The ABC model and character development

Okay, so maybe every Saturday is a bit too much for my busy schedule.  I own that.  I had actually planned this post almost immediately after my first, and I think that it is a great thing to be aware of from both a design perspective and a player perspective.  That is to say, today, we are going to talk about how people think.  This subject has very broad ramifications on both how the developers and script writers should approach the concept of character development, as well as the players approach to relating to the character.

I started this blog basically out of an ignited passion for video games brought by binge-watching Extra Credits.  For anyone interested in the science, mechanics, or art of game design, you should definitely check them out.  I will more than likely be referencing them quite a bit in these posts, and I highly recommend them for anyone interested in games beyond just "fun."

That said, the particular episode that I have in mind is their discussion on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and character development, which you can watch here.  The basic premise is that by utilizing the broad, sweeping archetypes and scales in particular ways, one can then write consistent and pervasive attitudes into a character.  This is a fantastic place to start, and I would like to use that idea as a jumping off point for another psychological concept that can be immensely useful in game design: Albert Ellis' ABC model of thinking.

I'm not going to get into the specifics of Ellis' theory, but you can at least check out the Wikipedia article as a start.  I will just give you a basic rundown on the concept:  Basically, there are 3 steps to every thought that we have.  The first step is the Activating Event (A), which is the thing in the world that happens.  You see a flat round silver thing with a mans face and a date.  You see a person.  You feel a touch.  The examples could go on, because everything in the world that you have experienced is an activating event.  This event is inherently meaningless, because it is just a thing that happens.

The event must be filtered through our Beliefs (B) before it can be interpreted.  Our beliefs are the culture we were raised in, what we know, what we believe about ourselves, others, and the world around us.  We are taught that a flat, round piece of metal with a face on it is called a coin, and if that face is George Washington then it's and American quarter worth 25 cents.  We believe that 25 cents is worth 1/4 of a dollar, and that most vending machines accept them.  We believe that if we live in Europe, an American quarter may not do us a lot of good.  Our beliefs provide shading to the event so that it can be interpreted.

Once our beliefs color the event, it creates a Consequence (C).  The consequence is an assignment of meaning to the event based on our beliefs.  If someone we do not know touches us on the arm, and we believe that strangers shouldn't touch each other, then the consequence of a stranger touching us would be discomfort.  And that is the basics of the ABC model.

Now how does this apply to character design?  Well, just like the MBTI can create broad understandings of the basic qualities of our characters, the ABC model can create much more detailed aspects of our characters.  If we ask "what does this character believe?" than we can conceptualize with much more clarity how they will respond in various situations.  Basically, it is the specific use of broad beliefs.

So that's character design, but how does this help the player?  Well, I know for me that getting into my characters' heads is half the fun of an RPG, and this model can give us a formula to analyze our characters in order to really invest in them.  If we know the events and the consequences, we can then ask "What does this character believe to make them act that way?"  If a character makes their beliefs known to us, we can explore in our imaginations how they might react to various activating events.

But there are two edges to this.  Unfortunately, not enough designers and writers consider this model when making characters.  This leaves far too many games vulnerable to the "WHY WOULD HE DO THAT?!?!" trap in pursuit of an exciting plot twist.  If we aren't given insight into characters, then these plot twists can become more frustrating than exciting.  I don't have any particular examples in mind right now, but I think you know what I'm talking about.  I know that I've felt that more times that I would like to have.

So when have you experienced this?  What do you think about this idea?

Go watch Extra Credits!  (They're not paying me, I promise!)

Informed Consent

Greetings, Internet!

My name is Joey, and I want to share my life with you.  Not in a creepy way, I promise!

Let me tell you a little bit about myself:

As of this posting, I am working on getting my master's degree in Counseling from the University of North Texas; I will graduate this upcoming August, if all goes according to plan.  With that, I will work on becoming a therapist with a specialization in adults with anxiety, mood disorders, and relationship concerns.

Something else about me: I am a gigantic nerd.  Not in a taped-up glasses and a lisp sort of way, more in the play video games and peruse the internet for memes sort of way.  I find that playing video games allows me to relax and process through the stressors of the day with relative ease.  And my goal here is to share this coping skill with you.

So what is the point of telling you these two things?  Well, as they say in counseling theory: All behavior has a purpose!  I intend to use this blog as a sounding board of sorts for my hobby of video games, but with the twist that I will be utilizing psychological theory to address issues related to game culture, development, and writing.

I know that I am not the first to come at games from this angle, and I will not be the last.  But I hope that you will stick with me as I make this journey!

As this is my first post, I will take a moment to discuss the planned schedule of updates:

I am gunning for once every week to two weeks.  Probably on Saturdays, as this is when I have time to think and write without cutting into my own professional or personal obligations.  Obviously there will be more details as they come about.  Life is filled with unexpected turns, after all!