, to a large extent, on their skills, habits and perceptions. Thus, the styles of the players are based on a certain psychological basis and are a reflection of the desires and fears of people, the understanding of which gives some players an advantage over others. Also, the style of the player is an excellent display of his character traits. After all, any personal characteristic, as you know, affects the behavior of a person and, consequently, his behavior in the game and the decisions that he makes in certain conditions of the game. Of course, poker is a gambling game that is played for money. And without having gaming skills, a person runs the risk of being in an unenviable situation. But if you play poker without stakes for the sake of training, for example, with friends, then it will be an excellent way to develop and hone such qualities as intuition, logical thinking, the ability to “read” people and disguise your intentions, psychological stability, endurance, cunning, attentiveness , memory and many others. It should be noted that the game of poker, among other things, develops self-control, tactical and strategic thinking as well as the ability to recognize the motives of other people. And these qualities so often turn out to be necessary for us in our daily life.

Details of the game "Poker", rules, strategies and other interesting details can be found on Wikipedia.

"Dixit"

Dixit is an associative board game. Consists of 84 illustrated cards. It can be played by 3 to 6 people. At the beginning, each player receives 6 cards. Everyone takes turns. One of the participants in the game is declared the Storyteller. He takes one card and puts it in front of him so that the picture is not visible. Then he must describe it with a word, phrase, sound, facial expression or gesture that he associates with the picture. Others do not see the card, but among their cards they look for the most suitable one for the Storyteller's description, and they also put it face down on the table. After that, all these cards are shuffled and laid out in a row, and the players, using tokens with numbers, must guess the card that the Storyteller originally described. Next, the players reveal all the cards, count the points. The player who guessed the card moves his chip forward. When all the cards run out, the game will be over. The one with the most points wins.

The game "Dixit" has a number of features, one of which is that associations should not be too simple, not too complex, because. then the card will be very easy or very difficult to guess. The game itself is an excellent tool for the development of analytical and associative thinking, intuition, fantasy, intelligence and other qualities. During the game, participants learn to feel other people, understand them without words and explain them in the same way. We can say that, among other things, the skills of effective non-verbal communication are formed. The game is very interesting and always takes place in a positive friendly atmosphere.

You can learn more about the Dixit game and some of its features on Wikipedia.

"Imaginarium"

"Imaginarium" is an analogue of the game "Dixit". It also needs to select associations for pictures of different semantic load. The rules of the game are the same as in Dixit: one player (the Storyteller) chooses a card and describes it using associations. The rest of the players choose one of the most suitable card from among their own, and put it face down on the table. After all the cards are shuffled, and the player begins to guess them.

The game "Imaginarium" is in no way inferior to its prototype and has an exceptionally beneficial effect on the development of many qualities of the human personality, namely: it develops intelligence, analytical thinking, intuition, imagination, and fantasy. The game activates creative abilities, the ability to intuitively understand others, in every possible way helps to improve communication skills and increase the effectiveness of communication.

Get to know more detailed description Imaginarium games are available on the Mosigra website.

"Activity"

"Activity" is a collective associative game in which you need to explain the words written on the cards. In total there are 440 cards in the game with six tasks on each. The standard set is designed for people from 12 years old. But there are options "For children" and "For kids". Minimal amount players are two. The maximum is practically unlimited. You can explain words with the help of facial expressions, drawings or synonymous words. To explain what is hidden, you have only one minute. Some tasks are individual and some are general. Players must move pieces around the game map. The team that reaches the finish line first wins. In the process, you can also choose more complex or easier tasks. For a more difficult task, more points are given.

The game "Activity" is perfect for relaxation and fun pastime and perfectly cheers up. "Activity" develops strategic thinking, ingenuity, imagination, teamwork, intuition, analytical skills. The game contributes to the disclosure of potential and gives each person the opportunity to express themselves from completely different sides. And the many tactical possibilities and behaviors further contribute to this. Both children and adults will get a lot of pleasure and positive emotions from this game.

"Monopoly"

Monopoly is one of the world's most famous developing board games. Genre of the game: economic strategy. Minimum number of players: two. The essence of the game is to achieve economic stability for yourself and bankruptcy for other players, using start-up capital. The initial amount for each player is the same. Players take turns making moves on the playing field by throwing a die. The one who earns the most money wins. The game ends when someone is completely broke or when the ATM stops dispensing banknotes and luck cards.

The game "Monopoly" for many years will retain its popularity among a huge number of people. Firstly, it perfectly cheers up and gives a lot of positive emotions. Secondly, the game forms a culture of communication, thanks to the close interaction of participants with each other. Thirdly, during the game, the makings of entrepreneurship and financial literacy develop, mathematical knowledge, logical and strategic thinking, and a sense of tactics are improved. It is also important that the Monopoly game trains memory, develops attention, and also reveals leadership inclinations, independence, responsibility and the desire of a person to be the master of his own life. In addition to this, such qualities as the ability to wait, patience, perseverance, calmness are developed.

You can find out more information about the Monopoly game on Wikipedia.

Other games

The games we briefly mentioned are by no means the only ones of their kind, but they can safely be called worthy examples of some of the very best psychological games. The direction and form of psychological games can be completely different. The main thing is to find the most interesting game for yourself and just start playing it. Better yet, try all the games. This, at the same time, will have a positive impact on many of your personal characteristics, and will help you decide which type of game suits you personally.

As an addition, there are a few more games that you can master. This is a wonderful game "Telepathy", the main focus of which is self-knowledge, awareness of oneself and the development of one's hidden abilities. To develop the ability to listen and mindfulness, there is a wonderful game called "Lost Narrator". By the way, it also affects interpersonal relationships. A good game of trust and mutual understanding is “Coin”. There is also a close interaction of participants in it, which allows them to study in depth the psychological characteristics of each other. The category of such games can also include the games "Homeostat", "Docking", "Line", "Choice" and others. You can easily find information about these and many other interesting psychological games on the Internet. By the way, about the Internet: today a large number of very interesting computer and online games have been developed that have a pronounced psychological focus. You can find such games in computer stores or download them from the Internet. Installed on your home computer good games will always contribute to a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere in your home. You can always take a break from everyday affairs by playing, for example, online monopoly. And it will be interesting and fun for your children to watch how you play and participate in the process themselves. Naturally, there are educational online games for children, which are a pleasure to play. Look on the Internet for something suitable, and you will definitely find a worthwhile option for yourself and your loved ones.

Games as a way of effective psychological influence, as mentioned earlier, have found application in various fields of human activity. A person begins to play from a very young age - at home with his parents, in kindergarten with other children. Then we are faced with different games in junior and senior classes of school, institute, university. In adulthood, we are also surrounded by games, but these are already games for adults. With the help of such games, people striving for success and self-improvement develop their strengths and work on their weaknesses. And this actually makes them stronger and more developed personalities, increases their efficiency and effectiveness, makes interaction with the outside world and themselves deeper and more harmonious.

Do not neglect this way of self-development and you. Play games, change them, invent your own. Take games to your “armament” and make them a part of your life. So you can always be in the process of development. And the process of personal growth will never bore you and will continue to be interesting and exciting.

We wish you success on the path of self-improvement and study of human psychology!

But what do we know about her? What makes her so attractive to people?

What Wikipedia tells us about this game:

"Mafia" is a parlor team psychological turn-based role-playing game with a detective story that simulates the struggle of members of an organized minority who are informed about each other with an unorganized majority.
Plot plot: Residents of the city, exhausted from the revelry of the mafia, make a decision to imprison all the mafiosi to the last. In response, the mafia declares war until the complete destruction of all decent citizens.

The game was invented in the spring of 1986 by a student of the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University Dmitry Davydov, a native of Kamensk-Uralsky. At first, it was played in dormitories, classrooms and corridors of Moscow State University, but after some university students spent their holidays in summer student camps, where students from other Soviet universities rested, the game, along with new players, began to spread to other educational institutions of the USSR. After graduation, Dmitry stayed at Moscow State University to teach psychology to international students (mainly from the socialist countries), and some of them, returning home, spread the seeds of the "Mafia" abroad, first to Europe (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Belgium, UK, Norway). The first appearance of the game "Mafia" in the United States is documented in 1989, at a summer camp in Pennsylvania.

As in any game, professional mafiosi have their own tricks when playing. Here are some of them:

"Honesty"
The best strategy, according to the author of the game, is to be honest, regardless of the status that has fallen; you should not be shy to openly, naturally and sincerely share your thoughts about the game and the players with others.

"Gang of siskins"
This tactic consists in the fact that against the mafia a group of honest residents (in game slang, “sissies”) is formed, who know the commissioner (sometimes also a doctor and a maniac). As a rule, her education begins with the commissioner checking one "siskin", to whom he calls himself. Combining into a gang allows the "sissies" to drastically reduce the mafia's ability to destroy citizens by daytime voting. If the mafia is revealed at night, one of the "chis" starts a vote against him during the day, which is supported by all the others. One of the members of the mafia, posing as a commissioner, can also form a gang of "sissies". After a night check of the accomplice, he tells one of the other participants that he belongs to the mafia, and he, accordingly, is the commissioner. After a unanimous vote for an accomplice (who, of course, turns out to be a mafia), the victim of deception usually has no doubt that the commissioner is the one who pointed out the "mafia" to him. The real commissar is forced to create a parallel gang and check at night those whom the confidant he has chosen points to - in order to prove that he is a real commissar. In addition to creating a gang with a false commissioner, the main tactic of the mafia against the "sissies" is not the destruction of the "sissies" themselves (players verified by the commissioner), but the search for a commissioner. If the mafia manages to kill him at night, then the chances of the "sissies" to win fall sharply, only if the game has not gone so far that there are already a lot of "sissies" and they can destroy all "suspicious" (unverified) citizens during the day.

"Setup"
It is used by the mafia and consists in deliberately voting against one of the partners, or performing any other intentional actions that contribute to the disclosure of his role. This tactic is undertaken in order to avert suspicion from the framing members of the mafia at the expense of the substituted. In the classic version, it is a vote against an accomplice who was not checked, and further appeals to the community that the mafia does not disclose its own.

"False commission"
It consists in the fact that one of the honest residents at the beginning of the game appears to the city as a commissar, posing himself under a mafia shot, but protecting the real commissar, giving him the right to live and check at least an extra day.

Are there any fans of this game among the residents of the region?