The document describes Eric Berne's "Formula G", which outlines the typical stages and progression of psychological games between people: 1) Con - One person initiates a "con" or ulterior motive to engage the other. 2) Gimmick - The other is "hooked" due to a weakness or need. 3) Response - A series of complementary transactions that reinforce the initial con-gimmick dynamic. 4) Switch - One person changes their role unexpectedly. 5) Cross up - Confusion results from the role change. 6) Payoff - Both people experience negative emotions, fulfilling the purpose of playing the game. The document provides examples to illustrate how

1. FORMULA “G”
GAMES PROCESS
By Ranu Khandelwal

2. Purpose
• To feel good (though ultimately, they feel bad).

3. Games Formula or Formula “G”
• According to Ian Stewart and Vann Jones (writers of book TA Today),
“ A game includes those sequences that follow all stages of Formula G,
including the switch of roles and moment of confusion represented by
switch and cross up.”
• Berne discovered that every game goes through a sequence of 6 stages.
• He called this sequence formula G or games formula.

5. Formula G
Putting words where the letters are:
• Con + (hook) Gimmick -equals
Response,> leading to Switch,> leading
to X Cross up or confusion,> ending in
Payoff.
In this formula:
• Con: It is delivered non-verbally
• Gimmick: It is scripty weak spot that
leads someone to buy into someone else’s
con.

6. Formula G
• Response: this stage of a game consists of a series of transactions. At
social level, these transactions seem like straight forward exchange of
information. But at psychological level, they repeat the Con-Gimmick
exchange that opened the game.
• Switch – It happens when one player changes his role.
• Cross up – The confusion happening during the change of role is cross
up.
• Payoff – Both players collect their payoff of racket feeling.

7. Game Play
In Play:
Con: A invites B to join in a game that seems worthwhile but has an
ulterior motive.
Gimmick: B has a weakness or need that makes them respond to the con.
This leads to sequence:
Response: B responds to A’s invitation.
Switch: A suddenly shifts, making a switch of some kinds
Cross-up (X): There is a period of confusion.
Payoff: This results finally into both experiencing negative emotion.

8. Let’s understand step by step:
1. Game formula suggests that there is a con or an ulterior motive in the mind of the
person who initiates the Game, though he is not aware of it.
2. There is a weakness or a readiness in the mind of the coplayer to get hooked.
3. Just like the opposite poles of two magnets, players get attracted to each other. They
engage in complementary Ulterior transactions (Response).
4. During the transactions one of them causes a change in the circumstances, or a twist
by showing an unexpected behavior, and this change is referred to as ‘Switch’.
5. The unexpected behavior results in confusion in the minds of the players. They are at
a loss to understand what happened and why. This is called the ‘Cross-up’.
6. Following this confusion, both the players experience ill feelings. Since the purpose of
playing the game, itself is to collect ill feelings, this is called ‘Pay-off’.

9. Berne’s Example…..
Con: Patient asks therapists if they will get better.
Gimmick: Therapist does not want the patient to believe they may not get
better.
Response: Therapist says ‘of course you will’
Switch: Patient gets antagonistic, saying ‘what makes you think you know
everything?’
Cross-up: Therapist is thrown off balance. Patient feels a sense of control.
Payoff: Therapist feels foolish to have been tricked by a patient. Patient feels
frustrated that therapist cannot help them and so does the Therapist being
fooled.
This game may well be based around the need for sense of control, where Con
is a setup and the Switch grabs control through use of confusion and surprise.

10. Let’s apply this formula….. Example 1
1. He asks her to proofread a newly written text and is not aware that he
actually wants to have positive feedback. He adds: "... but the text is
still bad." (1. Con) and like this invites her to criticize him.
2. Although the text is "still bad", she accepts the invitation to play (2.
Gimmick) and starts her revision.
3. She criticizes a lot thinking she is helpful and eloquent. He receives the
desired feedback (3. Response - both receive intense attention).

11. Example 1-Contd…
4. After a while, he has enough of criticism and gets annoyed. His secret wish
for recognition remains largely unfulfilled due to his invitation. He also had
not expressed it. He changes from the role of the grateful petitioner into the
role of the prosecutor and begins to complain: "I have no desire whatsoever
for your mean criticism. Give me the text back! (4. Switch - Role reversal).
5. She is visibly surprised by his new behavior. (5. Crossup - Moment of
perplexity)
6. Both receive their payoff in the form of bad feelings and a relationship
crisis. (6. Payoff)
The game reward is the result and at the same time the highlight of the game. It
usually consists of negative feelings or actions derived from them. In this
example: The relationship crisis.

12. Let’s analyze Game RAPO….
• Miss X is a beautiful Lady. When ever she goes to a party, she makes sure that she is
dressed well and looks attractive and that everyone admires her. At a party she meets a
young man who takes a liking to her.
• She smiles at him, and he too responds.
• They get introduced to each other. Before long they became good friends. They crack
jokes and enjoy each other’s company.
• Soon the young man gets a smart idea, and he lays his hands on her.
• Miss X gets shocked and shouts at him asking to behave himself.
• She concludes all men are alike and they cannot be believed. One should not get close to
or be friendly with them.
• The young man who received the jolt wonders why he is so unfortunate as to have to go
through similar experiences every time

13. Is this a Game?
• Initially one of them seduce the other to enters into a transaction. The
seduction is not natural. Women wanted to prove that men are not to be
trusted. And the man wanted to prove that he is good for nothing.
• The con and the hook which happened due to weakness led to transactions
and then there was an unexpected move from the man. This is the switch
followed by the cross-up. The whole process ended up with both parties
collecting negative feelings.
• Switch & Cross-up are inevitable components of Game theory.

14. How to stop this behavior
• Autonomy
• Awareness

15. THANK YOU